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By Stefan Doll<br />
Welcome to the Let’s Talk<br />
People column which aims to<br />
provide advice and fresh ideas<br />
on people related topics that<br />
you are likely to come across<br />
in your business. The range<br />
of topics discussed here can<br />
go from resolving conflicts to<br />
hiring & firing practices and<br />
increasing team productivity. Stefan Doll is my name and I am looking back at close<br />
to 20 years’ experience in human resources, striving to create productive businesses<br />
where people enjoy working at their best. I have worked with owners/operators,<br />
SMEs, and multinationals across a range of industries. Interestingly, I found that the<br />
fundamental thrills and challenges around people management and leadership were<br />
similar not only across different sectors but also in different cultures.<br />
Most people like to do a good job, prefer to work in an environment they enjoy, and<br />
seek some form of tangible or intangible recognition or reward for their work. When<br />
people come together great things can happen, while at the same time challenges<br />
are imminent. People can become frustrated when they are feeling misunderstood<br />
or when they are confronted with different opinions. The question is how to resolve<br />
those people challenges quickly and get into a healthier and more productive space<br />
again.<br />
In my capacity as a leadership coach and business mentor I often find that<br />
managers hesitate to reach out for help, struggle to find time or don’t go with the<br />
time when it comes to people management. Many owners/operators would benefit<br />
from applying people practices that make a real difference to the bottom line of<br />
their business as well as to the wellbeing of all involved, including themselves.<br />
Successful business owners develop support structures for all relevant areas of<br />
their business. They surround themselves with internal or external experts who can<br />
provide an independent view. Business owners are likely to have financial advisers,<br />
seek occasionally legal advice, and talk to IT experts on technology solutions for<br />
efficient operations. On a personal level, you see a doctor if you are unwell and call<br />
a plumber to fix the water pipe. In other words, you are already using a network of<br />
trusted advisors and experts. The question is: who are you talking to about people<br />
management?<br />
When it comes to building a high performing team you don’t need to know or do<br />
all by yourself either. Your team, no matter if it is 3 or300 people strong, is critical for<br />
your success: it needs your continued attention with an adequate support structure<br />
to perform high. A support structure can involve talking to peers, mentors, internal<br />
or external advisors, signing up for newsletters with the latest and greatest, reading<br />
articles or all of the above. In this sense, think about your staff and what you<br />
currently do to make sure they enjoy working at their best. Do they collaborate with<br />
others well to achieve results? Think also about what support structures you have in<br />
place to help you with people management. Are you well supported in your people<br />
management role or more like a lonely wolf?<br />
In the next edition I will write about the myth of dismissals which is one of the<br />
areas where managers often feel out of their depth. Is it really that hard and risky to<br />
dismiss an underperforming employee?<br />
Please email any questions you may have around people management to Stefan@<br />
diversityinstitute.co.nz, so that I can discuss in future editions what most readers find<br />
useful and relevant. Stefan Doll, Stefan@diversityinstitute.co.nz, https://nz.linkedin.<br />
com/in/stefandollnz<br />
18 : BIZ <strong>HAMILTON</strong> : ISSUE 1