There’s a reason why Facebook has been so massively successful and continues to hold the top position as the world’s leading social media giant. They’ve recently released a glimpse into a major contributing factor to their success. Facebook set out to discover what traits their best managers and HR professionals had and how these traits led to a balanced and productive workplace. Here are some tips from Facebook that can help workplace leaders improve and groom their skills.
One of the most important traits that Facebook discovered in its best HR professionals and managers was a desire to lead. The best workplace leaders always want to see their teams grow and succeed. They know that a great business can only thrive when employees are encouraged to do their best. For these workplace leaders, an upper level position isn’t just a line on their resumes and a chance to get ahead. It’s an opportunity to help others excel.
Great HR professionals and managers also know that their employees seek knowledge. In Facebook’s poll of their employees, many said that workplace leaders who respect this desire for learning and improvement and facilitated opportunities for growth made them leaders worth following. Give your team the chance to hone their skills and learn new ones frequently to keep them engaged and striving toward personal and professional development.
The ability to set goals and see them through is another key trait for managers and HR professionals. They set clear expectations for employees as individuals as well as for the team as a whole. Time and again employees cite the importance of clear communication, especially when it comes to being able to understand what their workplace leaders want from them. Successful managers and HR professionals are able to lay out their goals, explain them clearly, and assist the team in getting to those goals.
Similarly, strong communication skills are necessary for the best workplace leaders, according to Facebook’s research. Contrary to popular belief, feedback doesn’t need to wait until the annual performance review. Teams work better when managers and HR professionals give frequent and clear feedback. Effective workplace leaders also encourage employees to communicate openly with them and seek feedback and constructive comments for their own performance.
Facebook’s survey also revealed that their best workplace leaders are able to observe past performance of employees and use that information in future decisions. Managers and HR professionals should be able to look at what an employee has done and see what potential they have for future projects and responsibilities. Workplace leaders who can use the past to take a peek into the future will be able to distribute tasks to the right people as they come up.
Being a great workplace leader is not an innate ability but rather a set of skills and characteristics that are constantly being sharpened. Some important insights can be learned from Facebook’s success and it can be applied to managers and HR professionals from many different types and sizes of companies.