Although management isn’t a democracy (yes, it’s a dictatorship) it’s important to create an atmosphere where your staff feels the freedom to express themselves. Think of it as the freedom to complain. These are often about the work, workload, the difficulty at hand, your decisions or the freedom to complain about others. The freedom to complain can be a powerful management asset.

You have to be pretty thick skinned to listen to complaints about your decisions, actions you have taken.....or lack of action, but resisting the temptation to defend yourself or fight back is more harmful than helpful. Its unfortunate when people on your staff don’t see things your way but remember that they probably don’t have the history or the breath of information available to you.

So, what do you do? How do you manage this “input”? How do you maintain your composure?

Everyone loves a good listener. Be a good listener. Remember the freedom to complain is a powerful management asset. Often when your staff seeks a meeting with you to “complain” they need to dump their bucket. They need to get something off their chest. Listen to them. Show empathy. Give them time and attention.

Defend yourself with a few facts. Defend yourself with probing questions. Ask them if they feel they have thoroughly evaluated the situation. Ask them for a recommendation. Just because you seek their input, doesn’t obligate you to it.

If your successful in managing the freedom to complain you will realize more positives than negatives. Don’t expect the complaints to go away. Expect to hear them firsthand. Not via the grapevine. When you end these meetings remember to thank them for their input........”I appreciate your input.....Thank You!”