You are a leader who takes great pride in meeting commitments and making a difference in the world. Each day you encounter the need to persuade, motivate and inspire others in order to reach your goals. You are finding, however, that your technical education and training are often insufficient in dealing with managing people. It has become clear that the more you know about the human side of business, the more effective you will become as a manager.

Last month we addressed the importance of achievement and recognition in managing employees. Like you, these individuals find great satisfaction in accomplishing what they set out to do. They also need to hear from you when they reach milestones, accomplish goals and perform at high levels. This month we will examine how belonging and safety needs can play a role in your success as a manager.

Belonging - Most of us take pride in the groups that we join. We have decals on our cars, wear jackets with the organization's logo, and spend a fair amount of money on dues for the right to affiliate with people who share our interests. The feeling of belonging can also be developed at work, with great benefits to you and the organization. You can take advantage of this important human need by planning to bring employees together for department, group and team activities. When was the last time your team took the time to do this? You instinctively know that these meetings can make a huge difference in the motivational level of employees. When you add a social component to the meeting, benefits are amplified significantly. Think back on your own personal experience with these get-togethers. I will wager that you have witnessed interpersonal conflicts resolved and good working relationships enhanced in ways that were otherwise impossible.

In times of uncertainty, it is easy to dismiss the value of these meetings, but savvy leaders always seem to find a way to pull the team together. They know that in difficult times people tend to put their heads down and take care of only that which falls into their immediate area of responsibility. Strengthening the feeling of belonging will help them see the bigger picture. They will become more inclined to work for the overall good of the team. In the words of organizational development theorist Rensis Likert, The greater the loyalty of the group toward the group, the greater is the motivation among the members to achieve the goals of the group, and the greater the probability that the group will achieve its goals.

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Safety - Understanding the human need for safety has never been more important for leaders than it is today. Real world issues of outsourcing, mergers and downsizing have driven job security to the forefront of employee consciousness. Safety is not some esoteric need that is nice to have, but one that is essential for high-level performance. Without knowing what the future holds, employees will often jump ship as soon as the market improves. People don't expect you to guarantee lifetime employment, but they do expect communication regarding near-term activities that relate to their work.

In today's economy, it is critical to address safety needs by frequent communication regarding expectations, standards, practices and opportunities for the business. Don't leave this responsibility to anyone else. Schedule meetings, even if of short duration, to eliminate as much uncertainty as possible. Your words, presence and attitude can make a significant difference in the ability of employees to perform well during these challenging times.

Look for opportunities to increase your management influence by addressing the achievement, recognition, belonging and safety needs of employees. Before every presentation, meeting, project review and performance appraisal, think about how these needs influence employee performance and what your role can be in addressing them.

I'm interested in your success. If I can answer any questions related to this article or if you have a comment about the article, please let me know at mark.campbell48@verizon.net.