Many managers walk around their offices assuming all their employees are mind readers. This is not the case. While things may seem like common sense to you, they may not be to your employee. How many times have you found yourself saying, "Why does not Tim send out recaps of his staff meetings?" or "Why does not Nicole respond to e-mails while she is on conference calls?" While these may be standard practices to you, they may not be to your employees, and unless you inform them of your expectations you have no right to expect them to be done.
Set Expectations
Review the areas where your employees are not meeting your expectations and ask yourself, "Have I communicated clearly that this is an expectation?" If the answer is "no", set up a meeting with the employee and explain your expectation. If you feel like you have communicated the expectation, it may be worth having another conversation where you ask the employee if he remembers discussing the expectation. Attempt to uncover why he cannot meet it.
Ensuring expectations are clearly defined and communicated helps your department or project run smoothly. Employees are also happier when they know their boss' expectation. It is a relief to go to work each day and know exactly what will make your boss happy and you successful. When your employees feel this way their productivity increases because they do not have to second guess themselves.
Hold Them Accountable
A quick way to create frustration within your department is by setting an expectation and never following up on it. When you fail to ensure the expectation is executed the perception is it was not important in the first place. While we would all love to set an expectation with an employee and then have it executed 100% of the time with no follow up, it is not likely to happen. This is not because your employee does not respect you or because she is trying to be obstinate. Typically it is either because the expectation is not a habit, and therefore not a natural part of her workday, or it is because she has many expectations she is trying to fulfill and is not sure where this one falls in the priority list. Regardless the reason, the easiest way to ensure your expectations are being met is to follow up. This shows the employee you were serious about the expectation and that it is important to you.
If even after following up your expectation is not being met, it is critical to hold your employee accountable. Holding an employee accountable is not about playing "I got ya" or trying to catch the employee doing something wrong. Accountability creates trust within the team. It tells the entire team that you uphold performance requirements.
When holding someone accountable, I recommend having a meeting with your employee and ask the employee if she knows what your expectation is. If she does, then ask why she is having a difficult time meeting the expectation. There may be an obstacle that you can remove for the employee to ensure the expectation is met going forward. After you know why, discuss with the employee what you can do to help ensure the expectation is met in the future. This shows the employee that you are invested in her success. Finally, at the end of the conversation, make it clear that you will be following up to ensure the expectation is met and failure to meet the expectation cannot continue.
Say Thank You
A major moral killer, and therefore productivity killer, is when a boss sets expectations and then never recognizes his employees when the expectation is met. It may seem mundane to say "Thanks for sending out that meeting recap" but it is essential if you want the behavior to continue. Saying thank you lets the employee know that you noticed he did what you asked. It makes the employee feel like you are not there to bark orders and tell him what to do. It is especially important to give recognition if you have previously had to hold the employee accountable. Recognizing an employee for doing something correctly after he had previously been falling short lets the employee know you are not only going to correct the employee when he is off-course but you are also going to notice when he is on track.
Employees work better in an environment where expectations are clear, they are held accountable and recognized for their performance. Focusing on these things will reduce frustration and help increase department performance. Clearly communicate your expectations to your employees and reinforce that they are important through follow up and recognition. It is much easier than trying to get your employees to read your mind.
Jana Axline, principle at Axline Industrial Solutions, received her Masters of Business from the University of Colorado. She has been in management for 10 years. During this time she has studied techniques to increase productivity and overall employee engagement. She now helps transform companies by studying their culture and helping them create productive work environments.
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I love the picture, because no matter what business you work in, it really is all about results.
Posted by: Capability Assessment | November 11, 2010 at 12:58 PM