The Metiss Group's Blog

‘Tis the season…for football, dance, cheerleading, soccer, etc.  As I watched my favorite team scramble for a win on Saturday, I thought about all the coaching these players would get during and after the game, despite the win, as the team worked to improve.

Then I pondered all the feedback we’ve all gotten through the years, probably since we were tots, as we learned sports, the arts, or scholastics.  We expected and paid our coaches, mentors, and teachers to give us feedback.  We were all prepared for typical course corrections, and we didn’t cry about it, we didn’t complain, we used it to improve our next efforts and when we received praise, we knew we earned it.  We knew beyond a shadow of a doubt, that these leaders from whom we took direction wanted us to win, or succeed in however that’s measured.

So why, as business leaders, do we shy away from giving direct reports course corrections or positive feedback in a timely, specific, direct manner?  I frequently hear “the direct report will get defensive,” or “I don’t want to hurt their feelings,” but with all the experience they’ve had receiving feedback, we know they shouldn’t be fragile.  I can’t help but wonder if it is because we doubt our direct reports really believe our intention is to see them succeed.  Between traditional HR departments telling us “constructive criticism” must be documented in case we ever need to discipline a direct report or sever their employment, and employee representatives working to convince employees their supervisors are out to get them, our intentions are under severe scrutiny.

What if you explain individually to your direct reports you want them to be wildly successful and in order to do that you plan to give them more direct positive feedback and course corrections in a very timely manner, much like all the coaches with whom they grew up?  Look your direct report in the eye and convey your genuine desire to see them succeed and give them permission to challenge you if ever they begin to doubt why or how you are delivering the feedback.  Then watch the trust and productivity soar.

Empower your employees with candid feedback delivered with the commitment to their success and watch your team grow.

Hopefully you have a job description or accountability matrix for each of your key jobs.  This “report card” is essential for holding your direct reports accountable for their performance.

Most leaders do a pretty good job identifying job priorities and success factors, but expected time estimates are often overlooked.  Leaders and direct reports assume a “do whatever it takes” approach to allocating time to the job’s tasks.  While it is true, a direct report’s time needs to be managed to accomplish the job’s expectations, having a time guideline in place and reviewing the time spent can make both you and your direct report more effective.

For example, suppose a sales direct report is expected to spend 50% of their time prospecting, 25% closing, and 25% in admin.  But together you and the direct report realized they are spending 25% prospecting, 25% closing, and 50% in admin; what’s wrong?  You may be overwhelming your sales direct with unnecessary paperwork.  You may have a sales person who doesn’t like prospecting.  In either event you can’t fix the situation if you are not aware of how the job is being done.

Empower your direct reports to “guestimate” the percentage of time they spend on their accountabilities, review it with them, and you’ll be surprised at the success you’ll create.

After much deliberation, you’ve finally made up your mind: you are going to sever the employment of one of your direct reports.  Of course, if you’ve been giving healthy feedback along the way, the employee should not be surprised.

Before reaching this decision, most leaders have had course correction conversations with the troubled direct report.  When you have these tough conversations, make sure there is no doubt in your direct report’s mind, they will lose their job if their performance does not improve.

Make the course corrections direct and clear.  “I’m not happy with your performance,” or “You are on thin ice” leaves too much to interpretation.  Instead try “Tim, I believe you are capable of completing your work on time and we want you to succeed; but keeping your job largely depends on your ability to deliver your reports accurately and on time.  Let’s review your progress in one week.  In the meantime, don’t hesitate to let me know what obstacles I can remove that will help you out.”

Make your feedback clear and you’ll empower your direct reports for success.

Hopefully you have a job accountability matrix for each of your direct reports capturing the job’s activities, priorities, and success factors.  Maybe you have a “job description” instead listing the job’s requirements and expectations.  Maybe you have a tattered sheet of paper detailing what you’d like out of the job.

Whatever you are using to scope your direct report’s job, be sure to review and update it regularly.  We recommend reviewing job accountabilities during each quarterly performance review session.  By reviewing the accountabilities regularly with your direct report, you both are reminded of what is important.

Do not assume the job’s description is static and cannot be changed.  The document is a dynamic, evolving view of the job and should be updated as the job evolves or changes.  Your direct report should be responsible for “owning” this responsibility and keeping you apprised of changes.

Empower your direct reports to manage their job accountabilities and watch both your careers succeed.

In a Wall Street Journal article on May 25, 2010, Joe Light wrote, “In February, the number of employees voluntarily quitting surpassed the number being fired or discharged for the first time since October 2008, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Before February, the BLS had recorded more layoffs than resignations for 15 straight months, the first such streak since the bureau started tracking the data a decade ago.”

Leaders who have treated, or continue to treat, direct reports as though “they should be lucky they have jobs” are more likely to experience hearing “I quit” as the economy and the options improve.

Of course, the employees who are most likely to leave are the superstars, because they are most desired by other employers who promise to treat them like gold.

What’s important to understand is this isn’t all about money.  Have you been providing positive feedback and course corrections that allow your best direct reports to hone their skills and reach exceptional levels of performance?  Are you encouraging personal development plans and succession plans?  Are your goals aligned?  Even if there hasn’t been money to spend at review time, have you been providing candid, timely performance reviews?  And do you meet regularly with your superstars one-on-one to know what’s important to them, their success, and build a strong foundation for an on-going relationship?

Empower your direct reports for success to benefit them and your organization, as well.

Many, if not most organizations, promote their employees as being their “greatest asset.”  Unfortunately, most employees indicate they hardly feel like an asset, much less among the greatest assets of the company

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, the average employee stays at a company for 3.5 years and makes about $40,000 per year.  Therefore the average “employee asset” costs organizations just in wages $140,000.  How much effort do you invest in your employee assets as compared to your investments in other $140,000 assets?  Think about how much time you spend buying and maintaining your computer systems – how does that compare to the time you spend hiring and accelerating the performance of your direct reports?  Ask yourself these questions:

• Do you give your “greatest assets” daily, customized feedback?
• Do you invest 30 minutes of uninterrupted one-on-one time weekly with your “greatest assets” talking about their issues?
• Do you review your “greatest assets'” accomplishments, personal development, core value adherence, and future objectives at least quarterly?
• Do your “greatest assets” have clear job accountabilities specifying key activities, time percentages, priorities, and success factors?
• Do your “greatest assets” know what the organization’s goals are and do they have goals that are aligned to the organization’s?
• Do your “greatest assets” continually work at developing to be a better person – physically, emotionally, intellectually, and spiritually?
• Do you have a succession plan for your “greatest assets” so they don’t feel trapped in their role?

Remember, unlike most assets on your balance sheet, these assets should appreciate over time so the investment you make in them should continue to net you great returns.  Invest in your greatest assets regularly and empower them so you’ll all be successful.