As I’ve mentioned before (and any previous employer can confirm), I’m a terrible employee. Mostly because it’s abundantly clear I’m not a big fan of being managed and if I don’t like something, I just won’t do it. I can also be intimidating when I want to be and have possibly scared off a boss or two…

But here’s the deal, if you’re leading a team don’t wait for their annual review to ask how things are going. Meet with your employees often. Ask them what’s working, what they like doing, where they’re feeling challenged, and what they don’t like. Most of the time your team just wants to feel heard. And you may even realize that a team member enjoys doing something you hate, or wants to take on a new challenge that you didn’t know who was going to manage.

Many of my friends are employed by someone else, and the biggest complaint I hear from friends is that they don’t like a specific piece of their job, but their boss doesn’t seem to care and doesn’t appear available to talk. Don’t just say your door is always open, invite them in and talk. And try not to be intimidating, it won’t win you any points, trust me.