A while back I was at a conference that included a three-hour session for sales managers. So I went with our sales manager, and picked up 37 ways for a sales manager to treat your sales reps as your customers.

It took me just a few minutes to realize that most of these 37 ideas are helpful to any manager or supervisor. It's good for each of us to treat our employees and associates as our customers, no matter what our work or what kind of work our employees and associates do.

So, here are tips on how to treat your employees and associates with TLC (Tender Loving Care).

1. Do their jobs yourself, from time-to-time. This keeps you knowledgeable about what's really happening in the trenches.

2. Know each employee's personal motivator. There are two types of people: Those who move toward a goal and those who move away from pain.

What a key to leading and managing people this is. What motivates you each day? What gets you up in the morning...and keeps you going through your day? To move toward one or more goals you've got going? Or to do what you have to do to keep pain away from you? Do you like to solve problems and challenges? Or do you want to avoid problems and challenges?

Ask the same questions about each of your employees. Think of the energy and time you can save...when you can use the right kind of motivators for each employee.

3. Know your employees and associates on a personal basis. This doesn't mean you have to become the best of friends. (That's impossible.) But take a personal interest in the people you associate with at work. This helps you say the right things, and do the right things that, in time, your employees appreciate.

4. Train, always. People forget quickly. Within 60 minutes, we forget most of what we have heard. But we remember what we see. And we remember even more what we experience. So use training that demonstrates the desired activity. And use training that gets employees involved.

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