Don't weaken your managers by undermining their credibility

Do you have managers reporting to you? If so, watch what you say about one manager to the other,

what you say about your managers in public, or how you treat them in public. Organizations have a very complicated dynamics. If you undermine your manager's credibility in public, you make her weak in the eyes of the rest of the organization. A weak manager can not get his or her job done well, and at the end of the day, one way or the other, you pay for it.

If you mistakenly undermine your manager's credibility in public, recognize it and have the courage to also publicly apologize for it. Or take an active role in restoring the credibility in simple ways such as thanking the manager in public for a job well done.

ROI is infinity but yet under utilized

It takes a few seconds, it cost nothing, it increases productivity and moral beyond belief and yet it is not used frequently. "Thank you" is what I am referring to. It is amazing how many managers and leaders don't take the time to thank a team member or a team for a job well done. All it takes, is to walk to someone, shake their hand, tap them at the back, and say thank you. Some don't do it because they are too busy with other presumably more important stuff. Some wonder why they should thank someone for what they are getting paid for. Isn't sending a paycheck to them every week or two "thank you" enough? Some are afraid that saying too much thank you will reduce its effectiveness. So, they wait for the big thing to happen or the project to end to say thank you. And then they forget it anyway.

It is only when you see the good things the team does and explicitly appreciate it that you gain the credibility to give feedback on something an employee is not doing well and expect he or she to take it well.

Make appreciating the work your team does as part what you do, not an exception. You will reap the rewards immediately by having a team that is more engaged, energetic, and productive.