| Talking to people who work for you
about their performance is one of the most difficult tasks in the workplace.
But, there are three quick changes to the way they talk about other people's
behavior/performance that will dramatically improve the odds of a successful
outcome. First, put the description of behavior you're talking about ahead
of the reason why you're having the conversation. That keeps those emotional
protective shields from going up and blocking real communication.
This is hard to do, because most of our parents, early bosses, and role
models did it just the opposite way. That means that you will, almost
naturally, do the less effective thing unless you make a conscious effort.
I suggest that you rehearse your opening. That will help you put the
behavior ahead of the reason for chatting. You'll probably have to practice
the change, too.
Describe behavior the Joe Friday way. Just the facts. Drain off the
adjectives. Then follow the description of behavior with a brief description
of why that behavior matters.
Behavior is what people say and what people do. Nothing else. You need to
describe behavior, which you may have witnessed, or which may be verified.
Do not, ever, use the words "attitude" or "always." Limit your discussion
to observable behavior. Be specific about what happened and when.
Finally, once you've had your say, shut up. Wait for your subordinate to
talk.
There are a couple of things that can happen next. Your subordinate might
agree that you've got things right. Your subordinate might dispute your
description of what happened.
Either way, you can now come to agreement on behavior. Then you're on
your way to a meaningful discussion of how behavior should be different in
the future. And what the consequences are for good and bad behavior.
This is simple and gets great results. So why don't more of us do it more
of the time?
The answer to that one is easy. Old habits are hard to break and just
about everyone we emulate did it the other way. If you do the preparation
and practice to get these three things right, your conversations with
subordinates about behavior will be much more productive.
About the Author
Wally Bock is an author, speaker, consultant and coach who helps leaders
improve the performance and morale of their teams. This material is adapted
from Wally's latest book, Performance Talk: The One-on-One Part of
Leadership
http://www.performancetalk.com). You'll also find tips and resources
about all aspects of leadership at the Three Star Leadership site (http://www.threestarleadership.com/).
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