Finding Your Softer Side: A “Manager as Therapist” Approach to Better Teams [Cutter]

In these challenging times, managers must go beyond the stated needs of employees to understand and address their unstated needs. Of course, not all employ­ees are willing and able to openly discuss their personal problems. Maslow’s theory of needs gives us a useful framework to understand a person’s current state vis à vis work.

Belonging, esteem, and self-acquisition became a lot more important to a lot more people during the pandemic. Understanding these heightened needs requires managers to have a high degree of what author Daniel Goleman calls “emotional intelligence”.

The days of micromanagers and task managers are over. Managers who are not emotionally intelligent will have a tough time sustaining healthy teams in today’s changed work environment. It’s also helpful to be aware of impending storms, identifying and fixing employee issues before they result in a sudden resignation or emotional breakdown. 

Read the blog for how managers can transform themselves into therapists and light a positive office environment for employees.

Read full article: https://www.cutter.com/article/finding-your-softer-side-manager-therapist-better-teams