Management is a determining factor in company success, combining the use of strategic tools and a variety of skills to plan, organize and direct resources. In addition to achieving corporate objectives, good management plays an essential role in retaining talent.

By mobilizing technical skills and leadership qualities, it creates an environment in which employees feel valued and motivated, thus contributing to their fulfillment and to company stability. This holistic approach is the key to a harmonious and productive workplace, where objectives are achieved and the right people remain committed and loyal to the company.

According to profiles

Outils du Manager

Profil 4 recommends the Outils du Manager methodology for the tools presented in this section. OdM is the most listened-to French podcast dedicated to management. For over ten years, OdM has been providing managers with simple, pragmatic advice and tools they can use on a daily basis.

Cédric Watine has been an entrepreneur for over 25 years, and is an author, public speaker and the mastermind behind the Outils Du Manager method. For over 10 years, Cédric has been providing managers with simple, pragmatic tools they can use on a daily basis. Since 2007, he has hosted the Outils du Manager podcast, which is the No. 1 French-language podcast on management. He has also developed the "Mails Privés" (private emails) initiative, which gives almost-daily advice to managers who want to improve their skills.

The Outils du Manager method grew out of observing the behavior of top managers, i.e. those who achieve two results:

• Outstanding performance, and
• Team loyalty

These observations then gave rise to a number of principles, in particular the importance of developing an exceptional level of communication with employees, and of using a management style based on influence rather than hierarchical power or expert authority.

Here, we will focus on 4 essential tools: 1-to-1 meetings, feedback, delegation and coaching.

One-to-one meetings

One-to-one meetings are crucial for direct communication between a manager and their co-workers. These regular sessions provide an opportunity to discuss performance, objectives and personal concerns, offering precise follow-up on projects and strengthening professional relationships. They foster a transparent and motivated work environment, aligned with team and company objectives.

The one-to-one meeting is a manager's fundamental tool for building a trusting relationship with their co-workers. It's a condensed management meeting that makes management visible and measurable. Ideally, managers should schedule weekly 30-minute 1-1 meetings with each of their subordinates throughout the year, and make a ritual of it. The time that the manager spends on their co-workers is an investment. It's worth it, because it will reduce interruptions during the week and create greater performance and autonomy.

The basics of a successful 1-to-1 meeting:

• It's a face-to-face conversation with a co-worker, during which they must be able to say whatever they want
• It must be weekly and compulsory
• It lasts 30 minutes and is scheduled in advance, always at the same time of the week.
• The manager takes notes to favor listening and asking questions.

It's a 3-part interview:

1. The manager lets their co-worker speak without interrupting (this is their top priority).
2. The manager asks questions (without stepping in to solve problems), provides information, passes on messages from above and gives feedback.
3. It's the right time for delegating tasks, enabling autonomy and for the occasional career discussion.

Feedback

Feedback is a gift a manager gives to their co-worker. Giving someone feedback means telling them what's going well and what's not. Feedback comes in two main forms: positive feedback, which aims to reinforce existing behavior, and negative feedback, which aims to correct it. It's an essential tool, enabling awareness and continuous improvement in terms of skill and behavior. When adapted to the employee's personality profile, it can transform people's perspectives and encourage significant growth.

Negative feedback, when presented constructively, helps identify areas for improvement. It is not intended to discourage, but to guide people towards better performance by highlighting which areas require attention and adjustment.

Positive feedback acknowledges and gives importance to effective actions and behavior, reinforcing motivation and commitment. It plays a crucial role in encouraging people to reproduce positive behavior.

Whether positive or negative, feedback must be factual, i.e. based on observable behavior that can be seen, heard, measured and described, and non-judgmental, as it is not aimed at the person but at the way they act.

The basics of successful feedback in 4 steps:

1. Invite your subordinate to receive feedback.
2. Describe their behavior factually.
3. Describe the impact, results and consequences of this behavior.
4. Ask for the behavior to be adjusted or reinforced.

Delegation

Delegation is a management tool that involves entrusting team members with tasks and responsibilities, while encouraging employee development. It encourages trust, autonomy and efficiency within the team, contributing to greater productivity and a dynamic work environment.

Any task that can be delegated should be delegated! Delegation is essential, because there's only so much work a manager can do on their own. By shunting tasks down the hierarchy, a manager can concentrate on managing people and focus on high value-added tasks.

A delegation process must be put in place to delegate complex and risky tasks:

• Define the minimum requirement, i.e. the expected result
• Set a precise deadline
• Identify the risks of possible mistakes and take the necessary steps to help co-workers avoid them
• Detail the progressive steps required to achieve results. Each step must have a specific objective and a date
• Hold a delegation meeting to ask the co-worker to accept their new tasks and explain the process.
• Monitor the delegation progress by means of 1-to-1 meetings (see above). At each stage, check the date and whether the objective has been achieved.

Coaching

The aim of coaching is to help co-workers progress, so that they are able to constantly adapt to the company's challenges. Coaching can be implemented when trust has been established (1-to-1), feedback has been given, and tasks have been delegated.

Coaching requires using a method that aims to develop co-workers' strengths. No coaching can take place without co-workers participating. In fact, they must help decide on the objective, the resources required, the coaching schedule and how follow-up will be managed.

The main stages of the coaching process:

• Preparatory work to identify the team's shortcomings and who needs to be coached.
• The need for coaching may be sparked by a declining performance indicator, a threat or an opportunity, feedback that is not producing results, or an obstacle stopping tasks being delegated.
• There must be a coaching kick-off meeting to define the objective, resources, schedule and follow-up as a team.
• A coaching meeting lasts 1 hour maximum.
• The results must be measurable (by what means can we check that the necessary knowledge has been acquired?) and correspond to a specific date.
• Coaching is not the same as training. It corresponds to the resources that enable co-workers to learn something new.
• Coaching follow-up takes place during 1-to-1 meetings.

Tips for a manager

Lectures

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• Comment manager un profil DISC dominant ?
• Comment manager un profil DISC influent ?
• Comment manager un profil DISC stable ?
• Comment manager un profil DISC consciencieux ?
• Feedback, pièces et jetons de poker