Simple Ways to Show Authenticity As a Leader

A manager can check all the boxes on-paper as someone who does their job well — but the reality is being an expert on a subject, assigning workloads fairly, or keeping everyone in the loop doesn’t automatically earn the respect of employees. One of the first things an employee can catch onto is if a manager says all the right things, but doesn’t actually give off an approachable demeanor. 

To help managers appear more authentic and command respect from their teams, People Equation crafted a series of actionable tips managers can use to improve their demeanor in the workplace.

Avoid Humble Bragging. There’s no shame in a manager being proud of hitting goals for a quarter, or earning additional responsibilities on a facility they are tasked with overseeing, but a team will likely roll their eyes if the manager tries to shroud a self-pat on the back. An example would be saying “the schedule and protocol I put in place really set the tone for our efficiency as a team improving by 20 percent this last month.” Even if it’s a major factor in the improvement, focus on the workers themselves improving their efficiency while keeping the cleaning quality up. 

Fake Encouragement: If an idea isn’t actually feasible or realistic, don’t reply to the suggestion with immediate praise. Not only does it get an employee’s hopes up for no reason, but they’ll quickly realize that any suggestion they bring up will get the same template response when months have gone by without several “excellent” ideas ever being put into motion. At the worst, it could discourage employees from putting effort into their suggestions if they already know what the initial response will be. 

Be Wary of Body Language or Distractions: During meetings or regular discussions, nonverbal cues can inadvertently shake the confidence of employees. Even if a good point is being raised, an employees confidence can be shaken if a manger happens to glance at their watch or the clock. The same goes with phones. Even if a manager isn’t directly looking at it during a conversation, having a notification light up on the table can be enough to derail somebody’s train of thought. 

For additional management advice, check out these tips on how to best handle potential burnout in the workplace.