ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
Forget The Sandwich Technique
Do you remember being told to use the "sandwich" technique when you needed to reprimand someone? Let me give you an example: "Fred, I'm really pleased with how you've been progressing since you joined us and you're doing a great job. However you're not getting your reports in on time and we're missing deadlines. I'd like you to tighten up a bit on this. Anyway,thanks for all you've done so far and keep up the good work." Have you ever said something along these lines? You probably needed Fred to sort out his reporting but you didn't want to upset or demoralise him. The only problem is that Fred may not get the message. The importance of it may be seriously diluted. He may hear it as, "Fred, you're doing a brilliant job, you just need to sort out the reporting bit but it's not really that important." What happens then is, Fred continues to fail with his reports. The "sandwich" technique doesn't work, it lets you off the hook and it's mealy mouthed. Be direct with your people and they'll respect you more for it. You are also much more likely to get a change in behaviour. If you are unhappy with some aspect of an employee's performance then you need to tell them so. The skill is in doing it in a way that's effective and doesn't lower the morale of the individual. Firstly, it's not acceptable to speak to your people just when you're unhappy about something. Tell them the good news as well. As Kenneth Blanchard and Spencer Johnson say in their book The One Minute Manager - "Catch people doing something right" and tell them about it. Some managers and employers still have this daft notion that if people are doing things right then that's what they're paid for and they don't need complimented. Ask almost any employee in Industries throughout the world and they'll tell you that they don't feel appreciated by their manager. When you notice someone doing something you do like, tell them about it. When you notice them doing something you don't like, tell them about it. Whether it's good news or bad, the same rules apply. Do it as soon as possible. Acknowledgement of a job well done is not much good six months later. Also, if you don't immediately call someone's attention to something you are not happy about, then they'll assume it's okay. Either that or they'll think you didn't notice or you don't care. Do it in private. Why is it that some managers still feel it's okay to reprimand someone in front of their colleagues? Even the mildest rebuke can have a negative effect on morale. When you speak to the person use "I" messages. Say things like "I liked the way you did that" or "I think there is another way to do that." Avoid "You" messages such as "You're doing great." That can come across as patronising or insincere. "You're doing that all wrong" may cause conflict, lower morale and may not sort the problem. When your giving feedback, focus on one or two things. You'll only confuse the person if you run off a whole list of attributes or misdemeanours. Be specific about job behaviour, focus on what the person did or didn't do, don't make a personal attack. Allow time for the message to sink in and allow the person to respond. You can then seek agreement as to what will happen in the future. If the person does not agree to take corrective action then you need to move to another level. When they do agree to take corrective action then make sure that you monitor it and give encouraging feedback. Being direct with your people is better for you, better for them and better for you business, so save your "sandwiches" for lunchtime. Discover how you can generate more business by motivating your team! Alan Fairweather is the author of "How to get More Sales by Motivating Your Team" This book is packed with practical things you can do to get the best out of your people . Click here now =>http://www.howtogetmoresales.com/Without%20Selling.htm
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
The Leaders Fallacy May Be Howard Deans Undoing Howard Dean's tenure as chairman of the Democratic National Committee will be fleeting unless he avoids a common leadership trap I call it, the "Leader's Fallacy". Know Your Client - The First Rule of Business Coaching Whilst the very best coaches have undertaken independently accredited training and or have years of experience with clients, new self-assessment questionnaires are coming available which is evolving coaching into a far more focused activity. And that is to the benefit of coach/client relationships for the following reasons:- Marketing Miracle: Outsource Your Creative Services The current economy is causing most companies to tighten their belts. With limited staffing and a restricted budget, how do you continue to promote your business? The simple solution is the occasional or ongoing use of outside resources such as graphic designers, writers, webmasters, and other creative talent. Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius Great Groups! - Getting a Group to Think Like a Genius Taking on Six Sigma Programs - Guidelines for In-House and Outsourcing Decisions Based on a wild guess by a close associate of mine, there are well over 2,000 restaurants in the Manhattan area and its surrounding boroughs. Although I cannot validate the absolute accuracy of his count, I do trust it is in the ballpark, since he happens to be one of those guys who seem to know everything about everything in life (and more). His dream is to be on Jeopardy; if it ever happens, I already feel sorry for the other two contestants, who will undoubtedly be decimated on national TV. And, oh yes, he also happens to be a food- lover. There is definitely some credibility to his estimate. Benefits of Virtual Assistance A virtual assistant is an individual who provides business services to other professionals. They're considered virtual because they perform their services from a remote location. Communications with their clients take place through telephone, fax, email, and snail mail. As a business owner, you can save time, money, and energy by hiring a virtual assistant. Best of all, you'll have more time to do what you do best ? running a business! Lower the Bar "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." Ralph Waldo Emerson Meetings: Don?t Just Show Up, Stand Out and Shine Meetings, whether they're regularly scheduled routines in your company or now-and-then get-togethers, can be a place for you to gain positive visibility and to showcase your capabilities. Here are three strategies that will help you stand out and shine. Does Your Management Style Remind People Of Something They Read In Dilbert? With thanks to Jeff Foxworthy, the comedian who does the "You might be a redneck series of jokes. The Supervisors 14 Essential Truths For Communicating With Direct Reports One amazing, but sadly true, fact of today's advances in communication tools is that we really don't communicate much better than in the past. Hidden Consultants Within Your Organization You've all heard the old joke about a consultant being someone who uses your watch to tell you the time, and then steals your watch. There's some truth to the story: consultant recommendations are often the same things that your employees or customers have been telling you all along. But while you will listen to a consultant, you don't listen to your employees and customers. Why is that? Why do companies pay more attention to consultants then they do to employees or customers? And what should you do about it? But let's start with an even more important question: why should you listen to employees and customers? Will a Workplace Bully Bankrupt Your Company? Safeguard Your Company Against Harrassment Claims My Companys Leadership Sucks! Maybe it's the season or just a more buoyant job market; but lately I'm sure involved in a lot more discussions about leadership. Enable Continuous Improvement of IT Services through ITIL One of the major benefits, if not THE benefit of process orientated approaches to managing your IT services and infrastructure is that it enables continuous improvement. Where Businesses Fall Short 1. No vision. Successful businesses have a clear vision or picture of their business purpose and mission. Your vision serves as a roadmap to help you see where you are today in relationship to where you want to be tomorrow. Your business plan serves as the mechanism that will help you to bridge the gap. When you don't have a clear vision as to why you're in business or where you intend to take your business, it's like taking a road trip without a map. When you don't know where you're going, you'll waste a lot of time, money, and energy trying to find the right road leading to your destination. A well-defined vision will help you stay focused and on track. Innovation Management - idea selection and valuation issues Innovation is different and distinct from creativity in that it is idea selection, development and commercialisation as opposed to creativity, which is problem identification and idea generation. The core issue with innovation management is, therefore, how to select those ideas that are most likely to succeed? Partnering for Performance "The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says, 'Go!' ? a leader says, 'Let's go!'" -E. M. Kelly Inventory Management 101 Inventory management may seem complicated to some, but if one truly thinks about what the words "inventory management" mean, it is a simple concept. Inventory is basically a list of goods and materials that are held by a business and are available in stock. Inventory management is the process of keeping track of inventory, and having the delicate balance of supply and demand firmly mastered. When having inventory, a company does not ever want to have too much of a product, nor does it want to have not enough of that product to meet demand. Inventory management helps to ensure that a proper inventory is maintained at all times. Culture Management and Creativity Many concepts in the fields of managing creativity are very much applicable to culture management in general. The same concepts that foster creativity and innovation also maximise human capital potential, increase productivity, reduce costs and maintain competitive advantage etc. Some of the many commonalities between culture and creativity management follow. Interviewing Applicants Can Be Hazardous to Your Wealth 1st Fact: Interviewing applicants is the most common way companies decide whom to hire.
|
|
|
|
|
