HR NOW!
We are social creatures. It is completely normal that we have a need to belong and a need to be held in high regard. So let me ask you. What do you do when it comes to giving someone on your team feedback that you think will upset them? How’s that for a loaded question? False kindness defined: Not having a needed performance conversation because you do not want to upset the person. If we really care about our teams then we want them to developing their skills and knowledge. Not pointing things out as needed is a kind of giving up on them. That’s not so helpful is it? It doesn’t show you care about your team’s growth either does it? When your team does not grow chances are that your business will not grow either. The opportunity is to learn to talk to your team members in a way that minimizes defensiveness. No one likes to hear that they are not doing well at something. Understood! Will it be better to wait another 6 months before telling them? Likely not! What is helpful is to discuss the situation without making it personal. No accusations or drama needed but just discuss the facts as you know them. You can begin a conversation then and start to assess the person’s willingness to be coached. You can be very diplomatic and still have an upset team member. Really though is there any longevity with a team member who cannot accept that they could improve or adjust their performance….even just a little? What does it say for someone who acts as if they are flawless in all they do? What does it say about someone who acts as it the many things they do brilliantly gives them the right to go unchallenged when there are errors, inefficiency or complaints? It is not pleasant when people avoid you because they are angry with you. Yes, they are angry at the person who is providing feedback but that is not a good reason to shirk your responsibility as a Manager. What can be helpful is to set the context of the conversation. Not all work conversations are fun but not having difficult conversations at all can be very damaging kind of false kindness.
Feeling appreciated and that we are making a difference is a basic need and essential for employee engagement and retention. Of course, if there is enough money involved people might stick around but will they really care about your business? I suspect not! There are different ways of expressing appreciation. We will likely respond to one of the following four: acknowledgement, time, services or gifts. This comes from the book: The 5 Languages of Appreciation in the Workplace written by Gary Chapman and Paul White. In the book they also discuss physical affection but that is far too sensitive a topic for a variety of reasons and so I do not recommend it. Acknowledgement: Some team members are quite visibly moved by genuine words of praise and acknowledgment. To make this impactful ensure your comments are detailed and specific. A perfunctory “nice job” said while rushing past to get to your next meeting isn’t very effective. If we want our words to have an emotional impact then detail on the impact of their efforts helps a great deal. Time: Have you noticed that some of your team members brighten at the opportunity to speak with you at length? That need for face time is letting you know that is what’s needed to feel appreciated. We all have deadlines and need to keep efficiency levels high but truly work IS about relationships. Some people really do equate time with caring. Have you ever heard the expression “He didn’t give me the time of day?” Gifts: A gift does not need to come wrapped in a bow to make a difference. I had an assistant who brightened whenever I picked up a coffee for her when I went out. Who is on the team that really likes the cookies you bring to your morning meetings? One boss would periodically find his favourite chocolate bar in his coat pocket when he was racing to the GO train. How did his team know he would like this? He made a point of bringing in surprise treats for them. Service: Others on your team might really like it when you do something for them such as offering to stay a little later when they are swamped. Still others will enjoy a surprise like coming out to their car and finding the snow has been cleared off for them. Note this is about helping out and not rescuing or taking over tasks that properly belong to others. So how can you tell which will of the four will make the most impact? Well, what do they tend to do for you? Alternatively you can ask them directly. I have always received an immediate answer to the question. We all know what we need from others to do our best. I don’t have time to keep track of what everybody wants. My job is to get the job done. Yup! Question is do you want to make your job harder or easier? As an effective team leader you will be doing all four of these anyways so is this really something onerous? My boss doesn’t do anything for me. And if everyone else jumped off the cliff, would you? As leaders we are buffers ,be it from senior management, other departments or even customers which is why we can set the tone for our teams. Ultimately how we treat our teams is how they interact with one another. Providing recognition and appreciation in a meaningful way improves people’s sense of belongingness and satisfaction. As far as I am concerned employee appreciation is always in season! What are your thoughts?
Are we all on the same page? Communications is crucial to high performing teams. Are all of your employees communicating effectively? Chances are the answer is “no.” Below are some common reasons for why communications issues exist within your group. Attention to detail – When there is a mismatch between detail given and detail expected you can expect tension to rise. Here is an example: An assistant gives her boss a message: “Call Jean.” Boss comes back asking “Jean who and why am I calling?” The assistant, somewhat exasperated, replies: “You know Jean Smith and about the special order. We talked about it this morning!” Now both of them are irritated. I watch this unfold time and time again with my clients. The level of detail shared between two people has to be appropriate to the situation. Feedback and training clears this up fairly quickly and saves everyone time. Work is not handed off appropriately – E-mails are endless, paper continues to pile up and cell phone interruptions are chronic….and in between there is some other work to be done. Problems often occur when work is transferred from one person or department to another. Ensure that people take accountability for their work and don’t devolve into the blame game. Who is responsible for what? What does the next person need to move the work along? What is expected? Information is not provided to key team members – Have you ever done a follow up only to find out the information was already provided to a team member who “forgot” to share it? This happens quite commonly. When it happens let the person know the impact on the team and make sure it gets onto the employee’s performance appraisals if it is continual. That’s not being a team player or and reflects badly on the company. Changes or key points are not highlighted – When there are changes made or there is a particular sensitivity or exception it needs to be highlighted. Often there are changes to policies or procedures to accommodate a unique situation. Without explaining it properly to the next person you run the risk of it being “corrected.” Draw attention to it by noting it at the beginning of the communication so it does not get lost in the text. There are many reasons for why employees do not communicated effectively with one another and everyone pays the price. Deal with issues as they arise, set standards, look for patterns and hold people accountable! Coaching and regular feedback can easily clear up most issues.
Having the right people on your team means more time BUILDING your business rather than spending excess time IN your business. The committed, highly trained and motivated employees that you have are invaluable. Business is kept or lost daily based on the interactions that occur. Recruitment allows you to maintain and build your strength. Reality check: everyone leaves your organization eventually. On a happier note your business plan might be calling for substantial growth that can only be achieved with additional staff. Some recruitment planning before the urgency hits will provide you with the most options. As the saying goes there is no time like the present. Some suggestions: How will the work get done while you search for a replacement? Looking at your current staffing situation will let you determine how to handle any possible disruption. What roles must be filled at all times and by what calibre of staff? Yes all staff matter but some roles really are mission critical. What are they in your organization? Departmental capability can change frequently depending on personal circumstances. Review regularly! During interviews try asking applicants about an achievement within their current role. This will provide some valuable information on the environment that they came from and the results they helped to generate. In positions with a high degree of complexity and ambiguity a multipart question will give some insight into how a person organizes a response and their attention to various key components. Our clients tend not to ask one question at a time. How the information comes to us from clients can be mirrored in how the question is asked of the applicant. Much has been made lately of the use of social media for recruitment. It is without question an excellent option to explore but only if you know that enough of the people you are seeking are to be found on a site. Using one means only is risky unless you know about the degree of saturation. As an example what percentage of GTA marketing specialists are on the site? Does a person’s absence from a site really equate to a poor applicant? Maybe yes for marketing but can we say that for accounting specialists or maintenance staff? It all depends so be careful not to exclude qualified candidates on the basis of poorly reasoned conclusions. Recruiting is as complex as your operations so ensure that a transactional approach is not used. For thinly stretched teams, new managers, confidential searches, rush hires and very specialized roles working with a trusted staffing specialist makes the most sense. You will learn as you work together!
Have you considered how integral you are to your teams’ success? How often do you spend time talking to them about what’s in it for them? Call it a retention strategy, internal marketing or just plain common sense but truly very few leaders take this approach. Most often the focus is about how wonderful it is to be associated with the organization or the brands. That’s true and that’s great but you can do better! Yes but…I can hear you! This is not about shameless top down self promotion. It is about reinforcing the link between the organization and the employee and keeping it alive. The experience they get from working with you is valuable. Help them remember! We take all things for granted over time. We notice what doesn’t feel right or pushes up against our boundaries but not all that actually is working beautifully. Just as a test, how often have you been thanked by your employees for paying them correctly or by your customers for invoicing correctly? Never, okay maybe once? We expect things to be right and they should be but can you see how our perception of the incredible value disappears in that? What to do? Consider what your employees value about working for you and the organization and start talking about it! Here is a list to get you thinking: Social Interaction e.g. Friendly, supportive atmosphere Autonomy/Control/Authority within role/Empowered to solve problems Work Variety Opportunity to work with unique customers How the size of the company benefits them (small company = broader exposure, larger company = deeper/more specialized roles) Experience of being part of major system conversions/reorganizations and seeing the positive impact on operations Status/Recognition/Feedback Training Opportunities Community Involvement Work Importance Work Load Location + Proximity to home/highways/public transit Physical work space – clean, modern, nicely decorated, efficiently designed Development Opportunities Advancement Potential Flexibility around family emergencies Compensation & Benefits How the work of the company supports the community What else? We are all different so the list of bell ringers will be unique for people in varied roles and functional areas. So I’ll give you some examples to help you start the process. Key position: (Employee is a functional expert, rain maker, management.): Work independently, ability to make a difference, growth + reputation of company, uniqueness of company, advancement potential, prestige, working with respected people/industry leader. Intermediate position: (Person is in growth mode or in a support role.): Loves the customers and staff they interact with, feedback from experienced manager with a coaching style, opportunity to learn, important part of keeping the “machine” running, sense of accomplishment, feel they are noticed and acknowledged. Blue collar employee: Safe conditions, have what they need to get things done, clear and consistent management directions, social interaction with the team, good compensation + benefits, treated with respect and valued, senior management talks to them and visits regularly not just when there is a problem, feel they belong. If you are truly stuck start by asking what people like about working with the organization. Ask “What was it like for you with your last employer?” Share what you currently gain from the experience. Having these conversations will help strengthen the connections and help remind employees of what’s in it for them!