Acknowledge employees first.  Keep in mind, as a leader, your employees are always watching.  It’s either the employee you are interacting with presently or the one who is trying to determine if he or she wants to interact with you in the future.  Do a good job and the employee will likely perform more positively again and again.   Be indifferent to the employee, and the outcome most likely will mean opportunities lost.  Purposefully acknowledging your employees first is critical.

Acknowledge Employees First

Too often and unfortunately, leaders, managers and supervisors don’t acknowledge employees first. Instead, interaction with their employees is ignored, rushed and ultimately taken for granted.  The business consequences of such shortsighted actions can be devastating.  You risk causing disengagement, poor performance, decreased morale among your employees. [For more insights, read this: Workplace Gripes: Why Leaders Should Listen to Them]

How To Acknowledge Employees First

Here are three suggestions to help you acknowledge your employees more quickly and professionally:

1.  Acknowledge employees first with eye contact.

If your employee is visible to you, then make eye contact with them as soon as possible.  Never wait for your employee to acknowledge you first.  The sooner you approach your employee, the less time you allow them to formulate negative impressions that could adversely affect his or her willingness to positively perform for you and the business.

2. Acknowledge unfamiliar employees immediately.

Introduce yourself to unfamiliar employees immediately.

“Hi, my name is _____.  I don’t believe we’ve met.  What’s your name?”

Never expect an employee to speak first.  If you hesitate, even briefly, you may appear aloof, pretentious, or unapproachable in the eyes of the employee — all of which are avoidable barriers.  Remember, the most important name in any introduction is not yours.

3. Acknowledge your employee’s name.

Once you know your employee’s name, then repeat it as often as possible during your conversation.

Using your employee’s name repeatedly will help solidify the name in your mind as you build on this and future professional opportunities with your employee.  When the employee hears his/her name, it also makes the experience more personal and positive for your employee.

Set the Stage

Establishing a personal connection with your employees early on will set the stage for positive performance going forward. [Need to work on your employee/leader relationships?  Check out this blog:  [Rebuild Your Leadership Reputation in 2 Actions]   Great leaders look for opportunities to acknowledge employees first.

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