Tina Lewis Rowe

When “Criticize In Private” May Not Be The Best Tactic

Part Two of the series that evaluates the wisdom of applying “Praise in public, criticize in private” to supervisory activities.

The first article about this topic compared praising in public and private. This article focuses on at least two vital times when criticizing–in the form of intervening and strongly correcting in front of others (not lengthy reprimanding or harsh or sarcastic correction) is appropriate and may be necessary.

1. When behavior or performance by an employee presents a liability concern that must be corrected immediately, with a strong message for others. Examples of this could be a purposeful safety violation, an incident involving harassment, or some other very inappropriate conduct. It is absolutely necessary to stop the action and it is appropriate and necessary to let everyone present know that the behavior or performance is not acceptable.

There have been many civil actions against organizations that could have been prevented or mitigated by an immediate denouncement of bad behavior. I was reviewing a complaint about harassment and read a reference to a time when something very inappropriate was said in a meeting, but nothing was done about it. The supervisor who heard it but didn’t say anything said, “I talked about it to him later and told him not to do it again. I believe in praising in public and criticizing in private.” That was scant consolation from the complainant’s viewpoint.

2. When other employees are aware of a situation and might assume you approve or do not care, if you say nothing. I saw this in action when a supervisor quickly, concisely, and appropriately corrected an employee about throwing trash on the floor. When the supervisor responded immediately, other employees noticed, seemed to think justice had been done, and life moved on. What message would have been sent by no action? What if the supervisor would have waited to talk to the employee about it in private?

A supervisor must be concerned about both the employee and the organization: A supervisor is responsible for the interests of the organization. Fortunately, that is accomplished best by having good relationships with everyone. However, there are times when what is right and effective overall must take precedence over what is preferred by an employee.

Lieutenant Joe Goff, my commander when I was a new sergeant, once told me, “If a guy is willing to show his fanny in public, I don’t mind kicking it in public.” Let me hasten to add that I do not advocate verbally kicking someones fanny in public or private, and neither did Lt. Goff! His point was that if someone does something he or she knows is not acceptable and does it in front of other employees, a supervisor should be more concerned about the wrong behavior and its affect on everyone, than about upsetting the employee who is corrected in front of others.

“See me in my office.” This ominous statement is a long-standing solution for many supervisors, and it is sometimes useful. Other employees usually understand what that means, as evidenced by the quiet that comes over everyone! However, sometimes this is actually more negative sounding that your subsequent conversation will be. In addition, there is the concern that you will not have made a public statement about the situation, if that is needed.

The thing to remember is this: Just as there are times to praise in private, there are times to correct in public. When you do it, where you do it and how you do it is what makes it effective rather than ineffective or inappropriate. This is certainly the time when the Golden Rule applies! How would you want to be treated?

April 30th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Life and Work | no comments

When “Praise In Public, Criticize In Private” Is Not The Best Tactic

“Praise in public, correct in private” is advice that is often given in supervisory training without discussing its intent or the exceptions to it as a rule.

The most ancient attribution for that thought goes back to about 35 BC when Publilius Syrus said, “Admonish your friends privately, but praise them openly.”

Catherine the Great, in the 18th Century, said, “I like to praise and reward loudly, to blame quietly.” (Although her idea of blaming was usually an execution.)

The most frequent–and modern–attribution is to the great football coach, Vince Lombardi, who wrote, as part of an explanation about building a team, “Praise in public; criticize in private.” (Coach Lombardi was likely thinking of public in the literal sense, because he spent considerable time being interviewed about the wins and losses of the Green Bay Packers.)

That axiom is useful for reminding us of a some key issues about relationships with individuals and work groups:

• We show loyalty to groups and individuals when we support and praise them to others and reserve our complaints and criticisms for when we can talk to them face to face in a private setting.
• When we acknowledge the accomplishments and efforts of employees in front of other employees or groups, it helps them gain status and appreciation and also strengthens our relationships with them.
• We can damage relationships and the confidence and motivation of everyone involved if we embarrass or anger employees in front of their peers or to others in or out of the organization.
• Sincerely praising employees in front of others sends a message about what is valued.

However, there are exceptions to that bit of advice. For example, in a work setting there are plenty of times when praising in private is preferable.

When praising in private might be more appropriate than praising in public:

1. When a supervisor observes small demonstrations of effective behavior or performance that merit a brief and sincere immediate acknowledgement but do not require a more elaborate praise.

2. When one or more employees repeatedly do outstanding work that is above the norm while others rarely do. Publicly praising one or two much more often than others can create ill feelings and can become an embarrassment to the effective employees as well.

3. When it is likely that many in the group feel they have been working hard on a project, even though you are aware that only one or two actually made the project successful. Publicly praising the one or two extremely effective employees specifically, even if you praise everyone else as a group, will often create ill feelings.

4. When the matter being praised reflects poorly on another employee by comparison, even though you do not mention the other employee.

5. When praising in public will set an employee apart in that way that creates discomfort. Supervisors should be aware of group dynamics and culture for that reason.

6. When the behavior or performance being praised is not exceptional for most employees, only for this one. Praising in those cases can frustrate and anger the employees who have been doing that level of work all along. (On the other hand, when new employees are gaining skills and knowledge, coworkers are often happy for them and will be more likely to support the praise.)

7. When there is no convenient opportunity to praise an employee in front of others because of the nature of the work or group.

8. When the personality and style of the employee is such that public praise would be a disincentive. You may be able to change this feeling by not being excessive about praise. However, there are some employees who appreciate private praise but genuinely do not want to be the focus of attention by others.

Praise as often as possible, both in public and private. There are many, many times when we can make a differene in work and the feelings of employees though a brief but sincere public recognition of the work of an individual or group. There are also many times when praise means more if given in private, when the supervisor can be a bit more effusive and personal, and the employee can bask in it for a moment, rather than feeling uncomfortable.

The key for your effectiveness is to do the right thing for the situation, rather than relying on generalized advice–no matter who said it.

April 29th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Supervision and Management | 6 comments

Blueberries, Pick-Up Trucks and Building Relationships

Celeste Bumpus is a speaker, trainer, consultant and president of Creating Balance Seminars. She wrote a guide to eating smart, entitled, Are the Blueberries in Your Waffles Really Blueberries? That is an ear-catching title, isn’t it? I found out not long ago that Celeste had another title in mind–a title that accurately described the focus of the book. A perfectly fine title. The question about blueberries was actually the first line on the back of the book:

“Are the blueberries in your waffles really blueberries?
Are fat free products truly fat free? What’s better, low carb or low fat food?”

Celeste noticed that those she asked to look at her draft copy would look at the front cover without making a comment, turn the book over and read the first line on the back cover, and immediately stop and ask, “Are the blueberries in my waffles really blueberries?” That question attracted so much interest that Celeste knew she needed to change the title of her book! The book is about much more than that (although it does answer that question!) but the question changes her from a knowledgeable person (a good thing) to a personal consultant (a great thing!)

That ties into the advice I once read that the best way to title the chapters of a self-help book is to pose questions which are then answered by the material in each chapter. When the material is brought into the world of the reader through a question, the reader enters the world of the book to get the answer. You can think about that concept when you talk to people–what will take you into their world and bring them into yours?

Years ago I was teaching an In-Service training class at the Denver Police Department Academy, located at the time near one of the city parks. I was in the hallway at break time when one of the participants walked up to another one–someone who rarely spoke and often seemed disinterested–and asked, “What year is your truck?” The officer’s face brightened immediately and he replied that it was almost ten years old, but in great condition. He said he often towed a boat with it and had become the official mover for his whole family–but still, it was comfortable for riding, and he and his wife had gone on a long road trip a few months earlier and enjoyed every minute of it. He concluded by asking, “Are you thinking about getting a truck?” The other officer who had stood there, almost in a daze from the verbal volley by this otherwise morose appearing officer, said, “No. I just was trying to figure out whose truck it was that got a window broken from a golf ball.”

It turned out the broken window was on someone else’s truck, and after the hoopla the officer came back inside, resumed his place in class and once again seemed disinterested. But, for those few moments I was able to see what he was like when he was enthusiastic! Apparently that question gave him a reason to talk that had been lacking before. (I could also use that situation to point out how much more impressive we are when we show enthusiasm.)

I do not suggest that you develop a list of questions to insincerely bring out the interest and enthusiasm of others in a manipulative way. However, it may be helpful for you to remember that one appropriate and effective question can be more mentally engaging than dozens of statements.

Do you have tried and true questions you use in counseling, training, meetings or even social settings, that seem to encourage people to share thoughts or to be more open to your ideas? Let me know about them! (See? I closed with a question, so you would be more likely to respond. Don’t let me down!)

April 27th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Life and Work, Personal and Professional Development | 8 comments

Tiny Goals, Big Rewards

There are multitudes of books, articles, poems and proverbs about daring and doing, rather than fearfully holding back, or only talking without acting. Often these conjure up visions of what we might consider “great” achievements: Starting a business, getting our ideas widely known and accepted, writing a book, winning a competition, or being chosen for a job or assignment. However, there are equally worthy small goals–even very tiny goals–that will probably never be known by others, but are important to us as individuals. They may seem trivial, but they are not if they have the potential to make our lives better mentally, emotionally, physically or spiritually, or to make us more effective with others.

I am not only talking here about small chunks of a larger goal–although that is one way to consider it. I am also talking about doing small things that we tend to procrastinate, overlook or simply neglect because our time is spent on big things. These tiny achievments are secret gifts to ourselves, that can mean as much as the impressive things we accomplish that others know about.

Tiny goal accomplishment requires the same focus and commitment as any goal–but often the rewards are immediate. Never underestimate the wonderful feelings you can get from accomplishing small things:

• Running forty-five more seconds on the treadmill than you did yesterday! That’s almost a minute!
• Getting an unpleasant task done and out of the way, ten minutes sooner than you thought possible. Ten minutes, wow!
• Driving to the store to get a birthday card, and addressing and mailing it before going home. Your friend will be thrilled!
• Leaving a restaurant without eating dessert two times straight in a row! Not everyone has that kind of resolution, but you do!
• The kitchen drawer is tidy again and odd items have been put in their correct places. You’ll like that!
• Finally, you made the appointment! Wasn’t that easy?
• Filling up the gas tank without waiting until it was almost on empty. What a treat tomorrow morning!
• Creating a folder on your computer and working for fifteen solid minutes to move files. Almost done!

Sometimes projects, tasks or things we want to do, are so tiny we cannot even bring them to mind immediately. Our big goals are sitting there all the time saying, “Feed Me!” But, small goals do not seem significant enough in comparison to focus on them, much less to view them as challenges–although they often are among our biggest challenges. Over the next few hours or days, purposely set small goals and achieve them, then congratulate yourself as much as if you had written a book, lost weight or stopped smoking.

How to achieve tiny goals–and sometimes big ones:  There are several effective methods for helping to achieve goals, and over time I will mention some of the best of those, including ancient advice and the newest self-help books. However, one of the best techniques for accomplishing tiny goals is the Sneak Up On Yourself technique. I am not suggesting this approach would work for everyone–or that it would even seem rational to you. It is, however, a method that works for many–and for me.

If you sit (or lay in bed) and think about what you want to accomplish, part of your mind may tend to resist the idea and sabotage your efforts merely by dreading it, planning it in far more detail than is needed, or insisting that you spend at least a few minutes making a list of to-do items and putting them in priorities–which means you run out of time to do the thing you wanted or needed to do. Or, you fleetingly think of the thing you would like to do one day and the part of your brain that often stalls and dawdles will hide it behind a wall in your mind. Or, you find reasons why you should spend your time, money or efforts on something you think of as more significant, even though this small goal, task or wish is important for many reasons too.

Try the Sneak Up On Yourself technique: Before the “Not now” part of your brain can even figure out what to do to stop you, start doing the thing you want to do. The next thing you know, it is done and you will be very happy with yourself!

• If you want to spend extra time exercising, rev up a bit more energy and keep going so you cannot hear yourself saying you would just as soon stop.
• If you want to get a drawer or small space organized, turn quickly and start doing your task. Most of your brain will be focused on  something else and won’t even know what you’re up to until it’s too late.
• If you know you need to put your tax papers in a file and store them, instead of having them stacked on your desk, jump up, grab the file folder and rush through it before the rest of your brain can remind you of things you would rather do instead. (Which is what I just did and now I am chortling for putting one over on myself.)

OK, you may not approach it in quite the maniacal spirit I suggest, and you may not want to refer to sneaking up on yourself, but the concept is still a valid one: To achieve tiny goals and small tasks, one approach is to just do them. Do them with a smile of achievement and accomplishment, thinking of it as a gift to yourself. It is certainly true that accomplishing a tiny goal, or doing a small task, can often bring as much satisfaction and happiness as an incremental accomplishment of a bigger goal.

One last thought about tiny goals and big rewards: If you can fulfill your little dreams, make small wishes come true and accomplish tiny tasks, you will see the proof that you have what it takes for the biggest challenges you will ever face.

April 25th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Life and Work, Personal and Professional Development | 4 comments

Organizing Outlook And Other E-Mail Programs — Do You Have A Method That Works?

Not long ago I bought several books on how to optimize Microsoft Outlook as a planning and organizing tool.  I bought them to give me ideas for a training segment on how to use technology more effectively–and thought I would surely be able to use some of the ideas myself. I have decided the Microsoft site is sufficient for the needs of most Outlook users, and other useful information can be found online. Unless you really, truly want a system, those resources will be enough. The one or possibly two or three ideas I got from any of the current crop of popular books, were not worth the money or time involved.

The material could be useful, I suppose, if one were attending a training session based solely on the system being touted by the various authors. However, without that in-depth study and classroom persuasion, I do not think the average person would adopt the system. Some required practically a new vocabulary! I would not have minded that so much, but some of the ideas seemed to be very complex for a very basic purpose. (A to-do list became a multi-colored, cross-indexed process that ultimately would be no more effective than my regular prioritized list.) More importantly, the authors apparently do not have the same experiences with email as I do, the same need to access it, or the same paranoid fear of not being able to document sent and received messages.

For example, one book suggests scheduling a time to read email–usually no more than two or three times a day–one author suggested trying only once a day. (If I am home, I think of email as like a business phone call and I respond quickly, and I expect that type of response from those I email for business.) One book suggests turning off the email icon and the sound that indicates mail has arrived. (I have the volume turned up on my monitor so the email sound could very well be confused with the Day of Judgment trumpet.) 

Almost all of the books were adamant that both incoming and sent messages must be immediately placed in folders or deleted permanently. (I have 870 messages in my delete folder right now, and will likely not permanently delete for another month or so.) That is not to say that my way is the most efficient and effective way–but it is my way and it works for my life and work. 

The helpful Microsoft Site: For the Microsoft site, click here. Browse through the various articles and you may find some helpful tips. One idea I found on the site several years ago, and still use, is to put a reminder flag on messages in my in-box that I want to be sure to follow-up about. You may have known about that feature, but I did not, now use it all the time and find it very beneficial. Another site that I found useful is a college site that has a monthly tech article. The one on Outlook is well-done. Check it out here.

I would be interested in knowing if some of you have learned or developed tips or techniques for most effectively using your specific email program, or if you have found a book or article particularly useful. You know how to contact me!

April 22nd, 2008 Posted by TLR | Life and Work, Training, Technology, Blogs, A/V etc. | 5 comments

There Is A Lot To Be Said For Dependability–Especially In Restaurants

A franchise retaurant operates in accordance with methods, procedures, decor, menu and other standards prescribed by the franchisor, and the franchisor assists the franchisee through training, market research, set-up, advertising and other advisory services. An independent restaurant has no such agreement and is solely managed by the person or group that owns it. Some independent restaurants have multiple locations, usually in the same city or region, but are not part of a franchise.

All of us are familiar with franchise snack food and fast food (like the one you are thinking about that has 31,000 outlets throughout the world), and most of us eat occasionally or regularly at casual to upscale sit-down franchise restaurants. I have friends who refuse to eat at a franchise restaurant unless there is absolutely no other choice, and other friends who avoid independent restaurants unless they are very confident about the food preparation and overall restaurant cleanliness or about the price or comfort levels.

Most of us appreciate franchise restaurants for their dependability and ease of decision-making. (We know what food quality, menu items and price to expect at most franchise restaurants, but not at The Korner Kafe or Le Bleu Belle.) Although, for many of us, our truly favorite restaurants, from casual to elegant, are independently owned and are unique, invariably excellent, and places we look forward to visiting. Sadly, those tend to come and go, so our favorite restaurant may be closed the next time we visit!

Recently someone compared himself professionally to a fine independent restaurant surrounded by mediocre fast food franchises. The analogy was too extreme–although I did agree that he is not as dependably good as a solid franchise restaurant would be! However, the most important part of the conversation was that it allowed me to concentrate on food! Thus, I meditated on my unordered list of favorite sit-down franchise restaurants.

1. The Elephant Bar Restaurant. I like their large menu–especially the salads–and decor. It is a good date restaurant, but I tend to avoid it for weekend lunch dining. Children seem to not be able to resist putting on the little paper animal masks and making growling sounds. Grrrr. (I wish we had a Trader Vic’s here–similar concept but a lot of history as well, and more elegant.)
2. Genghis Grill. Mongolian Stir-Fry. Similar to B.D.’s Monogolian Barbeque. I love this kind of food, and the volume at these restaurants usually ensures the ingredients are very fresh.
3. P.F. Chang’s. Upscale with dependably very good food. I prefer to eat Oriental food at The Imperial, an excellent independent restaurant on South Broadway, in Denver. But, I know if I go to P.F. Chang’s I’ll have a very good time.
4. Sweet Tomatoes. A salad-buffet restaurant. It has continually refreshed salad makings, and the various buffet options are excellent. This chain started as Souplantation and still has some restaurants with that name. With a name like that, where do you think it began? You are correct–San Diego!
5. Hops Restaurant and Brewery.  When I get those honey-drizzled croissants I am happy! They have a good American menu overall and excellent key lime pie. I also get their root beer now and then–but it is not as good as A&W!
6. Steak and Ale. Dependably good food and I like both the food and setting better than the other franchise steakhouses. I prefer the prime rib to the steak, and I enjoy their salads.
7. Uno Chicago Grill. They have a good menu that goes past pizza–although I do love their pizza! They also have new healthier options as well.
8. Mimi’s Cafe. I enjoy the menu options, but I avoid it on weekends. Portions are large, as they tend to be in many places nowadays–so I can take some home if I have it packed it up before I nibble it away!
9. The Village Inn Pancake House or International House of Pancakes. I love breakfast, any time of day! I live near the Arapahoe County airport, outside of Denver, so I can eat at The Perfect Landing–which has a spectacular breakfast and a fun view of the small airport landing field, with the mountains in the distance. But, they do not have pancakes as good as the VI or IHOP! (I have eaten hundreds–maybe thousands–of Grand Slam breakfasts at Denny’s, which is why I would have to be forced to go there now!)
10. Bonefish Grill. This is very, very good for fish, crabcakes, steak or salad, and is nice for a date. McCormick and Schmick’s is also very good, but more expensive. I also like Pappadeaux, but prefer the overall setting at the Bonefish.

So, where would you like to go eat? While you are thinking about that, consider this as well: If you were a restaurant, what type would you be? (That sounds like something asked on The Newlywed Game or in a bizarre job interview!)

April 20th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Food, Fitness, Fun, Life and Work | 8 comments

Discourtesy And Contention At Work — Is It Possible To Make Things Better?

There is more to be said about this issue than could handled in a dozen articles. However, perhaps the sum of the parts we cover here can help us develop some plans of action for our own work groups.

Throughout this five part series I have emphasized that I believe the two words, discourtesy and contention, are more appropriate for most unpleasant behaviors at work, than more emotional terms such as bully or toxic.

Nevertheless, discourteous and contentious behavior is harmful to individuals, the team and the organization and should be stopped. It is important for us to remember this about discourtesy: It is habitual. If an employee is discourteous to you or to others when you are present, how can you trust that employee to be courteous to clients, customers and those in other parts of your organization, when you are not present?

Can we have consistent courtesy? That brings us to this article, which poses the question: Is it possible to have consistent courtesy at work? My answer is: Yes, with wiggle room. It is probably not possible to eliminate all behavior that results in bad feelings or frustration. It is likely not possible to prevent inadvertently frustrating or even hurtful situations. However, it is possible to make courtesy such a standard that discourtesy is rare and is never part of a pattern of conduct.

How To Ensure Courtesy and Stop Discourtesy

The following list mixes corrective and supportive responses–with an emphasis on correction. My experience has been that approaching a problem with a hammer is not always the best solution, but neither is gentle nudging when bad behavior is sticking out like a rusty nail! I have seen far too many supervisors and managers tip-toe around someone’s discourteous behavior, while the discourteous person was bludgeoning everyone else.

1. Make courteous actions a fundamental requirement for successful performance in your workplace. Courtesy between co-workers is not optional, it is required. The complete picture of good work includes effective behavior, no matter what the circumstances. An employee who is habitually and purposely discourteous, rude or snippy to others is not a “good” employee, no matter how effective he or she is at some other task.

Quick question: What would you do if an employee was late to work, late back from breaks and late returning from lunch, day after day after day?  Rude, hurtful or spiteful behavior does more long-term damage to the workplace than being late by a few minutes. One of the great injustices we commit at work is jumping quickly on any discrepancy related to administrative rules but repeatedly failing to correct behavior that is far more harmful.

Do not underestimate the negative affects of repeated discourtesies, and do not overestimate the good character of someone who is repeatedly discourteous. The moralist and essayist Jean de La Bruyere, said it very well: “Discourtesy does not spring merely from one bad quality, but from several–from foolish vanity, from ignorance of what is due to others,..from contempt of others, from jealousy.”

Whatever the cause, one person can poison a meeting, a project, an office or the entire organization. If they choose to be discourteous or contentious when they could be otherwise, they need to be stopped. If they do so from lack of ability or self-control, they need to be taught.

2. All employees should feel confident they can ask for assistance to help with conflict, contention or mistreatment. Employeees should not be required to confront the other person, although that is a skill that should be taught and supported when it is appropriate–as I will mention below. However, it is still a supervisory responsibility to intervene on behalf of those who need assistance.

My mistake as a supervisor and manager was to drag my feet about taking action if the other person would not first talk to the person involved. As I gained supervisory experience and maturity I realized how many people do not have the kind of confidence, skills or courage to do that. It was my responsibility not only theirs. If I felt the complaining employee was equally problematic–as I often did–I should have said so and taken action to bring about changes in the behavior of both people. However, I should have done something about the things I observed or heard about.

As part of our support for employees we should teach them how to effectively deal with behavior that bothers them:

*Talk directly to the person involved and ask what was behind the remark or action. 
*Hold up a hand like a stop sign and simply say, “Stop. I don’t like it when you treat me like that.” 
*Get subtle behavior out in the open. “Jill, I see you are rolling your eyes. If you don’t agree with me, say it rather than doing that.”
*Go to the supervisor with specific information rather than generalized complaints.
*Be aware of personal actions that might create situations where discourtesy is more likely.
*Be willing to to talk to the coworker with the supervisor present.

3. Develop and maintain a work environment where unacceptable behavior is unaccepted by everyone. For every person who is discourteous and every person who is being treated discourteously, there are usually a dozen people who hear it or see it and shake their heads, but do nothing about it except be grateful they were not the target.

Responses should be appropriate for the situation, but coworkers should respond to stop discourtesy. Sometimes a mere shake of the head will convey the message, or the employee can say something supportive of the person under attack. Other times the employee needs to tell a rude coworker to stop.

4. Commend employees who can disagree and still be agreeable. Commend those who are courteous all the time, especially when there could be a temptation to do otherwise. Thank those people and let them know they are appreciated. However, do not thank them for tolerating rude behavior by a coworker, and take that as a sign that you do not have to deal with it. No employee should have to turn the other cheek while nothing is done about the slapper!

When you are in a meeting that could be contentious but is not, commend everyone for their professional conduct. Let everyone know that part of good work is being able to disagree in a courteous way that encourages communication rather than shuts it down. .

5. Intervene about employees whose actions increase the chances he or she will become a target of contentious behavior. Sometimes the behavior or performance of an employee becomes so frustrating and irritating that coworkers supervise in their own way through not-so-subtle nastiness. We do not have to preach conformity, we only have to ensure that strange, weird, irritating or disruptive behavior is reduced as much as possible. It is your job to supervise, not the job of coworkers.

6. Take supervisory and managerial responsiblity for preventing and stopping discourtesy:

• Make courtesy and civility part of your new-employee orientation and a regular part of training and reinforcement at staff meetings. Make it clear about what is not acceptable at work, then discuss what is expected instead.

•The social graces of smiling and returning smiles, saying courtesy words and offering to help others is an expected part of professional communications. 

•Verbal communications should reflect a tone of respect, not angry outbursts, sarcasm, verbal jabs, or contempt.

•It is not acceptable to to forward, copy and blind-copy e-mail as a way to make others look bad or to continue an argument “in public.” E-mail and phone messages should reflect courtesy and cooperation.

•Gossip and speculation aimed at undermining the reputation or influence of others, or to create contention, is wrong.

•If a formerly manageable conflict has become a full-time contentious situation, one or both employees should seek assistance to deal with it.

• Intervene the moment you hear or see discourteous behavior, unless there is a strong reason to not do so.

You can make eye contact and shake your head slightly, or you can say something as simple as, “Hey, be nice.” ”No, no, we don’t do that here.” ”Uh uh!” “That’s not the way we talk to each other.” You may talk to the employee in private later, but you must stop the behavior right then. If a supervisor or manager observes rude behavior but does not indicate displeasure at the time, what message is sent?

• Never shrug off rude, discourteous or contentious behavior as just the way someone is or as an inevitable part of work.

I wish I had a dollar for every time I have heard a supervisor excuse outrageous behavior by saying, “That’s just the way he is.” But, why should that be so? Why should all the nice people in your office have to learn to adjust to one or two rude people who are not required to practice restraint and courtesy?

• Do not put the blame on both people if only one is creating the problem, but do not put the blame on one person if both people are responsible equally. Investigate, but do not assume the conflict or discourtesy is two-sided or one-sided.
• Be direct and appropriately corrective, to ensure that an employee who has been discourteous knows the behavior cannot happen again. Do not accept, “I’ll try” as an answer.
• The minute you sense someone is becoming a target for teasing, tormenting or harassing behavior, put a stop to it. Even if the employee reacts as though it is funny, do not let it continue.
• Look out for those who look up to you and depend upon you to protect them. If you see an employee being treated in a contemptuous or rude way by a coworker, by those in other departments or even by your own manager, you will lose respect from everyone if you do not take action about it.

No special situation is required to have conflict, contention or discourtesy–all it takes is a group of humans. However, some employees feel a stronger sense of responsibility for courtesy and cooperation than others do. We cannot assume everyone will be courteous and we should not tolerate discourtesy by one or more employees as mere personal foibles. Discourtesy can rapidly develop into the behavior described by some as bullying–and whether or not we agree with the term, it is a nasty situation for a workplace.

Having a work environment that is marked by courtesy and civility, in spite of personality and style differences is not always easy to achieve, but it can be done. Your role as a supervisor or manager is a key one for leading employees toward being decent, courteous, civil and cooperative. Hold the line on this one–it  is important!

April 18th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Life and Work, Personal and Professional Development, Supervision and Management | 5 comments

Delegating — Ten Ways To Make It Work

This post ties in with the first two, Delegating Dilemmas and Delegating–When and Why.

How supervisors can delegate effectively:

1. Be honest and positive, rather than over-selling what is essentially just a task that needs to be done. If you simply want to assign a task you have been doing–or could do–to someone else, assign it in an upbeat way and move on. Do not attempt to sell it as a great career opportunity unless it really is.

2. Keep a record of delegated tasks so you can reflect it on performance evaluations, in conversations, for follow-up and monitoring, and to ensure you do not overuse one or a few employees. Be as effusive in your praise as you honestly can be.

3. Maintain a relationship in your workplace that is so positive with most employees they are not likely to resent your delegation of tasks. When employees know of your commitment and work ethic they are more positive about taking on more work themselves–even work they know you were originally assigned to do.

4. Do not apologize for delegating or directing work. Some supervisors assign work as though they are afraid they are going to be kicked by the employee. Just do it–in a courteous, smiling way that assumes everyone is willing to work to their maximum.

5. Ensure the employee knows how to do the assigned work and has the resources and authority required.

6. Follow-up and monitor. If the delegated work is a one-time project that will take time over several days or weeks, both the supervisor and employee should schedule check-in times. If the work is being permanently delegated, a few follow-up times may be all that is needed, except for routine supervisory awareness.

7. Make work delegation a way for you to evaluate behavior and performance. When new work is assigned is often the main time we find out what the character and personality of an employee is really like. That is also the time to immediately communicate about it to the employee, positively or in a corrective manner.

8. Watch and listen for how an employee is reacting to delegated work. If he or she portrays someone who is overworked and harried, it may be true–or the employee may be over-dramatizing to get sympathy, impress others, or present you in a negative light. Do not let that continue. It may indicate that you need to reassign the work to someone else, or provide support or training. It certainly presents a bad image of your sensitivity to workloads, whether it is justified behavior or not. Find out the problem and work with the employee to correct it.

9. Make good use of your own time, so that clearing your desk of work does not just become freeing you up to sit and chat, read a newspaper for several hours every day, leave early to play golf, or play video games on the computer. (I have seen all of those things done by supervisors who bragged about knowing how to delegate.)

10. Remember that supervisors are ultimately responsible. It is rarely an accepted excuse that you thought an employee was doing the right thing. The old adage is true that you delegate the authority to complete a task, but you do cannot delegate supervisory responsibility for it.

There are three issues that apply to every aspect of work–especially to delegation: Expectations, communications and overall work relationships. Keep those positive and delegating work becomes easy.

April 17th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Supervision and Management | no comments

Delegating — When and Why

If you are a supervisor and feel perpetually pressured for time, you probably need to manage your time more effectively. (I feel incredibly guilty writing that, because I am notorious for being under time pressure. This is a classic case of “Do as I say because I know it’s right, even if I have trouble applying it.”)

• Stop wasting time in unproductive activities that are not related to actual work!
• Stop volunteering for work that no one really expects you to do. (Remember that it only makes you feel good to volunteer, not to actually do it.)
• Stop doing work that is lower level than your job description.
• Share work, or give it to employees who would like the challenge or the novelty of something you are now doing or have been asked to do by your manager.

That brings us to this post. Delegation is a prime employee-development and supervisory time-management tool.

Some reminders about delegation:

1. It is appropriate for supervisors and managers to delegate work down to the lowest level capable of doing it (within job descriptions).

2. Delegating work  is one of the best ways to help employees gain higher-level skills. If they aspire to higher positions in the organization, it can be helpful for that reason. If they do not, they will learn to see some of the bigger picture of what it takes to make an organization work.

3. Delegating work often results in work improvement. (A supervisor needs to watch that an employee doesn’t improve a task out of existence–unless that is a good idea!)

4. Delegating provides one more way for supervisors to train, commend, re-direct, be valuable, and in other ways gain more influence in the lives of employees.

5. Work that is delegated now and then, but not all the time, can positively break-up the routine.

6. Work that is delegated permanently can allow supervisors to focus on other key tasks and allow employees to become a resource, or to feel more valued as a team member.

Do some self-talk if you have to, to get comfortable with the idea of looking over your stack of work and parceling out to as many people as possible. A bit here and a bit there and you might help yourself a great deal–even if you have to spend a few minutes explaining a task. Delegation is probably why so many other managers seem much less harried and pressured than you do! And, you can bet you won’t be left twiddling your thumbs. But you may be able to go home almost on time.

April 17th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Supervision and Management | no comments

Delegating Dilemmas

There seem to be some tremendous differences of opinion about the concept and reality of delegating and directing work–in fact, those terms are not even used in many training courses on supervision and management.  I use them in my training, because whether we talk about them or not they are concepts that allow organizations, and the people in them, to work effectively.  They are also tremendous tools for interacting in a positive way with employees. On the other hand, mishandled they have the potential for creating conflict, frustration and bad feelings.  As with most workplace issues, the problems seem to be rooted in expectations, communication and overall work relationships.

Not long ago some class participants from the same organization were discussing with me at break, the degree to which their manager passed work along to them. One person said, “Fortunately, she usually comes to our cubicles to give us something to do, and I can see her cubicle. So, the second I see her move in our direction I either go to the restroom or I act really, really frustrated over something I’m working on. I skate out of 90% of the stuff that way.”  Her coworkers looked stunned to hear what she had been doing for months! What I found ironic was that these were supervisors attending a class on supervising challenging employees!

I questioned the situation and their perspectives and they explained the situation in a bit more positive way. Nevertheless, their views about delegating or directing work were clearly skewed against the concept as they had seen it practiced, and their manager had said and done things that indicated to me she had a faulty perspective and used some ineffective methods.

The differences between delegating and directing (the semantics matter):

When a supervisor directs work to be done, it is often work that is organizationally the responsibility of the person who will do it, or is being reassigned between similar levels.

“Shawn, we got ten new files today and I’ll get those to you.”

“Beth, I just found out you’ll need to have the audit done by June this year. Let’s meet to plan that.”

“Bill, drive by this address today and check it to see if there are any building code violations.”   

“Ron and Pat, I’m moving some tasks around between you two.”

When a supervisor delegates work to be done, it is most often work that could appropriately be done by the supervisor, but it is also appropriate–and perhaps even preferable–for an employee to do it.

“Shawn, I’d like you to start keeping the spreadsheet on completed files. I’ll show you how it’s done.”

“Beth, from now on I’d like you to represent us on the Audit Team, since you are the one directly involved in it.”

“Bill, I have a bunch of letters to get out to various contractors, but I can’t get them done this week. I’m going to get some of them to you and I’d appreciate your help getting them handled.”

“Ron and Pat, starting with this upcoming staff meeting, I’m going to have you two be in charge of arranging them.”

Delegating work becomes problematic when:

• Employees have knowledge or opinions about what supervisors should or could be doing on their own, and they resent or resist doing work they believe to be outside their job descriptions.
• A busy employee is given delegated work by a supervisor and the supervisor seems to do little work of his own.
• Supervisors delegate work but do not train about it.
• Supervisors delegate work but do not feel comfortable giving it up, so they provide excessive instructions.
• Supervisors only delegate unpleasant tasks but not interesting and challenging tasks.
• Supervisors do not often delegate, so when they do it is less accepted than if it was a regular practice.
• Supervisors do not often delegate and employees do not have the opportunity to gain higher-level skills.
• The same few people are given extra work repeatedly, because they are usually pleasant about it.
• Workplace communications and relationships are so problematic that negative reactions to delegation of work are based primarily on negative feelings in general.

Work that should not be delegated:

• Oversight of other employees, except as part of a clearly defined and limited team role.
• Tasks that a supervisor is expected to handle personally, either because of organizational culture or the expectations of the manager.
• When errors could have severe repercussions and the supervisor is more appropriate for doing the task.
• Relationship roles with other units or organizations when it is important for the supervisor or manager to be the liaison.
• Work that will require more training than there is time is available to provide it. Do not put employees in a sink or swim situation with an important task.

One tried and true way to know what things you might delegate is to ask yourself this: If you were gone for many months, what work would have to be given to someone of your organizational level and what work could the organization parcel out to those you supervise?

April 16th, 2008 Posted by TLR | Supervision and Management | 8 comments