TM - October 2007 - (Page 25) bias or favoritism, but let’s not discount managers’ ability to use what they know. For example, if a manager says to an employee, “Cathy, you’ve got great leadership potential. I really see your career taking off here,” nobody complains. Yet, if the same manager says, “Cathy, I don’t believe you’ve got the temperament to be in a leadership position here,” Cathy complains that the assessment is not objective, is based on one person’s point of view or is not supported with accurate data. The point here is good managers can form accurate assessments of employee ability based on observation and experience, which we rely on day to day. Yet, we seem to discount this during the formal review process. The bottom line is feedback always will have a degree of subjectivity, and as long as that doesn’t cross the line into bias or blatant unfairness, subjectivity can be a useful thing. There are a few ways managers can improve the effectiveness of the feedback they provide to their employees. First, as a manager, you must establish your working relationship with employees by becoming a role model in terms of receiving feedback. Many newbie managers think their new position means that it’s payback time for all the grief they had to take. They also think being the boss means finally getting to dole out the orders. Managers have to be willing to receive feedback before they ever give any, however. Employees’ true hot-button issues are not job performance (most employees crave feedback and eagerly incorporate direction regarding their performance improvement) or compensation (employees generally understand and accept the pace of increases and the need to earn their compensation or promotion). Yet, these are the topics that inspire fear in the hearts of managers who imagine performance and pay topics as nightmarish conversations. Hot buttons that cause frustration and often misguided behavior for many employees include assigning work that doesn’t seem to be part of the job, preferential treatment or lack of discipline toward other employees, “dumping” work and overwhelming staff members, taking undue credit, not being supportive with management, not helping to knock down barriers to success and not addressing team discontent. One of the most effective techniques managers can employ is to let employees know they can call them out on these types of issues. Even if they don’t seem as significant as job-specific performance or compensation issues, they do affect morale and negatively influence employee engagement. Managers should be specific and continually encourage employees to bring up issues appropriately and privately when they occur. When managers let their employees know it is fair game to discuss these things, it establishes a relationship of honesty and trust, and it lets employees know feedback is a two-way street. Once employees feel they can openly speak their mind (and, yes, even criticize managers in an appropriate way), their willingness to be on the receiving end increases dramatically. Feedback can truly be taken to heart only when the receiver is open and accepting of the message. That’s well worth the price of a little self-examination. Next, write it down — if you saw it happen, heard it or said it yourself, make a note for later reference. Sending an e-mail is bad form, but presenting an employee with written facts, gathered over time, is almost as good as an office version of an umpire’s video. Further, it is completely fair to communicate your concerns and directions in writing rather than off the cuff in a heated discussion. But you also must have the discussion and give the employee an opportunity to respond. If your organization doesn’t have a performance management system that allows both managers and employees to capture conversations, daily observations and other employee interactions quickly and easily, get one. When employee discipline (including termination) is in order, you need several months of documentation to begin to take action. So, get in the habit of documenting hallway conversations, team interactions and other day-to-day workplace activity that can be used to substantiate both positive and negative feedback down the road. Take the time to put your thoughts in writing instead of blowing up one afternoon when that certain employee comes back from lunch late yet again and allow employees to respond in writing if they feel more comfortable doing so. You must not be afraid to utter the seven dreaded words and talk through the issues. You’ll be surprised how open employees are to hearing your message, how eager they are to get on the right track and how much more you’ll be respected as a manager by dealing with difficult issues head-on. Remember: Employees are just people who desire to do well, find favor with leadership and positively contribute to the organization. The annual performance review provides an opportunity to step back and look at things in the larger context, discuss performance issues and set the stage for future development. But that single opportunity pales in comparison with the other 364 chances we get to offer meaningful feedback and listen to our people. Michael George is Vurv Technology’s product evangelist. He has been involved with HR technology applications for more than 10 years and has served as a product manager, vice presidents of marketing and product strategy. He can be reached at editor@TalentMgt.com. talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com 25 October 2007 http://www.TalentMgt.com
For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.