I’ll be cool, hip, and laid back. You’ll be so happy in my ‘cool department’ that you’ll do your job well, I just know it.”
Oh heck, that’s not working?
OK, I’ll be sensitive and emotional and you won’t want to set me off emotionally. Then you’ll do what I need you to do, right?
Hmm, that didn’t work either.
How about this…If you don’t do what I want, I’ll overreact and come down on you with both boots?
Well dang, nothing seems to be working here.
Ok I got it…I’ll just do your job for you. Will that work?”
Yes, we can plead, emotionalize, figure out workarounds and all the while increasingly become overwhelmed and stressed.
The scenarios are endless but one thing is a constant: As managers we mistakenly fall into the trap of believing that it is our responsibility for our employees to meet their work expectations.
It’s not – it’s the employee’s responsibility.
If we don’t realize this we jump on the treadmill of trying to change them.
Our job is not to fix or change the people we manage. That is not our business.
Our job is to communicate clearly, using facts (not our emotions), the gap between an employee’s work performance and what is expected.
Communicate the impact of their performance, have them account, state clear consequences with continued behaviors, and then follow up.
As managers we can work ourselves to the verge of burn-out trying to beg, cajole or plead with our staff trying to change them.
If this is what we are currently doing it is not the employee who needs to change …it’s us.
We can’t be their fuel and motivation to meet expectations. They need to supply that.
We provide resources, support, guidance, clarity, and accountability.
We point the way and make sure the pathway is clear of obstructions and walkable.