Does It Really Matter How Much Effort Goes Into the Job If They Can't Meet The Expectations?

Whether we like it or not, business is business and most likely if you work for a business in the United States, it is all about execution and accomplishment.  The bottom line is businesses don't pay people to try really hard.  They pay for results - whether that be creative results, productivity results, or theoretical results.  The person that gets promoted is likely the person that gets things done.

Some people are placed in the wrong roles and struggle getting accomplished what is expected.  Other people were bad hires.  And yet other people just aren't able or willing to adapt to the changes the organization is making.  

If you are fortunate enough to find a more appropriate role for the individual, you are golden.  However, I'm certainly not an advocate for passing your problem employee off to someone else because you don't want to address it.  If you are able to rearrange the work your team performs and utilize the skills of the person in question, all the better.  But that doesn't mean you create a job for them simply because it's easier than dealing with the problem.  

To answer the question posed at the beginning of this blog post, in my opinion it doesn't matter how much effort the person puts out if they can't meet the expectations of the job.  I know that sounds a bit calloused.  Actually, I think it's more painful and unfair to let a person work 14 hours a day to try to meet the demands when they clearly don't have the expertise or skill to accomplish the task.  The only fair thing to do is let them know they don't have what it takes, work with your HR department to determine next steps (i.e. find another position), and help them move on to a place where they can be successful (either within your organization or someplace else). I guess put yourself in their shoes.  Wouldn't you want to be successful?  What are your thoughts?

Setting the Goal is Easy, Sticking to it? Not so much.

Sticking to our goals is tough work. Boy, oh boy, is it tough to stay focused, motivated, and inspired to achieve a goal.  There are days that try our patience.  People that divert our attention elsewhere.  Circumstances that seem to occur at just the wrong times.  That the way life goes.  


You may have made a commitment this year.  Or even this week.  A commitment to make a personal change.  A commitment to give more positive reinforcement to employees.  A commitment to manage your time more effective.  A commitment to have some of those crucial conversations you have been putting off.  


When those days, circumstances, and people interrupt your focus remember two things:
1.  Don't give up.
2.  There is nothing wrong with baby steps when it comes to change.  


It's okay to fall off the wagon, but it's not okay to stay there.  And it's okay if you can't dive right in to make a big change, a baby step in the right direction each day will eventually get you to your destination.  
Go easy on yourself when you don't succeed and get back up and try again.  

Utilizing the Power of Positive Reinforcement

I don't care how confident or competent someone is, I've never heard someone say they don't want to hear what they are doing right (at least not say it and mean it).  We all need that reassurance now and then.  We need to know what we are doing is valued and that we, as human beings, as well as employees, are important.  

 I think we often take for granted that our employees know what we think of the work they are producing.  After all, didn't I tell you a month ago how much I appreciated your work on XYZ project?  Seriously, do I have to say something everyday? 


Well, maybe not every day but for most people positive reinforcement is music to their ears.  Nobody seems to hear enough about the good they are doing and feel like most of the energy is spent on the negative.  Just because you told someone they were doing a good job at their last performance review doesn't mean they are still doing a good job.  And in the volatile society in which we live, a little positive reinforcement and encouragement can go a long way.  


Positive reinforcement can be as simple as a "Great job on XYZ," "I really appreciate your effort and time on ABC," to "You know, when we talked during your last performance review I mentioned you needed to work on your presentation skills.  I can tell you took that feedback to heart - you've really improved."  


Be careful giving your problem employees positive reinforcement.  Sometimes if you are very specific with the feedback, they think they are doing well in everything and are now off the hook for whatever the issue was.  


Give me.  In general you can't go wrong when you provide positive reinforcement as long as you are specific and genuine.  

Help! What Do I Do With My High Maintenance Employee??!!!

There are few things more maddening to a very busy leader than the employee that requires more attention than seems "normal."  And it's a difficult balance - you don't want them to feel you are inaccessible yet you have an expectation that in their current position they shouldn't need you quite so much.  What's a leader to do?

Every have one of those employees that takes of three times more of your time than anyone else.  I'm not talking about the new hire that should be taking up more of your time.  I'm talking about the high maintenance employee, the one stopping by your office ten times per day to ask questions they should be able to figure out without your input.

Because leadership requires a certain amount of psychology, maybe step one should be to take a step back and try to answer the question "Why do they need so much attention?"  Some possible answers may be:

• They are feeling insecure about their abilities, job, role, relationship with you.
• They are not good critical thinkers.
• They are a bit lazy and would rather have you do the thinking.
• Your expectations are unrealistic.
• They don't have enough to do.

If you have read very many of my blog posts you know I'm likely to say a conversation is in order here.  In this particular case you might start with a simple request that they save up their questions for a daily/weekly meeting unless it is urgent or send some of the questions via email.  Sometimes people have a question and before they even take the time to think about it they get up and go ask someone (you) the answer.  If you can get them to start making a list during the day, they might find they find they are able to answer the question on their own.  If necessary, offer to schedule a daily meeting for the end of their workday each day when they can come in and present the list.  That could serve two purposes a few purposes - a daily coaching opportunity (gives you a chance to teach them a little critical thinking), provides security (after all, they are now getting daily face time with you), and it forces them to write all their items down and hopefully solve some of them on their own before the meeting.  Here is the bonus - if you schedule it at the end of the day with the clear understanding they are to hold all their questions (unless it's an emergency), it will likely be a short meeting (they aren't going to want to hang out and you likely already stay later than they do).  

Ummm, Excuse Me, I Think I'm the Customer

The title of this blog may lead one to believe it will be about retail business and/or customer service.  It is about customer service but the focus is on the "internal customer."  Unfortunately, many internal customers are being treated badly on a daily basis.  They are ignored and bullied by the very people who are expected to provide them a service.  Let's hope you aren't one of those people.  Anytime the term "customer" is used in this post, fill in the blank with "internal customer."

It is astounding that so many people don't understand who their customer is and/or how to treat a customer in the work place. Let me provide a few examples.  If you are an HR professional, your customer is likely the leadership team.  You are providing services and are an advocate for employees however, your customer is likely (depending on your business model) the leader.  If you are in manufacturing, your customer is the next stage in the assembly line.  It's very important to understand this and I'll use a simple analogy we can all relate to.

If I work at an electronics store and a 14 year old boy comes in with his mother to purchase a new laptop for the boy, it would be easy for me to think the 14 year old boy is the customer.  After all, the laptop is for the boy, he is telling me what he wants and requires in his device.  However, a critical component to this sale is the mother - she is likely paying the bill.  If I ignore her requests and needs, I will not make the sale.  If I talk down to her because she doesn't have any idea about RAM, DRAM, LOL, LMAO, I will lose the sale.  So, who is the customer in this case? Yep, mommy.

Now, let's take that back to the workplace.  If you don't clearly understand who your internal customers are, you will fail miserably in building sustaining relationships, gaining buy in, and reaching resolutions in conflicts.  If you mistakenly believe you are in a power struggle and don't treat the customer like a customer (more on that in a minute), you will quickly lose trust, respect, and business.  People will go out of their way to avoid you.  

So, what does customer service look like in the work place?  First, let's start with what it doesn't look like.  Some people mistakenly believe good customer service means you always give the customer what they want.  I disagree.  Slightly.  I say, you give the customer what they want within the scope of the services you can ethically, morally, and legally offer.  Being an HR person, I have to be very careful here.  Analogy again.  If you go into a Pizza place and say "I'd like a steak with a baked potato and side of steamed asparagus"  I guarantee they will very nicely send you down the road to a more appropriate location for your needs.  We shouldn't try to deliver something outside of our scope of expertise.  And we shouldn't compromise our integrity to provide a service either.  As a training professional I have many times been asked to provide a sub-par product for the sake of time or because someone thinks a Power Point equals" training.  This would be like asking a surgeon to only take out half the tumor because you don't want to lay on the table any longer.  

Here is what customer service looks like in the workplace:

• Friendly, cordial, kind
• Ethically, Morally, and Legally appropriate service (do I really need to elaborate on this any more?)
• The customers needs come first (not your time demands or personal opinions and desires.)
• Collaborative
• Customers are treated as welcome guests and the reason for your existence (not another person that wants your time)
• Customers' ideas are welcome and encouraged
• They feel listened to and respected when they leave
• Their time is valued 
• Promises are kept (projects delivered on time, calls returned)
• They walk away from a meeting with you feeling important, valuable, and like they can't wait to see you again.

The bottom line is, think about how you like to be treated as a customer, make sure you clearly understand who your internal customers are, and strive each day (no matter how difficult your customers may be), to provide the most outstanding service possible.

Mari

Are You Sick Of Hearing About Work/Life Balance?

If you're like most leaders you are sick to death of hearing about work life balance. You think it means you need to make sure your employees have balance while you continue to work 10, 12, 14, 16 hour days. Quite honestly I'm a little tired of hearing about it too.

 So, let's talk today about not only having a life but being the leader in every way possible. Here's the deal - when you consistently send people emails at 10 pm, casually mention you were working at 2 am because you couldn't sleep, and make work your life, you are not helping anyone. You are sending an unspoken message that work is not only part of your life, it IS your life and therefore it should be everyone else's life too. Even if you don't say it, you are the leader, and people expect to follow you. You are setting the standard.


If you aren't spending time with family, socializing with friends, or watching a sunset on a routine basis, you are not leading effectively. As human beings we need the opportunity to be human . . . outside of work. And if you aren't taking care of yourself and your needs, you will not have the energy or enthusiasm to lead.
                                           


Sure there are the occasional "crunch deadlines" where you have to put in a great deal of extra time (and may even require it from several employees). However, if this is the rule rather than the exception, there is something wrong.  Either you aren't delegating enough, you have a difficult time letting go of control, or your employer is making unrealistic demands.  Regardless of the issue, if this goes on for a prolonged period, it's time for you to have a crucial conversation, for yourself as well as your team.


It's just as important that you find time to laugh and enjoy life as it is that you work hard.  Without one, it's difficult to do the other for a prolonged amount of time.  When you think about work/life balance, think about the standard you are setting for your team.

Are You Letting a Gentle Wave Turn Into a Tsunami?

I find that when people (myself included) don't like to do something, they have a tendency to put it off.  And sometimes putting it off means you continue to put it off, and put it off, and put it off, until one day what started as a minor thing to take care of has now become this giant tsunami that you have no idea how to handle.  It's out of control and wreaking havoc on the rest of the world (or at least the department).  This is how it often goes when dealing with employee issues.  

  

We put it off in hopes it will either get better all by itself or it won't be such a problem anymore.  We put up having a five minute conversation with someone to let them know what needs to be handled differently and we wait until we can't ignore anymore due to the devastation and destruction on the rest of the team.  

I'm here to tell you, handle it now rather than later.  It's not likely to get better all by itself.  Mary isn't going to wake up one day and realize she is rude on the phone and Bill isn't going to suddenly quit wasting time.  Have the five minute conversation, set your expectations, hold them accountable and get on with your day.  I can almost guarantee the problem will only get bigger with time.