1. Reviewing the review:
Many managers hate giving out performance reviews. The process has a nasty reputation, since employees often hate getting any kind of criticism, no matter how diplomatically delivered. And managers often lack the courage necessary to tell people the truth about how they are doing in their job.
But performance appraisals are an important tool to developing a top-notch staff and, therefore, a vital part of managing a team. So every manager needs to think about how to institutionalize the review process.
You can get in the habit of offering praise and weeding out underperformers by following these guidelines:
- Appraisals must be based on quantitative measurements. Ideally, these criteria should be developed with the input of employees, as workers are less apt to identify and accept quotas and other measurements handed down from on high.
- Qualitative measurements should be a secondary element of any review, things like whether a team member takes initiative, how he works with the group, etc.
- Performance reviews should be conducted on a regularly scheduled basis. New hires should receive reviews more frequently. Established employees should be reviewed quarterly.
- Managers should take time to prepare and conduct reviews thoughtfully. It isn't time wasted, but time well-invested.
- Finally, managers should remember that when done with enthusiasm and optimism, performance appraisals are a powerful motivating tool.
- adapted from Entrepreneur
2. Getting everyone to work together:
Are the members of your team griping and complaining about their manager?
Do they seem to want a lot of things they're not getting, like higher pay, more time off and higher positions? Are they bickering and jealous of one another?
If you're a manager, it can be easy to think that no one cares about all the hard work that you do. Do you feel like the old team spirit just isn't there anymore?
If you think that your team members have fallen into an us-vs.-them mode, then you better do something, because if you don't, poor communications and attitudes of resistance and shaky work quality can result. You will have to be careful that the old labor-management antagonism doesn't slip into your workplace and destroy any hope you have of restoring true collaboration, teamwork and enthusiasm.
Lots of times that antagonism is shoved under the surface until a situation arises that really requires cooperation and effort, and when that occurs the true monster raises its ugly head. So when you see the us-vs.-them attitude coming down the path straight toward you, it will probably pay off to give the problem your total attention.
One of the most important things for you to guard against is the possibility that you have already been drug into the us-vs.-them way of thinking. Are you talking about "them"? If you are, you need to remember that the employees represent the company, and whatever their attitudes are, you better pay attention. Try to think about talking with your employees, not "to" them.
If this divisiveness is taking place and you're in charge, you will probably have to speak to it, and the sooner the better. Talk to your employees about what the problem is, and when you find out, figure out a way to solve it. |
3. Maybe it’s time for a little one-on-one management |
Companies have been collecting information on individuals and using it for one-to-one marketing since 1993. Now companies are using the same concept to find out what makes their employees tick, and once the companies know, they use that knowledge to develop customized, and sometimes amazing, rewards.
Some companies sit down at their review times with the employee and ask sets of questions about her hobbies and interests, and also her family members' interests and hobbies. It's being called one-to-one management, and the gurus are saying that it's a good idea, since we are requiring the employees themselves to treat the customer with such care.
The premise of one-to-one management is that the company attempts to respond to the stated desires of the employee, rather than the perceived desire of the entire work force. This helps the company design perks that the employees truly want.
This can in fact save the company money because it can stop providing the benefits that are not wanted by the employee and only pay for the ones that the employee really wants.
This kind of one-on-one management doesn't have to be just about rewards. Some companies are using it to help them understand their employees more fully so that managers can help when the employee might get out of balance. For instance, if a company has an employee who loses confidence in the level of parenting they provide when work is stressful, the company might respond by giving the employee a day off with passes to a family oriented activity, such as a zoo or theme park.
-adapted from www.inc.com |
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