You envision the type of employee behavior you want to see under your management. Since employees have a free will and spirit, it takes thoughtful planning to turn the staff into the kind of staff that will thrive and work well in a business. Hard work and dedication will develop the team spirit and employee behavior that makes your business thrive and survive in a time when businesses are closing their doors. Develop your plan and develop employees who are good for business.

Things You Will Need

  • 3 x 5 Index card

  • Card box

Communicate with your people effectively. Model the behavior and expectations you have of them. A pleasant disposition and good work ethic set a standard for them to match. Use the power of your position to communicate what you feel is truly important by your behavior.

Create the rules necessary to accomplish the goals of your company as a team. Write down the rules and give everyone a copy. This should include acceptable dress, personal interactions, work-load rules, teamwork requirements and deadline expectations. Employees tend to dress and act in compliance to company expectations when they buy into the expectations and understand them.

Listen to your staff. When you meet with employees, listen more than you talk. You already know what you think. Actively seek the ideas of your staff. Feeling like a respected part of the team allows employees to enjoy ownership in the company, feeling they have influence and a sense of community at work. (See References: Ownership at Work. Inc.)

Spend time with your staff. Learn their first names and use them. Your work results will improve as you seek to know each employee's strength and weakness and assign team responsibilities that meet their strengths. It also allows you to partner employees who will strengthen each other. Employee attitudes improve when their comfort levels are improved. If you have a large staff or have difficulty remembering the information, buy a card box and 3-inch by 5-inch index cards to write the information under each employee's name. In his book, "Leadership Gold," management expert John Maxwell says, "Leadership is relational as much as it is positional." Step forward and develop the type of relationship that makes your staff want to listen, not because you are management, but because they are on your team.

Train your staff. Teach them to be problem solvers and thinkers. While some training is formal, regular on-the-job training is ongoing. Inspirational speaker Zig Ziglar once said, "The only thing worse than training employees and losing them is not training them and keeping them."

Reward your employees when they meet your expectations. Be certain all rewards are given on merit alone. Vary the rewards given. Remember that a sincere expression of appreciation is one of the greatest rewards you give an employee.