Video:How to Be Fair While Being a Manager

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Transcript:How to Be Fair While Being a Manager

Hi, I’m Michelle Tillis Lederman, the author of The Laws of Likability and the founder of Executive Essentials. Today for About.com we’re going to talk about how to be fair while being a manager.

Fairness is Perceived

My kids complain all the time: That’s not fair. Well, it’s no different for managers. Do your employees perceive you as fair? The number one reason people give for leaving their jobs is their direct relationship with their supervisor. So, we want to be fair as a manager. But what does that mean? The truth is it is something different for everyone. So fairness is really about perception. And I want to give you some ideas about how to be perceived fairly as a manager.

Consider the Rules for Being a Fair Manager

• 1: Think back to kindergarten. That Golden Rule? Do onto others as you want done unto yourself. We’re going to elevate that to The Platinum Rule which means do onto others as they want done unto themselves. We want to consider their communication preferences and their motivational style.
   
• 2: Don’t play favourites. If there’s a lot of grunt work or a lot of opportunity. You don’t want to give those all to the same people. You want to distribute it fairly, not just based on how you feel about somebody as a person.
   
• 3: Follow the rules. Whatever they are apply them equally to everyone. That’s the definition of being fair.
   
• 4: Be honest and explain your reasons. If a new procedure or policy is put into place don’t just tell them what it is, tell them why. People are more willing to accept a decision when they understand the reasoning behind it. You can also tell them what you can’t tell them. But don’t forget, the Why. All of this makes people feel in the loop and part of the bigger picture which is a direct correlation to job satisfaction.
   
• 5: Seek feedback from your people. And be flexible. They are closest to the processes and procedures and they are going to have some great ideas. So be flexible and open to those ideas and how things can get done through and by your people.
  
   
• 6: And lastly, think of how others are going to be affected by these decisions. You have to remember that not only do we define fairness differently but as we apply it, we must consider the differences among us. The manager who follows these tips is going to have reduced turnover, increased productivity and improved morale.

I’m Michelle Tillis Lederman. Thanks for watching. If you want more information, go to About.com.