Ridge Insights - March 2008
Following Up Agreements
Ridge Insights
A monthly e-brief from Ridge Training
Date: March 21, 2008
To subscribe: http://www.ridge.com/Pub_Newsltr.html
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WHAT WE'RE THINKING ABOUT - THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNICATION IN A DOWNTURN
When the economy struggles, people become anxious too. Employees often assume the worst especially if there isn't information to counter their concerns. Making matters worse, communication slows in tough times: managers don't want to be messengers of bad news and are afraid that asking people how they're doing will only add to the negativity (and by the way, managers are often worried themselves). So people go through the motions. At a time when organizations need their people to give something extra, employees are often more internally focused, less customer-driven, and less productive as a result.
To help their people move forward managers need to push themselves to over-communicate with their people. They can energize their teams and keep them moving forward by focusing on the actions that follow:
1. Re-confirm or renegotiate performance targets with each person they manage. This more than anything can build commitment to the work that needs to be done. For more, visit www.ridge.com/downloads/RX_For_Action.pdf. You can also download a worksheet at www.ridge.com/downloads/AgrPrepNotes.pdf
2. Make time for "scheduled listening". When people are anxious they're blocked. Classic "active listening" can surface issues so that the blocks can be resolved. Fifteen minutes of listening, scheduled as a regular check-in conversation, can solve problems that saves many multiples of time invested in listening.
3. Try a little coaching, especially if performance isn't what it needs to be. Coaching also has developmental benefits, which can get employees focused on the positive. For some suggestions, see www.ridge.com/downloads/Coaching_At_Work.pdf
4. Express appreciation! Managers need to find real reasons to acknowledge others' successes. When there isn't a lot of good news, creating and communicating a little goes a long way. For tips, see www.ridge.com/insights/ins2006_12.html.
5. Root out conflict where it exists. There are real performance gains to be found beneath interpersonal stalemates. The following link can help: www.ridge.com/insights/ins2006_09.html
6. Continually restate important goals-in meetings, when giving feedback, when creating performance agreements, and when acknowledging performance. People need to stay focused on what's most important.
7. Keep track of team resistance. Resistance can change as events within a business unfold, and commitment shifts with it. To keep score and respond proactively, refer to the following worksheets: www.ridge.com/downloads/ManResistanceWksht.pdf.
These actions may not help improve the news on the front pages, but they can on the front lines of your business. Good luck!
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Copyright 2008 - Ridge Associates, Inc. - All Rights Reserved.
Copyright 2008 Ridge Associates, Inc. All Rights Reserved.