A blog about leadership: Is it good that employees care about their manager?

Workjoy in Copenhagen Municipality's Technical and Environmental Admin

The employees: 'Anders is a really good boss'

Area manager Anders Melamies is one of the managers in TMF who scores the highest in TMF's Well-being Survey 2013. We have asked Anders and his shop steward how they managed. And what fishmongers in Seattle have to do with it.

Area manager Anders Melamies is a happy man. His employees give him really high marks in TMF's Well-being Survey 2013.

In all six questions that the employees have answered, they estimate that Anders is at 6 or above, where 6 and above is a 'very high result', while 4-5 is an 'average result', and 3 and below are a 'very low result'.

Anders is really a great boss. Why is Anders scoring so high? Does he hand out ice cream on sunny days, and is he a boss who lays down flat for his employees and says yes to everything?

Trust rather than mistrust
According to Anders himself, he is a manager who believes that all employees basically do their best based on the individual resources and framework they have. 

And then Anders possesses a certain humility towards the job. He knows well he is only there because the employees are there. 'It can be good to keep in mind before soaring too high,' says Anders Melamies.

Listen to the employees
With that humility also comes the importance of listening to the employees. 'They have a lot to do and there will hardly be less work in the future. Therefore, I try to listen to where the employees think we can relax a little one week, and then reach it all next week, 'says Anders.

The trust in the employees also means that Anders puts a lot of responsibility: 'I think that makes the employees more committed. But it also means I may be disappointed with the lack of results. But that disappointment is a small price to pay for having confidence in return. And the vast majority of times it goes well, 'says Anders.

The modern soft boss
Anders is thus the modern soft type of boss who believes more in recognition and trust than in distrust and mistrust. Does that mean he can not cut through when there are conflicts?

'I've gotten a little better at taking on the conflict when it's there. For conflicts do not always resolve themselves. But it's something I've had to learn. To meet the conflict, 'says Anders.

VISION: Highest well-being in TMF.
Anders' vision, ever since he started as area manager a year ago, has been that well-being in Area North must be the highest in CPN.

'With that in mind, I also have no doubts when I have to make decisions: Solve the task so that it brings the most well-being for most people, then it can not go completely wrong,' says Anders.

That is why Anders has also carried out a so-called FISH! proces inspired by some fishmongers in Seattle, who play all day long at work. The inspiration includes:

a. Be there
b. Play
c. Make their day
d. Choose your attitude

In two days, Anders, together with a consultant and the employees, reviewed the above principles. With very simple and free methods they will help to create joy and well-being, both with yourself and those around you. It can be colleagues, family or others.

'We learned that well-being starts with oneself, and it taught us how the environment is affected by the attitude we choose. Positive or negative. If we attack a boring job in another way, perhaps with a sprinkle of humor, then there is a chance that it will be a bit like a self-fulfilling prophecy: Maybe it will be a little more fun to perform the task, 'says Anders.

The shop steward: 'Yes, he's a good boss'

The shop steward for the gardeners in Area North, Otte Henning Nielsen, has for over 30 years worked in the municipality under many different managers. If you ask him about his opinion of Anders as a boss, there is no doubt:

Anders Melamies has an appealing nature. 'Well enough, he's our boss, but you can talk to him freely. Therefore, we also do not go and hide with something that does not work. It increases well-being, 'says Otto Henning.

He adds that Anders as a manager is very much in favor of the employees being involved in making decisions. 'And then he works to strengthen the unity across our teams. For example, by inviting to an event day, where both gardeners, landscape architects and task coordinators solve common practical tasks such as clearing shrubbery in the bog. Then we get to know the office people in a completely different way, 'says Otto Henning.

The shop steward adds that some employees may actually miss the more old-fashioned bosses, where there was a clearer hierarchy. They may also miss that Anders is sometimes a little more present. Therefore, Andres is in the process of seeing if he can make room in his calendar. For the employees should like to continue to thrive.

This article is published in the City of Copenhagen's internal employee magazine in the Technical and Environmental Administration. The circulation is 2,000 copies.
Adapted by Michael Meinhardt, LEADERS WAREHOUSE.