{"id":30719,"date":"2019-07-31T13:14:56","date_gmt":"2019-07-31T11:14:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/?p=30719"},"modified":"2020-07-01T13:57:53","modified_gmt":"2020-07-01T11:57:53","slug":"why-managers-should-care-about-their-emotional-bank-accounts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.targettraining.eu\/de\/why-managers-should-care-about-their-emotional-bank-accounts\/","title":{"rendered":"Why managers should care about their emotional bank accounts"},"content":{"rendered":"

In our <\/strong>Practical Toolbox for managers training program<\/a>, we often hear that the time spent on giving feedback is one of the highlights, and<\/strong> implementing DESC <\/a> frequently makes it onto the manager’s transfer plan. One of the key points they take away is that the success of your feedback\/feedforward rests upon your broader relationship with your partner. Put simply, if you have invested in them as a human being then feedback conversations are far more likely to go well.\u00a0 To look at it from the other side, if you haven\u2019t invested in somebody, if you haven\u2019t built trust, and if you haven\u2019t built a meaningful professional relationship with them \u2026 well don\u2019t be surprised when thing go pear-shaped.\u00a0 If you are managing others, you need your emotional bank account with your staff to be healthy.<\/strong>
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What is an \u201cemotional bank account\u201d?<\/h2>\n

The term \u201cemotional bank account\u201d appears in Stephen Covey\u2019s The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People<\/a>. In Covey\u2019s own words:<\/p>\n

\u201c<\/em>An emotional bank account is a metaphor that describes the amount of trust that\u2019s been built up in a relationship. \u00a0It\u2019s the feeling of safeness you have with another human being. \u00a0When the trust account is high, communication is easy, instant, and effective.<\/em>\u201d.<\/em><\/p>\n

Covey made the term popular, but the concept behind the \u201cemotional bank account\u201d is not new.\u00a0 When we take more than we give from a relationship over the long-term, then we shouldn\u2019t be surprised if the relationship suffers.\u00a0 This holds true in all our relationships, from those with our partners, kids, friends, colleagues, clients, and suppliers.<\/a><\/p>\n

The metaphor took off within the business training world because it is immediately understandable. You make deposits, save up money, and when you need that money later, you withdraw it. An emotional bank account is an account of trust instead of money. We all know how a bank account works \u2026 plus bank account sounds more business-like which helps a certain time of person accept the idea.<\/p>\n

Every time a manager says something supportive, shows respect, invests in somebody as an individual, helps somebody with a difficult situation, makes time for them etc they make a deposit in that person\u2019s emotional bank account.\u00a0 Over time, the effects of these deposits will help to transform that relationship. And conversely, every time they criticize, blame, defend, ignore, lie, intimidate, threaten, etc they make a withdrawal.<\/p>\n

We are all human and there are times when we are making more withdrawals than deposits.\u00a0 Just like a bank, we can go in the red and then come out of it. The trick is to be in in the healthy green zone over the longer term.<\/p>\n

Why should managers care about emotional bank accounts?<\/h2>\n

It is rare to hear managers dismissing the concept.\u00a0 Almost all managers we work with in our management and leadership solutions want positive, productive, rewarding, trust-based relationships with their staff and teams. Concepts such as authenticity, credibility and trust are valued by the vast majority of organizations, and books such as \u201cServant leadership in Action\u201d<\/em> \u00a0and Goffee & Jones\u2019\u201cWhy should anyone be led by you?\u201d<\/em>\u00a0 and have captured this.<\/p>\n