In last month’s newsletter, we mentioned a practice the partners have here at Sponsel CPA Group, “Catching employees doing something right.” I’d like to further expound on that topic, and discuss how you can promote excellence in the workers at your business.
The harsh truth is that at many companies, personnel view their supervisors as somebody whose job is to catch them making a mistake. Certainly, detecting and addressing problems is part of a manager’s duties.
But a good boss should strive to be a “strength finder” who actively searches for what an employee does well, rather than dwelling on what they don’t.
It starts by recognizing that we’re all different people with different talents and skills. Some things we’re good at, and some things we aren’t. Though we might improve at a skill with training and repetition, we should be aware that a weakness will sometimes remain a weakness.
Rather than obsessing over the things an employee doesn’t do well, a manager should try to zero in on the things they do do well – and then work with them to improve those skills even more. That way, a worker creates a sense of confidence and can be more valuable to the overall team effort.
Draw the big picture
When you find an employee doing something right, commend them on it. Let them know how their work impacts the greater mission of the entire company. Often, younger workers don’t understand how their duties fit into the big picture.
Take opportunities to show employees how they matter, and you’ll be rewarded with greater productivity and loyalty. And they’ll be encouraged to take that next step, so they can shoulder bigger responsibilities.
When you’re a leader at an enterprise, sometimes there is an instinct to keep information bottled up. For instance, many supervisors feel reluctant to share their experiences or anxieties with those lower in the hierarchy.
But by opening up a little about your own personal failures and mistakes, you can minimize their own anxiety or apprehension by demonstrating a shared experience. And by giving them the long-term benefit of your own experiences, they’ll have a better grasp of how to anticipate challenges and be better prepared to confront them.
If they can see their boss has been through the grinder, survived and thrived, they’ll be less afraid of responsibility and risks. Don’t let the fear of failure become the barrier to your personal success!
Use your employee evaluation process to tell employees what they’re doing really well, instead of merely what they’re not. View evaluations as a training tool to build strengths, not just a mechanism for spotlighting times they’ve screwed up.
Construction vs. confrontation
It comes down to criticism versus constructive criticism. To most people, criticism is synonymous with conflict. They become defensive and unreceptive.
Constructive criticism shows that you care about them as a professional and as a person. Rather than being afraid of the boss, employees should view him or her as a coach actively trying to make them better.
If you need advice on how to promote excellence among your staff, contact Mike Bedel at (317) 613-7852 or email [email protected].