Talking to team members about performance
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Here's part of a question that came in via email from a young manager.
"I wish to develop the leadership quality whereby I am able to bring out the mistakes and behavioral problems of any one without being verbally attacked."
My first reaction was that the writer might be in the wrong job. He doesn't seem comfortable with talking to people about their performance and behavior. But that's part of the manager's job.
If you can't come to terms with the anxiety and make those supervisory conversations part of your routine every day, management may be the wrong kind of work for you. Before you decide that, though, here are some ways to do that part of the job better.
Show up a lot. Otherwise when you show up it's an event.
Look for reasons to praise, not just reasons to correct the people who work for you. Otherwise every time you show up, they know something unpleasant will happen.
Catch problems while they're small. Like dinosaurs, problems are easier to kill that way. Otherwise they grow and eat you.
Describe the performance or behavior you want to change in non-judgmental language. That's what the conversation will be about. Leave the adjectives at home.
Describe what happens because of the behavior or performance. Use both logical and emotional language. That's why it's worth discussing.
Then be quiet. Wait for your team member to talk, no matter how long it takes. It could be you have your facts wrong.
Once your team member responds, you have the basis for a conversation. Most often it will be civil conversation because you've established the tone.
Remember the Three W Rule: What, Why, Wait.
Have you had situations like this one? Do you have any suggestions for the person who sent the question?
This material is based on Wally's Working Supervisor's Support Kit , a collection of information and tools to help working supervisors do a better job. It's based on what Wally's learned in over twenty years of supervisory skills training. Click here to check it out.
Categories: supervision,Performance Evaluation,Performance Management,Management
Tags: Supervision Performance Evaluation Performance Management Leadership Management
I agree, praise, praise and more praise.
How important it is for the feel good factor, not only for the employee, but for the team as a whole.
And praising an employee in front of his/her team is worth its weight in gold, it's so positive and we need that more than ever today.
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All true, but praising just to praise doesn't work, either. Praise works when it's merited and timely.
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I agree, I think praise should be immediate as after the event it seems like it was an after thought.
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Your insights on communicating performance to team members are very relevant and enlightening. Sometimes team leaders tend to dwell on the facts and fail to see real reasons.
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Great post -
I would only add that as a manager, next step may be engage the person in the solution...."what a more successful behavior may look like" - sometimes this miss holds back people who want to get better as they are not sure what to model for the "right" approach and are too scared to ask. great stuff!
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You make a good point. What I've found is that if you follow the process and wait for the reply, conversation starts. That conversation is based on the situation and turns naturally to how to do things better. That doesn't diminish your point. Determining how to do things better should be part of the conversation.
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Catch the problems while they are small.I think this is the best character that a modern manager must have. Without identifying and catching the problems when they are small we leave a big hole in our organization. we must have the ability to identify and cure the problem. Most people falter at this step either willingly or unwillingly.
There is another school of thought that goes like this. Leave the problem to find a remedy itself. This is a formula most national leader who wants to be advised to react take. I have seen many events of small problems left along grown into big problems and solving by itself.
There is a fine line between acting on a problem and leaving it along to solve by itself.
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Thanks for adding your voice to the discussion. You're sure right about the need to make conscious choices and take action.
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Hi Wally,
My first reaction to the "Young Managers" statement was similar to yours. But I also thought that part of the “Young Managers” problem could be a lack of mutual trust and respect between the young manager and his personnel.
To address this issue, I think it is important to add that while showing up is important; it is only half the battle. You must also show some interest and compassion in what you are managing if you want to prevent or reduce backlash ("verbally attacked" in the original statement) from a recipient of constructive feedback, especially if the recipient is very senior and or if you are new to the operation.
If the “Young Manager” is not new to the operation, then I would focus on the issue of how the constructive feedback is being deliverd.
A good rule to follow, no matter how junior or senior a manager you may be is to “Praise in public, discipline in private”.
Chief Jon
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Thanks for your usual helpful observations, Chief. There were several good things in your comment, but I want to highlight the comment about showing up by itself not being enough. Showing up a lot is a key behavior, but only because it sets up the opportunity for conversations which establish an environment where coaching and counseling can be most effective. Showing up frequently can give you the opportunity, but you have do something good with it.
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