When an employee is demonstrating poor conduct, behavior or performance there are two basis reasons, either the employee's inability or unwillingness.
Inability - the employee does not have the knowledge or skills to perform the task or job at hand.
Unwillingness - the employee has the knowledge and skills to perform the task or job but for whatever
reason the employee continues to demonstrate poor conduct, behavior or performance.
Coaching and counseling are tools that can be used to correct poor employee conduct, behavior or performance. Coaching is mainly a training technique; counseling is mainly a technique or tool to assist in correcting employee conduct, behavior or performance.
Coaching: The Core Skills
* Acknowledging - Showing by non-evaluative verbal responses that you have listened to what the
employee has stated.
* Attending - Showing through nonverbal behavior that you are listening in an open nonjudgmental
manner.
* Affirming - Communicating to an employee their value, strengths and contributions.
* Confirming - Making sure an employee understands what has been said of agreed upon.
* Pinpointing - Providing specific, tangible information about performance to an employee.
* Probing - Asking questions to obtain additional information.
Coaching: The Face-To-Face Discussion
* Getting agreement a problem exists.
* Mutually discuss alternative solutions.
* Mutually agree on action to be taken to solve the problem or issue.
* Follow-up to insure that agreed upon action has been taken.
* Recognize any achievement.
Employee Counseling:
In most cases, prior to any management action, an employee should be counseled regarding the infraction, conduct, behavior or performance problem. I believe that in non-extreme cases, employee counseling should always be used before any management action (e.g., discipline) is taken. I may be naive to a fault but I believe that employees want to do good! Why do I believe this? I look at the person in the mirror; if I am told that my conduct, behavior or performance is poor and I agree; I want to correct this so I would certainly response to counseling; I would want to correct the problem. I realize fthat there are some infractions or violations that justify discipline (including discharge) for a single offense but this is normally the exception not the rule.
Counseling is a supervisor's most effective tool. When an employee is creating a problem, the supervisor needs to show what the problem is and what needs to be done to correct the problem. Counseling will be successful only if the proper atmosphere is created. Counseling will not be successful if the the employee refuse to acknowledge that a problem exist.
Before the session:
* Gather your documentation; familiarize yourself with it so you don't have to read it.
* Find a quiet, private place to meet where you will not be interrupted.
* Allow ample time for the meeting.
* Prepare your (positive) opening remarks.
Guideline:
* Conduct the interview in a constructive manner.
* Solicit employee's cooperation.
* Make sure the employee understands; explain in business terms, i.e., how the employee's
conduct, behavior or performance impacts the work.
* Discuss what action must be taken to correct the problem.
* Focus on the employee's behavior, conduct or performance.
* Provide for follow-up.
* Make a written record of the meeting.
Again, if the employee does not asknowledge that a problem exist, counseling will not be effective and management action will most probably become necessary.
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Business Literacy
People in an organization is that organization's most important asset! Organizations have operating capital, growth capital and human capital; some organizations don't recognize their human capital.
Human capital is the knowledge, education, training, skills and expertise of the organization's workforce. Successful organizations recognize and appreciate their human capital and ensure that their people have
"Business Literacy".
Every member of the management team, including the first-line supervisors, and any other employees who have an interest, should know:
* The organization's mission, objectives, its long and short term goals, i.e., why they are in business.
* What the organization's plans are as related to human resources growth.
* What's in the operating budget and why. Show that salaries, wages and benefits are the majority
expenditure in the operating budget.
* What's in the capital budget and why. Show the organization growth plan and how it relates to its
mission, objectives and goals.
* How the monies come in and goes out of the organization and why.
* Why and how tough budget decisions are made, and
* Employees should be educated, i.e., given "business literacy" via training, constant communications
( i.e., news letters, bulletins, CEO's state of the organization address, etc.) and meetings with
senior management.
Business Literacy is necessary for an organization's Human Capital to acheive success !!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
Human capital is the knowledge, education, training, skills and expertise of the organization's workforce. Successful organizations recognize and appreciate their human capital and ensure that their people have
"Business Literacy".
Every member of the management team, including the first-line supervisors, and any other employees who have an interest, should know:
* The organization's mission, objectives, its long and short term goals, i.e., why they are in business.
* What the organization's plans are as related to human resources growth.
* What's in the operating budget and why. Show that salaries, wages and benefits are the majority
expenditure in the operating budget.
* What's in the capital budget and why. Show the organization growth plan and how it relates to its
mission, objectives and goals.
* How the monies come in and goes out of the organization and why.
* Why and how tough budget decisions are made, and
* Employees should be educated, i.e., given "business literacy" via training, constant communications
( i.e., news letters, bulletins, CEO's state of the organization address, etc.) and meetings with
senior management.
Business Literacy is necessary for an organization's Human Capital to acheive success !!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
The Four F's of Supervision
To become a successful supervisor it is benefical to have good technical skills associated with the skill sets of the people that you are supervising. To be an effective supervisor you must have good leadership skills in order to lead people. The task of supervising people is complex so I do not want to make it sound so simplistic. However, the "Four F's of Supervision" is a good foundation for a new supervisor (or an experienced supervisor) to have.
Be First - An effective supervisor must be first! Don't ask people who report to you to do something that you
are not willing to do.
Example: If you want the people who report to you to come to work on time, be at work before
they arrive.
Be Fair - Treat everyone fairly and be consistent in your behavior toward the people who report to you,
your peers and superiors.
Example: Do not play favors with the best performers; recognize their abilities but do not show
them special treatment. Show all of the people who report to you that you recognize
and appreciate their efforts.
Be Flexible - A supervisor will never have all of the answers and often, will not have the best answer; be
flexible and willing to change your decision or position if one or more of the people who report
to you have a better idea regarding the issue or problem to be solved; if you choose not to take
their suggestion or recommendation, explain why you are going to do it your way and be
accountaable for your decision.
Example: Give employees an opportunity to perform a task in a different way than you had
instructed; if they are successful, recognize their accomplishment; if not successful,
show that you appreciate their efforts and have them do it as you instructed.
Be Firm - You do not have to wear your authority on your shoulder; everyone know that you are the
supervisor and the authority associated with that position. However, your orders, instructions
and directivies must be strictly adhered to. Remember, employees can express their feelings or
what they would prefer without being insubordinate.
BE FIRST, BE FAIR, BE FLEXIBLE, BE FIRM ...........................BE EFFECTIVE !!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
Be First - An effective supervisor must be first! Don't ask people who report to you to do something that you
are not willing to do.
Example: If you want the people who report to you to come to work on time, be at work before
they arrive.
Be Fair - Treat everyone fairly and be consistent in your behavior toward the people who report to you,
your peers and superiors.
Example: Do not play favors with the best performers; recognize their abilities but do not show
them special treatment. Show all of the people who report to you that you recognize
and appreciate their efforts.
Be Flexible - A supervisor will never have all of the answers and often, will not have the best answer; be
flexible and willing to change your decision or position if one or more of the people who report
to you have a better idea regarding the issue or problem to be solved; if you choose not to take
their suggestion or recommendation, explain why you are going to do it your way and be
accountaable for your decision.
Example: Give employees an opportunity to perform a task in a different way than you had
instructed; if they are successful, recognize their accomplishment; if not successful,
show that you appreciate their efforts and have them do it as you instructed.
Be Firm - You do not have to wear your authority on your shoulder; everyone know that you are the
supervisor and the authority associated with that position. However, your orders, instructions
and directivies must be strictly adhered to. Remember, employees can express their feelings or
what they would prefer without being insubordinate.
BE FIRST, BE FAIR, BE FLEXIBLE, BE FIRM ...........................BE EFFECTIVE !!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Respect your people!!
There must be mutual respect between a manager/supervisor and the people that report to them. You must respect your people's skills, experience, knowledge, intelligence and the work effort that they give on a daily basis.
People are an organization's most valuable asset, an asset to be treasured; as I stated in a prior article, " you take care of your people, your people will take care of your product.
Respect is something that you have to earn. Many times the position that you are in demands respect because of what it represents for the organization, however, you, the person in that position do not automatically get that respect, you have to earn it. Although it is a positive if the people who report to you also like you, having the people's respect is much more important to your success and to the success of the organization.
Mutual respect leads to "Trust". What is Trust ? Trust equals history, credibility and consistency, i.e., you have history with a person over a long period of time, you have proved to be credible with that person and you have been consistent in your behavior with that person. That is when mutual respect leads to trust; you have to show that you are trustworthy before you can be trusted.
Show the people who reports to you that you trust them to do their jobs!!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
People are an organization's most valuable asset, an asset to be treasured; as I stated in a prior article, " you take care of your people, your people will take care of your product.
Respect is something that you have to earn. Many times the position that you are in demands respect because of what it represents for the organization, however, you, the person in that position do not automatically get that respect, you have to earn it. Although it is a positive if the people who report to you also like you, having the people's respect is much more important to your success and to the success of the organization.
Mutual respect leads to "Trust". What is Trust ? Trust equals history, credibility and consistency, i.e., you have history with a person over a long period of time, you have proved to be credible with that person and you have been consistent in your behavior with that person. That is when mutual respect leads to trust; you have to show that you are trustworthy before you can be trusted.
Show the people who reports to you that you trust them to do their jobs!!
Howard W. Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
Monday, January 10, 2011
Your people makes you!!
In my career I have heard many managers and supervisors say, "...he/she works for me. That's not correct, they report to you, you all work for the same organization. Everyone in the organization as well as everyone on your staff has a certain responsibility; you have a responsibility at the top of your organizational chart and each of the people reporting to you have an important responsibility. Each staff member's efforts are important to the success of the organization. "Your people make you, you don't make your people." You will only be as successful as your people are. You are a resource person, your job is to make sure your people have what they need to be successful and you must provide an atmosphere where your people can become movitated to perform at top levels. You "take care of your people", they will "take care of your product."
H, Winston Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
H, Winston Lewis,
Labor Relations Consultant
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