HR Pulse - Winter 2008 - (Page 74)

[WHY DIDN’T I THINK OF THAT?—BEST PRACTICES FOR THE PRACTITIONER] When performance expectations are clear between managers and their team members, it is far easier to communicate and accept feedback during performance conversations. 5. 4. Recognize failures rather than successes. It is true that we often learn by our mistakes. But poor managers publicly announce the mistakes of others and spend their time blaming and documenting. And to avoid risk, they make sure the team knows that no one will have the chance to make the same mistake twice. In this environment, successes, insights, and consistent contributions go unnoticed. Count on the grapevine to disseminate information. Weak managers discount the importance of sharing timely and engaging information such as upcoming organization or departmental changes, company news, individual and team successes, new employees coming on board, and positive feedback from customers. For some poor managers, the subconscious belief behind sparse communication is that information is power. They believe giving it away weakens their position and leverage. The opposite is true. Keep them guessing about what is expected, then slam them. Poor managers disregard the fact that people want to know how they are doing and don’t wish to under-perform. When performance expectations are clear between managers and their team members, it is far easier to communicate and accept feedback during performance conversations. But due to busy workloads and sporadic feedback practices, many workers bemoan the fact that they don’t get any feedback unless it is bad. Stretch ‘em until it hurts. Less effective managers may get a kick out of throwing talented people into the deep end of the pool with limited resources to see if they will sink or swim. These managers, when confronted about this practice, will hide behind axioms such as everyone has to pay their dues, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger or no pain, no gain. 3. 2. 74 HR Pulse Winter 2008 And the No. 1 thing that worst managers believe or do to lose their best people… 1. Hire the wrong people and keep the worst performers. Worst managers may believe that high turnover is a way to get rid of “dead wood” while hoping that enough good people stay. They forget that poor performers will work with anyone (both poor and high performers), but good people like to work with other good people and have little tolerance for incompetence. So what do great managers do to hold on to their best people? Our experience shows that they: • Hire and retain great people to build an environment of mutual team member respect and appreciation • Support and develop their people effectively, especially during stretch assignments • Provide clear performance expectations and provide ongoing, constructive feedback and coaching • Communicate persistently • Recognize successes and stellar performance • Sustain a data-driven compensation approach • Listen to their people and act on what they learn • Provide alternative work arrangements to aid life-work balance • Provide guidance and resources, and then get out of the way for work to get done • Create a management culture of talent retention. Brian Carlsen is a speaker, training facilitator, and consultant. He serves as practice leader for organizational learning with St. Aubin, Haggerty & Associates, Inc., a strategic human resource management consulting firm. He is co-author of Attract, Engage and Retain Top Talent released in July 2008. Contact Brian at www.staubin.net or (847) 564-2840. http://www.staubin.net

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of HR Pulse - Winter 2008

HR Pulse - Winter 2008 Contents Pulse Points Executive Director’s Letter President’s Message HR Leader Profile: Karmen Reid Advocacy is for Everyone A Case Study in Raising Voices Diversity Management Measuring What Matters Bullying as Gender Harassment Combat Workforce Changes Hardwiring Accountability Immigration Frustration HR and Education Making Exit Interviews Count Management Styles that Enhance Intrinsic Motivation Backup Care Fact or Fiction 10 Ways to Lose Your Best People Advertisers’ Index

HR Pulse - Winter 2008

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