Sometimes, as managers we feel compelled to ‘warm up’ with an associate when it comes time to deliver performance feedback, when it is much less painful for the giver and receiver of a message to just get to the point.

I recently stumbled across an article by Johanna Rothman that provides a simple, yet poignant scenario of how to give some sensitive feedback. Johanna shows us it really is “kind to be firm.” She also offers a useful recipe to deliver feedback that goes like this:

• Create an opening to deliver feedback.
• Describe the behavior or result in a way the person can hear.
• State the impact using “I” language.
• Make a request for changed behavior.

If an employee’s performance is generally satisfactory they should be aware of that. It is easier for employees to accept, and welcome, feedback for improvement if they know management is essentially pleased with their overall performance.There are some key ingredients that should be the foundation of any feedback plan: Continue Reading »
Feedback Made Easy?

What does it take to be a leader? Leadership is not about personality or knowing the goal in advance. A true leader has character, and is open to ideas from everyone. The American Management Association gives some good bullet points on leadership: Continue Reading »
What Does it Take?

Too often when we think of diversity the first thing that comes to mind is race. If we keep a narrow definition in our minds as what diversity is, we will never fully leverage its benefits.

When we see diversity simply as it relates to gender, nationality, and ethnicity, it is more of a superficial diversity. A deeper level of diversity will include differences in values, experiences, knowledge, age, as well as gender, orientation, ethnicity, and nationality. If we can leverage this deeper-level diversity Continue Reading »
Leveraging Diversity in the Workplace

The most effective employees are the ones who are able to render the company mission and values into the types of operational, strategic and tactical decisions made along the management chain. Managers, who characteristically translate ideas into action, can benefit from a common and clearer understanding of the correlation between decisions made at the top levels and the impact those decisions have down on the production levels.

Disseminating such information in a timely fashion with regard to the values and mission of the company is a vital tool toward building a shared culture. Inspiring middle managers with confidence to execute their jobs and direct their teams in the support of the goals of the organization is a primary key toward building this culture. This blog will try to provide useful insight to link managers more closely to those goals, in order to have the perspective to manage around them. When middle managers feel like they can truly impact the business, they recommit themselves to the goals of the organization. Sharing experiences and best practices in this format may be beneficial to us all. Remember what one author wrote when he stated “None of us is as smart as the sum of us.” –Larry