Jul 16, 2012

How to Get What You Need From Employees


Clients regularly ask me why they can’t get employees to meet deadlines, produce great (or even good) work, and provide value to customers. There is rarely a simple answer, but I can come close to one: lack of clarity when giving instructions and expressing expectations. Here are a few tips to help you get what you need:
Ban ASAP. Give clear time frames for everything. When, specifically, do you need work completed and on your desk? What day? What time? Asking anyone to do anything “as soon as possible” obliterates clarity. If something is truly an emergency, say so and explain why. Only by explaining the circumstances do you have a right to blow up someone else’s schedule.
Forget annual reviews. Move to real-time analysis. Review performance with your team member immediately after she’s done something you can evaluate. Be clear about what the team member did well and where she needs to improve. Stop worrying about delivering harsh news. Deliver clear information instead. Your team member might feel the sting, but smart, ambitious employees will take your information to heart and apply it to their next effort.
When someone messes up, deal with it promptly.  You don’t have the luxury of being emotional about whatever occurred, so be sure you are calm and collected. Remember, though, that in dealing with behavioral problems, sooner is better than later. Tell the team member how you perceive the problem, what he needs to do to fix the problem, and by when. Tell him the consequences if he doesn’t fix the problem. Be specific about the seriousness of the error. Is this a firing offense? Will it slow the team member’s career progress? Will he find himself isolated if he continues doing things the same way? 
Clear communication requires disciplined thought and skillful execution. It requires you to understand why you are communicating something in the first place and how best to do it. And it very often requires courage. All of this is difficult, but it sure beats the alternative.