Marnie E. Green

When we are in the middle of turbulence, we look for the smooth patch of air.  That’s exactly what I saw a client do last week and it was a great example of providing vision in the midst of uncertainty. 

During my training on mid-year performance conversations for managers and supervisors at the City of Richland, WA, the City Manager Cindy Johnson made a brief appearance.  Ms. Johnson has been using a structured, focused strategic planning process to guide the City Council and the staff toward big outcomes and a new organizational culture.  She is making tremendous progress. During the training she told the group that it’s easy to lose sight of the contributions we each make to the bigger picture.  Amidst budget cuts and shifting City Council priorities, individual employees sometimes forget that their daily work is contributing to a better community.

To prove her point, she distributed an index card that she called “Ten for 2010.”  The card listed ten projects, community events, and organizational changes that reflect some of this year’s planned accomplishments.  A few of the items on the list were already completed.  She briefly mentioned each item and acknowledged individuals in the room who had contributed or supported each effort.  There was something on the list that reflected almost everyone’s work. 

The accomplishments included a redesign of the City’s website, progress made towards public works projects, and an upgrade to the City’s emergency communications system.  There was also something “new” on the list for everyone, illustrating that while each employee makes a significant contribution, they often do not know the collective result.

City Manager Johnson seized an opportunity to reinforce the contributions of each staff member through this simple exercise.  She also plans to take the “Ten for 2010” card to Rotary meetings and other community events.  She’ll make sure each Councilperson has copies that they can distribute too.

“Ten for 2010” is one little tool that can bring a patch of smooth air to your organization, even if you are facing turbulence.  What are your “Ten for 2010?”

According to The Gallup Organization there are 22 million disengaged employees that cost the American economy up to $350 billion per year in lost productivity, including absence, illness, and other problems that result when workers feel unappreciated. Ninety percent of voluntary resignations are due in part or initiated because the employee feels under appreciated by their manager. I'm betting public sector employees are feeling more disengaged than ever, considering the current economic environment.

In these challenging economic times, we need to look for ways to let employees know that they are valued more than ever. Here are ten no-cost ideas to try:

1. Invite an employee to join you. You can convey your value for a team member by inviting them to join you at important client meetings or higher level team meetings. By exposing them to a new group and new discussions, the employee gains a new perspective and you have a chance to show them off to others.
2. Spend some time together. Good old fashioned dialogue can go a long way when the conversation is with a boss who is busy. Once a week take 15 minutes to chat with an employee you haven't spent much time with lately. Ask open ended questions and show your interest. Use their name. Your attention is worth gold.
3. Start a Red Plate routine. Find a plate (or basket or bucket) and fill it with something yummy. This could be homemade cookies, candy, or healthier treats. At a staff meeting, give the plate to the one person who had a great week. Tell them publicly why you appreciate what they did. Tell them that their job is to watch their peers over the next week and be prepared to present the plate, refilled of course, to a teammate who excelled that week. The plate will continue to be passed from team member to team member and the recognition becomes the responsibility of the group and not just the responsibility of the manager. You can substitute the red plate for a stuffed animal, a fun trophy, or other item of interest. One group that I work with uses a very unattractive statue of John Wayne--but it means so much to win the little guy!
4. Duh...say thanks. In a recent survey sixty-three percent of employees ranked "a pat on the back" as a meaningful incentive. Saying thank you and meaning it is easy to do and can earn extensive goodwill. Call the employee to your office and just say thanks for a specific thing they've done. Nothing else should be the topic of the conversation.
5. Post a Note. Write a quick thank you on a Post-It or other informal piece of paper and leave it on the employee's chair or on their desk. Be sure to write it in your own handwriting and be specific about what the employee did to receive your recognition.
6. It's in the Name. When an employee creates a new form, process, approach, or other creative idea, name it after them. At staff meetings, in emails, and casual discussion, refer to the innovation as "Steve's form," "Judy's process," or "Jenna's tool."
7. You're a Lifesaver. When an employee does something that really makes a difference for you or for the team, give them a pack of LifeSavers candies. Make sure you combine the gesture with a note or comment about what the employee did to save your life and why it's important to you.
8. Ring the Bell. When a team member does something of note or when a customer expresses thanks for someone's work, ring a bell for the whole team to hear. Follow the ring with a quick announcement to the team about the person's accomplishment.
9. Ask Them. Meet with each employee individually and tell them that they are a valuable part of the team. Ask them what they would like to do in the course of their work that would be new, different, enriching, and/or exciting. Then, do what is possible to give the employee an opportunity to pursue this interest.
10. Listen. We all need to know that what we have to say is important to someone. Each day, focus your attention on an employee conversation with the sole purpose of just listening to what they have to say. Enter the conversation with curiosity about how they view the world and how that viewpoint can enrich the team.

Recognition doesn't have to be costly and it can go a long way to establishing a culture that is supportive, innovative, and productive.

What are you doing to engage and motivate employees in these difficult times? I'd love to hear!

I've been coaching a municipal executive who believes she is inclusive and respectful with employees.  The feedback we've gotten from her staff is that she is a micromanager.  They say she doesn't trust them and that she does not value their input.  Why the dicotomy?  These problems run deep and will be a challenge to overcome.  Still, there are some behaviors she exhibits that send a subtle message  that she really doesn't want to hear from her employees.  Here's the tip I'll share with her the next time we meet:

Make your questions open-ended.

This concept is a bit of a "duh." We all know that open-ended questions, those that require more than a yes/no answer, are more appropriate if you are trying to engage the other person in the conversation. Still, how conscious are you of the openness of your daily questions? Here are a few examples.

Example: "Do you like your work?" is not open-ended. You are likely to get a short, blunt answer to a question like this. An alternative way to ask the question which is open-ended is, "What about your work do you most enjoy?" The response is more likely to be robust enough to give you insights into the employee's motivations.

Example: "Are you going to make that mistake again?" is closed-ended and will likely put the employee on the defensive. It is parental in nature and does not allow the employee to participate in the problem-solving. An open ended alternative would be, "What are you going to do next time to make sure the outcome is more effective?"

Example: "Have you considered calling the vendor back?" is a question that is really a directive. You may have a clear picture of what the employee should do. In fact, you may have several suggestions for the employee. In time, you can offer your suggestions. However, if you want to engage the employee in solving the problem or if your goal is to coach them to higher levels of performance in the future, giving them the answer, even in the form of a closed question, is not the most effective approach. Instead, use an open-ended question like, "What solutions have you considered?"

My coachee has some work to do and it will start with being conscious of the questions she asks.

Part of a manager’s job is to give feedback to employees to help them meet and exceed the expectations for performance.  It should be easy, right?  Just share your perspectives with the employee and they will improve, grow, and develop. As easy as this concept sounds, most managers struggle with giving feedback that is constructive, productive, and received the way it was intended.

Why is feedback so hard to give?  One reason is because managers often don’t really give feedback; they make judgments.  Let’s draw a distinction between judgment and feedback.  Judgments include opinions or conclusions. Feedback is a presentation of the facts.  Here are some other distinctions:

Often, when we intend to provide helpful feedback it is heard as if we are passing judgment.  And, when a judgment is lobbed, resistance usually results.  An essential principle of a Painless Performance Conversation is to recognize this important difference.  Here are some examples:

Judgment:  “You didn’t prepare enough for that important presentation.”

Feedback: “There were critical details and statistics that were not included in your presentation. For example…"

Judgment:  “You are not carrying your weight in the office.”

Feedback:  “You have completed three case files this week.  Your peers are completing an average of six case files per week.”

Judgment: “You did a great job today!  Nice work!"

Feedback: “Your ideas for solving the Jones complaint were innovative and effective.  You gave the customer several options, all of which were appropriate given the situation."

Judgment: "Many of your assignments are not getting done thoroughly."

Feedback:  "This month there were four projects that were not submitted by the deadline that we agreed upon."

Feedback is the tool great managers use to encourage self-assessment and accountability.  It takes some thought but the results are more meaningful to the employee and more productive for the manager. The last time you gave an employee feedback, was it really feedback or was it judgment? How can you, as an HR professional help, help the leaders in your organization give more feedback?  I'd love to hear your suggestions and ideas.