Positive management is a management approach that emphasizes an individual’s strengths and opportunities, rather than their weaknesses and challenges. The ultimate goal is to achieve a balance between the human and performance aspects of an organization.
This management style rests on five main pillars that support this balance, including:
- Kindness and expectations: The manager must be able to express empathy towards their team members, take into account their emotions and find adapted solutions in case of blockage or difficulties.
- Recognition and encouragement: These are important levers that can help motivate team members, whether they are achieving small daily victories or reaching significant milestones. As a positive manager, it is essential to always recognize and acknowledge your team’s professional and personal capabilities, and to encourage them to continue to grow and develop in their roles.
- Trust: To be a positive manager, it is necessary to establish a climate of trust that will encourage collaborators to give their best.
- Involvement and commitment: When team members feel that their role is important in advancing the organization’s goals, they are more likely to feel valued and engaged in their work. As a positive manager, it’s important to communicate the significance of each team member’s role and the impact their work has on the organization. This can help to create a sense of unity and shared purpose, where each team member feels involved in a mission of general interest.
- Sense of belonging: Involve your team in decision-making and make them feel valued as individuals. This not only increases their sense of belonging but also fosters a positive work environment where everyone is invested in a shared mission.
3 reasons to implement positive management in a company
Positive management is not just a different approach to managing teams, it also allows for the application of positive psychology in the workplace. By implementing this style of management, you can easily achieve the following objectives:
- Boost productivity: According to Michelle Gielan, positivity is a natural resource for ensuring success in a company. Her research has shown that a positive attitude in the workplace can reduce stress by 23%, increase productivity by 31%, and performance by 25%.
Therefore, positive management focuses on employees’ strengths and accomplishments, which encourages them to grow and improve.
- Increase employee motivation: Positive management also has a big impact on employee motivation as well as their mental health since it plays a role in their well-being.
Moreover, positive management strengthens team cohesion by fostering deeper connections between team members. They support each other, frequently communicate, and also share their concerns.
- Improve communication: Positive management is characterized by open, transparent, and respectful communication, and focuses on employees’ strengths and opportunities rather than their weaknesses and challenges. By adopting this approach, managers can create a collaborative and supportive work environment that strengthens team cohesion and motivates employees.
5 steps to implement positive management
Establishing positive management allows the manager to ensure better team management and motivate their team on a daily basis. The following steps will help you implement it:
- Train managers in positive management: To implement positive management, it is crucial to train managers in this approach. They need to be educated about the concept, benefits, and advantages of positive management. This will encourage them to apply it to their team management and help ensure the effective management of their teams.
Thanks to Beekast’s collaborative platform, you can deliver your training in person or remotely and even asynchronously. Use the interactive MCQ activity available on the platform to check that managers understand the different concepts.
- Find the balance between kindness and high expectations: Being kind and constructive in the face of mistakes helps your team members to improve without feeling discouraged. This leads to personal growth and increased self-confidence.
- Establish a climate of trust: To ensure effective team management, the manager must build a culture of trust with their colleagues but also encourage the same level of trust between the members of their team. This aims to strengthen bonds, making it easier for everyone to work together.
Managers should also allow their colleagues to express their opinions freely in order to build up their self-confidence.
It is therefore the managers’ role to ensure a positive work environment. Take advantage of opportunities such as team-building activities to help strengthen team spirit outside of a traditional work environment as well!
- Show recognition towards your team: Encouraging and recognizing your colleagues’ work and efforts is crucial when it comes to positive management. To do this in a quick and easy way, we recommend using Beekast’s One on One meeting template.
Moreover, if a member of your team appears to be stuck on a particular subject, make sure you are there to support them and help them find a solution. Mistakes can happen, but it is up to managers to transform these errors into opportunities for growth!
- Be empathetic: Each manager is responsible for listening to their colleagues and understanding what they are feeling. By putting yourself in their shoes, you can easily offer solutions that are tailored to their situation, which makes them feel truly considered.
Ultimately, the goal of this implementation is to create a positive corporate culture that promotes employee satisfaction and performance, as well as the growth and success of the company.
Our interactive tool Beekast and its various fun activities will help you create this positive work culture and encourage active listening between you and your colleagues.
