From my experience, a real telling sign that we have made the leap from being a peer on a crew to being a manager leading a crew is if we can have a productive employee performance correction conversation.
If we find ourselves in a situation where an employee is factually not meeting expectations and we’re accommodating, delaying action, or even (often the case) ignoring what’s going on, we’ve most likely not stepped fully into and embraced the role of manager.
Maybe we just can’t take it when someone gets mad at us – it can be intimidating.
Maybe we don’t want anything that would complicate our working environment – they might quit or cause trouble.
Maybe all our doubts jump into our heads thinking we are just not able to be steady and firm.
We’ve all been here and there’s no shame in this.
All that is needed is a little reframing in our own minds of what an employee correction conversation is all about.
First, let’s look at what it is not. It is not a confrontation. It is not a conversation of exposing wrongdoing and laying blame. It is not a conversation of issuing ultimatums.
It is a connection conversation, an opportunity to be helpful and of service to an employee by bringing them information on how to be successful in their job.
It is a conversation of being on their side by letting them know the gap between their current actions and what is needed from them that helps move the co-op forward in a positive and successful way.
Let’s reframe in our minds that moving into management is not a static role of enforcer and “layer down of the law”.Rather, it is an opportunity where our caring and concern for our co-op can become empowered and manifest in our actions of neutrality and grace toward helping those we manage find their successful place within this “team sport” we call grocery retail.
It all starts with those conversations we have with those who need a little coaching, correction and direction.