David Diaz, Senior Manager, Davenport Laroche

Employees trust their managers to help them make decisions and accomplish goals that will not only support the growth of the brand, but also the long-term development of the business too. However, there's more to running a successful company than simply telling staff what to do from 9-to-5. Great managers and leaders must be able to empower their followers and encourage them to take positive steps forward of their own accord. 

The question is, how can a manager become more than just a boss, and start to act as a source of inspiration and motivation for his or her team?

1.     Demonstrate Trust

The easiest way to encourage happy, creative employees is to show them trust. Staff members need to know that they have the space to try new ideas and explore new concepts without risking the anger of their supervisor. The more trust a manager can show, the more an employee will begin to believe in themselves, so that they're less concerned about making the wrong choices in the future.

2.     Encourage Constant Improvement 

When recruits learn new skills it's good for the hire and good for the entire business. In fact, some companies will even choose to support continued classes and educational opportunities beyond the workplace to facilitate personal growth. 

For managers who don't have the opportunity to support their employees financially - there's always the option to be flexible with schedules to a certain level. Allowing a salesperson to leave half an hour early one day so that they can train could be important to their future.

3.     Create an Open-Door Policy 

For employees to succeed, they need to know that their manager values and appreciated their opinions. Simple gestures like letting staff know that their supervisor is available to talk when needed can go a long way towards making a sustainable difference to company culture. This also means that companies will get more creative input from their staff too.

4.     Inspire Creative Thinking 

Just because a business has been doing a task the same way for a number of years doesn't necessarily mean it's the best option for that organisation. There are always new ways to improve a company's performance and it's impossible to encounter those concepts if there's no room for creative thinking within a brand. 

Managers can empower their staff by inspiring them to come up with creative solutions to problems. This can give businesses a number of perspectives to look at when addressing issues. 

5.     Show Recognition and Appreciation 

While companies pay employees to show up at their posts and perform important tasks each day - most will require more than just a salary to go above and beyond for a brand. Whether it's giving someone a pat on the back for an exceptionally well-handled sales call or giving someone a bonus for a flawless report, showing an employee that the company appreciates their efforts is crucial to success. 

Importantly, recognition doesn't always have to come in a financial format. Regular praise can be enough to ensure high-quality work in the future, and it can also be useful for preventing employee turnover.