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A leader is best when people barely know that they exist, Not so good when people obey and acclaim them, Worse when they despise them.

When a leader fails to honour people, People fail to honour them.

But, of a good leader who talks little and listens well, When their work is done and goals are fulfilled, People will all say, we did it ourselves.

Loa ' Tzy.

I believe that most employees at their core are very similar. Regardless of race, gender, age or religion, most have certain things in common. If we are to be a successful manager, it is imperative that we understand the human elements that allow us as managers to stay 'on top of our game'. That is, understanding how people want to be treated by their manager. Here is a list of things that I believe all employees have in common when it comes to how they want to be treated.

1. Employees want to be valued.

Over fifty percent of all working Canadians that leave their jobs do so because they feel that they are not valued. Have you ever been told that you provide little or no value to the organization, been humiliated for making the wrong decision or been told that you are a liability to the company. If so, then you understand how important it is to be valued. Valuing people because they are human beings and the foundation of our company is reason enough to be ethical in our approach with people.

2. Employees want to be treated with respect.

Author Arnold Glasow said, ' The respect of those you respect is worth more than the applause of the multitude'. Many employees desire the respect of the people they work for. Respect is oxygen for the soul and when managers give it freely, it creates a positive work environment. Respecting employees gives them the freedom to perform at a high level and the incentive to work with excellence.

3. Employees want to be trusted.

My dad once told me that to be trusted is a greater compliment than to be loved. Although we as managers cannot control if employees trust us, we can control our actions toward them and we can give them our trust. While it is true that we can be taken advantage of, it is also true that trust creates the foundation of a strong relationship with our people because it allows for open communication, maintains confidences and focuses on shared goals.

4. Employees want to be appreciated.

Employees want to be appreciated for the skill and effort that they bring to the work place. Letting employees know that they matter builds their self confidence and self esteem to the point that they make decisions and take action because, they know it is right and needs to be done. As a manager, let people know that you appreciate their efforts. Publicly thank them at every opportunity and give them the credit that they deserve. As one of my mentors Warren Brent Carroll once told me, 'people need to walk in the sunshine and not in the shadows'.

5. Employees want to be understood. A great inventor by the name of Charles Kettering once said, 'there is a great difference between knowing and understanding. You can know a lot about something and not really understand it. The same is true about people.' As managers we can be quick to find fault with employees who don't conform to our thought process or patterns that we know work. Sometimes our employees act differently because they have not had the advantages that we have had. As managers we ought to consider extending ourselves to them on their level and showing flexibility in our thought process. Our employees are creatures of emotions, just like us.