Anthony is a junior manager who reports directly to you. During his first 2 years, things were fine but over the past 6 months he’s noticed that the performance of one of his employees, Jeremy, has been steadily declining. Additionally, others have told him that Jeremy is rude, abrasive and routinely makes costly errors.
Anthony has explained to Jeremy several times that he must improve not only his skills, but his professional behavior. Things improve for a while but it doesn’t last. Finally, Anthony resigns himself to the fact that Jeremy is not with the effort but grades him “meets requirements” on his annual review because it’s easier. Unfortunately, the review makes Jeremy eligible for an automatic pay raise. Sound familiar?
Managers fail to act for many reasons; they believe they lack the authority or they may not have the skills. Sometimes, they’re afraid employees won’t like them and sometimes they are just plain afraid. I’ve broached the subject of “managerial courage” before but today I want to take a closer look at how to get it. Face it, managing is hard and you hired your manager because you believed they could do the heavy lifting. The problem is, because courage can’t be quantified it only shows up (or not) when it’s needed. So what’s the problem in the scenario above? After all, everyone gets the automatic increase.
#1 – Everyone knows Jeremy hasn’t earned it
Even if the increase is the same for everyone, Jeremy has been rewarded for sub-par performance.
But there’s an even bigger problem:
#2 – Everyone now knows Anthony won’t deal with Jeremy.
This is when relationships break down, people lose trust, morale declines and productivity suffers. This is when Anthony’s problem becomes yours.
So how do you empower Anthony to get it right from the start? First, let him know you support him and this is a skill you will help him develop. Then, tell him your expectations and his level of authority. Don’t be vague; spell it out. Better yet, write it down. Make sure he also knows that you hold him accountable for team performance; after all, they report to him – not you.
Some Coaching points for You:
- Content – Anthony needs to find the courage to tell Jeremy specifically what actions are unacceptable and the consequences for not improving. At the same time, you need to assure Anthony that you understand how difficult the discussion can be and that he has your full support.
- Reason – He also needs to explain why the actions are unacceptable and that they must stop immediately. He can’t send an email. He can’t phone it in. The conversation must be done face-to-face to create impact. That’s what makes it hard. It’s personal.
Once he knows what you expect, you can help him prepare for the conversation:
Some Action tips for Anthony:
- Plan – Script hard conversations. If he doesn’t plan what to say, he faces unnecessary pressure to get it right. One misstep and he could lose control of the conversation. Suggest he write out what he needs to say and how he wants to say it.
- Practice – As they say, “practice makes perfect.” Once he identifies the issues and writes the script; rehearse it. He can’t simply memorize words. Have him consider tone and body language for everything that might happen and how to handle it. Legendary author Maya Angelou says “When people show you who they are, believe them.” He’s the boss – he needs to show it.
- Role-Play – Once he’s comfortable with the words, act it out. He might get comfortable with delivering the message in person by having a neutral party play the employee. Suggest he have the actor assume different attitudes and brainstorm best and worst cases. Have him notice what changes and how he might adapt.
- Partner with HR –The HR team can be his biggest ally. They can offer preparation assistance and clarify policies and practices. What they should not do is have the conversation for him. These are his employees and his title is “manager” for a reason.
- Don’t get caught in a debate – This meeting is not a discussion. Things are past the point of employee input or explanations. His purpose is to deliver the message that a sustained improvement is required for the employee’s continued employment. Suggest he schedule a follow-up meeting to answer questions and set goals.
Once he has prepared, it’s time to sit Jeremy down and have that difficult conversation.
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