All people are different from each other socially, psychologically and culturally. Each person has his own system of values and preferences. But what to do when an employee appears in the team with whom it is absolutely impossible to find a common language. There are many ways to interact with this category of people. We will talk about this in this article.
Fundamentals of Psychological Interaction
The effective operation of any company is based on productive communication with colleagues. The human factor plays a huge role in organizing business communication. In general, this depends on the psychological and professional characteristics of specific employees, as well as their teamwork and compatibility.
For communication, not only the positive qualities of employees play an important role; in achieving set goals, the negative aspects of colleagues are often decisive, influencing which you can achieve the desired result. The ability to see and exploit the strengths and weaknesses of any person's character provides basic knowledge of the fundamentals of optimal interaction.
As the English Prime Minister Disraeli once said: “A nice man is one who agrees with me.” This statement was later confirmed by scientific research, because we really feel sympathy for those people who are similar to us. On the other hand, we experience hostility towards those whose views on life or behavior are too clearly different from ours.
“The need for consensus”: features of psychological communication
It turns out that we strive to bring our own behavior and the behavior of the people around us to maximum coordination, for the most comfortable relationships in emotional and psychological terms. Moreover, people who sympathize with us are credited with a greater degree of agreement with our opinion than is actually the case.
Scientists call this phenomenon the “need for consensus.” For two people to find a common language, a coincidence of thoughts and feelings is required. The first means that we like those with whom we have common views on life and approximately the same position on significant issues. The second is consistency in experiences, feelings and emotions. If two people feel harmony and similarity of thoughts and feelings, then a feeling of comfort and ease when communicating involuntarily arises.
Therefore, it should be taken into account that everyone has hidden interests that require satisfaction when interacting with other people. By learning to deal with such people, you will be able to achieve greater results in your work than others. Remember that each person is unique in their own way and deserves special attention.
What kind of person can be called “difficult”
If contact with a communication partner is not achieved, he can be classified as a “difficult” person. Often, you want to avoid communication with such a person if possible and minimize the time you interact with him. However, what if such a person is a member of a team and it is necessary to resort to close communication every day? First you need to understand what exactly makes a person “difficult” to communicate. From personal experience, everyone can remember that they have met people with whom it is almost impossible to find a common language. Such meetings cause discomfort, misunderstanding or breakdown of relationships. If you learn to understand the motives of other people, their psychological and emotional characteristics, you can maintain prudence and be more calm about the situation.
It is necessary to take into account the needs of the “difficult” person, and this is what will help facilitate business interactions.
Thus, “difficult” can be called a person whose views, thoughts and experiences are based on past disappointments and losses.
Strategies for dealing with “difficult” colleagues
When faced with a “difficult” person, you need to ask yourself very logical questions: “What will I gain?” or “What do I have to lose?” If you succumb to an unconscious strategy of behavior in a situation, communication will be filled with strong emotional conflicts and a spontaneous nature. At the same time, scandals and quarrels at work can have a detrimental effect on the work process.
Consider the five main styles of communicating with a difficult person:
- Rivalry;
- Device;
- Compromise;
- Cooperation;
- Evasion.
The choice of one style or another is determined by what exactly you want to get from the situation, what desires or interests you are pursuing at the moment.
Achieving one's own goals usually leads to a competitive strategy. To maintain good friendly relations, the choice of device is more suitable. Avoidance will be appropriate when you are not going to solve a problem because you do not have the desire, knowledge, strength or authority to overcome it. Compromise takes place to temporarily regulate the situation if, in exchange for your concessions, reciprocal steps are expected from the other side, while your desires and the aspirations of your opponent are partially satisfied. Of all the above, the most productive, without a doubt, is the cooperation strategy. It involves searching for ways out and alternatives in overcoming controversial situations. Solving a problem usually helps you solve your problems and maintain friendly relations with your partner.
Strategies are universal ways of communicating and interacting with different categories of people. It is worth remembering that there must be mutual understanding in a dispute. Do not allow mobbing in the team, and always try to defuse the situation. The optimal way to solve the problem is to choose several behavioral models to achieve the best result.
Secrets of effective interaction with problem employees
When dealing with problem people, you need to have a certain degree of flexibility. This will help not only overcome the situation, but also change your attitude towards the problem.
Let's look at the secrets of successful interaction with “difficult” people:
- Change the way you think and see the problem. Often, from a change in perspective on a problem situation, its essence also changes;
- Change your strategy. Take responsibility and find the most effective ways to resolve conflict issues;
- Don't put off solving the problem. The more you ignore a difficult situation, the more difficult it will be to resolve it. Understand the essence and begin to take active action;
- Communicate on the same level with the person. Determine how your communication style differs from the position of the “problem” employee and adapt your behavior accordingly to achieve mutual understanding;
- Don't reward bad behavior. Do not solve other people's problems and do not allow yourself to be drawn into useless disputes. All these situations waste precious time that could be spent on performing your duties;
- Be as clear as possible. Express your thoughts clearly. If you are not satisfied with something in the work or behavior of another person, do not be afraid to openly tell him about it;
- Focus on goals, not actions. Keep in mind the ideal image of the result you are trying to achieve. And then, choose ways to achieve it;
- People cannot be corrected. Remember that it is almost impossible to change a person, you can only change your attitude towards him or a problem.
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Thus, it is worth knowing that work is the sphere of a person’s professional fulfillment, and not a battlefield. Don't waste a lot of time on interpersonal conflicts and showdowns. If this interferes with the normal flow of the work process, the problem needs to be eliminated, but not much attention should be focused on it.
In contact with
1. "Waffles"— they don’t know how to make decisions, so they need to be spurred on.
2. "Conquerors" must win, so let them be the leaders of the team.
3. "The Tragedians" They are looking for attention, so you have to ignore them.
4. "Rebels" break the rules for no reason, they should be avoided.
5. "Lazy"- people are boring, let them find something to do.
6. "Schemers" distract you from your work, stay at arm's length from them.
7. "Toadies" You shouldn’t trust them: ignore them, but only politely.
8. "Vampires" take away your energy unless you keep your spirits up.
10. "Genius" They come up with the best ideas, but they have to be literally shaken out. Be more persistent with them.
How to gain the respect of your colleagues
1. Be yourself, don't try to pretend to be someone else.
2. Show interest in other people.
3. Let us share a moment of glory with you.
4. Dress and groom yourself appropriately for the position you want to occupy.
5. Before speaking, pause and give your thoughts time to formulate.
6. Try to “speak with your diaphragm” - this way your speech sounds smoother and your voice doesn’t break.
How to deal with the office boor
1. Don't try to calm him down or apologize.
2. Demand that he behave professionally and show respect.
3. If the scandal does not stop, leave the premises.
4. Show your emotions where no one can see.
5. Return to the unclear issue later.
6. Decide for yourself whether it is worth continuing to communicate with this person.
Five rules of business communication
1. Be aware of why you need to communicate with this person.
2. Choose a communication medium that suits him.
3. Formulate your thoughts as simply as possible.
4. Use as little corporate slang as possible.
5. Slang expressions are excluded, unless you are communicating with an old friend.
How to give a person a task in a letter
1. Have an idea of what result you are expecting.
2. At the very beginning of the letter, describe what the result should be.
3. Explain why this is necessary in several arguments.
4. Provide evidence to support the importance of each argument.
5. Reiterate what result you are looking for and describe what actions should be taken.
6. Add what the person will receive after achieving the result.
How to create a good presentation
1. Plan an emotional journey for the audience.
2. Note where the viewer should feel strong emotions.
3. Tell the story, step by step, in which the person will experience feelings in the right places.
4. Create a simple presentation structure.
5. Design your slides to be relevant, short, concise, simple, and easy to read.
6. Edit and rehearse your presentation.
How to give a good presentation
1. Speak while standing, not sitting.
2. Make sure all equipment is working.
3. Find someone to introduce you.
4. Set time limits for yourself and stick to them.
5. Try to avoid making jokes in an attempt to warm up the audience: unless you are a professional comedian, the joke will probably sound awkward.
6. Adapt to the atmosphere in the room.
7. To reduce the fear of speaking in front of an audience, address individuals rather than the entire room.
8. Avoid idle chatter.
9. Make eye contact with different people.
How to make deals
1. Clearly define what the subject of the transaction is.
2. Decide what is important to you and what is not.
3. Be able to explain why it's important.
4. Have a Plan B so you don't feel too pressured.
5. Give the other side an opportunity to begin negotiations.
6. Try to come to a decision together.
7. When concluding a deal, make sure that the interests of both parties are respected.
8. Once the size of the deal has been determined, end the discussion.
How to use networking
1. Be interested in people and what they do.
2. When you are asked to talk about yourself, talk about how you can be useful.
3. If you see that the person is not very interested, end the conversation.
4. Explain how you are different from colleagues in your field.
5. When entering a conversation, proceed from what common interests you have with this person.
6. If he is interested in you, arrange a separate meeting.
How to navigate office politics
1. Understand what your colleagues want and what they can do.
2. Establish mutually beneficial alliances with those you trust.
3. Keep track of what services you provide to others and what good they do to you.
4. When entering an alliance, use it to achieve your goal.
There is hardly a person who likes to be reprimanded. Few people like to do them. You may not really want to ruin relationships with subordinates who make mistakes, but sometimes you have to do it. One of the responsibilities of a leader is to maintain order and discipline.
Among the essential qualities of any leader is self-confidence and a willingness to be in the line of fire, otherwise you will not be able to achieve maximum results from your team.
If you leave misdeeds unpunished, over time they will begin to become more serious and cause more and more harm to the team. Problems must be eliminated at the moment of their inception, otherwise they will begin to bloom in full bloom.
The experience of many seminars for managers shows that a conversation with criticism of a subordinate is always especially difficult for its participants.
So, what options exist for resolving disciplinary issues? For example, an on-the-spot notice is the elimination of a violation immediately at the moment of its discovery (figuratively speaking, a “slap in the face”). An informal conversation is a conversation with a subordinate face to face in case of more serious violations (“thrashing”).
Both of these approaches are used in cases of relatively minor violations of corporate rules and regulations, and each of them has its own characteristics.
Immediate reaction (“slap”)
I'll start right away with an example. Imagine the most common situation - one of your employees was late. What to do in this case? First, try to remember an instance of your own lateness. How did you feel when you were scolded? Or, to refine the question, how did you feel when you received a scolding for an accidental mistake that you could not prevent?
It can be assumed that you are offended. The boss who reprimanded you had no idea about your condition, how much you regret what happened, or what effect his criticism would have on your performance or behavior in the future. Such a scolding at one time gave vent to his emotions, and most definitely did not contribute to improving your morale, did it? And how will you act now, knowing what negative effect scolding can have?
When we work in a team, we cannot afford to throw people off balance, turn them against us, or keep them in fear. The solution to the problem must be approached sensitively, diplomatically and, of course, fairly.
If Svetochka is late for work for the second time this week, and you want to reprimand her, make sure that you take exactly the same measures in relation to Maria Ivanovna, who committed a similar offense last month.
Don’t give Svetochka a hard time if Maria Ivanovna got away with it, and, conversely, don’t forgive Svetochka if Maria Ivanovna got away with it from you. Such things are not forgotten. Always be consistent, impartial and fair.
♦ Note on the spot
Remember that your goal is to get to the truth. Don’t assert anything, it’s better to ask the person. Give him the opportunity to explain the situation. He may have a very good reason.
Firstly, he could have received permission to arrive later from another manager who accidentally forgot to warn you about this, and secondly, he apparently was already very ashamed of his misconduct. If you simply accuse a person and send him to work, he will consider that you are indifferent to his personality. Therefore, always proceed as follows:
- First of all, find out the circumstances;
- give the employee the opportunity to explain the situation;
- graciously accept an apology (if one is offered);
- show respect for the feelings of the offender and do not give a beating;
- provide an opportunity to correct the mistake. As you can see, nothing complicated.
Be sure to try to end the conversation on an optimistic note - say that this can happen to anyone. If this is the first violation, do not make a fuss about it. But if an employee is late every Friday, then you need to move on to “plan B” - that is, to “thrashing”, which we will consider below.
There are a few more rules to follow when you plan to have a conversation with an employee about an identified violation:
- never criticize in front of others;
- solve problems immediately and do not let them grow;
- Before referring to facts, check them;
- show the person the consequences of his offense.
♦ Don’t criticize in front of others
This is truly an immutable rule. I think everyone knows that it is unacceptable to scold a person in the presence of colleagues. This not only undermines morale, but also confuses others. Public denunciation is generally the most unproductive measure. All you have to do is call the person aside or go out into the corridor where you won’t be heard. It couldn't be simpler.
♦ Solve problems immediately
If you notice that someone is late, do not put off the question until the evening or another day. Talk to the offender immediately. Intercept him before he has time to take off his coat, and act delicately. Ask him a question (under no circumstances raise your voice or read morals). Refrain from sarcasm, be friendly. Of course, it is difficult to talk about friendliness when a violation turns into a system, but this is a different problem. Eliminating the problem in the bud is what you should strive for if the violations are small and unsystematic.
♦ Check the facts
Are you sure that the employee is really late? Or maybe he asked someone else to give him time off, or came to work at the crack of dawn, and then left on business? In addition, he could have been detained by another executive whom he encountered in the elevator. You never know what else. Sometimes it happens that someone gets caught in a violation that became widespread a long time ago, and you didn’t even suspect it. You need to make sure the facts are reliable before you take any action. The only way to be sure is to ask. No one will judge you for not knowing the real state of things if you ask and not blame.
♦ Show the person the consequences of his offense
If one employee is late, it means that the other will not be able to prepare the report on time. In other words, the entire team will suffer. Emphasize that you work as a team, and if someone doesn't do their share of the work or takes their responsibilities lightly, it spoils the overall picture. Don't make a mountain out of a molehill, just show how much you depend on each of them - this will make them feel that by breaking discipline they are letting you down, not themselves.
Maintaining discipline
People don't like to be told off. There is little joy in the fact that we have to tell someone off. As long as discipline is at the proper level, there is no need for reprimands. Of course, you must lead by example if you want your employees to do the same.
But even in ideal conditions there will always be a person who would not mind doing something like that on occasion. And then it’s time for a “thrashing”. At its core, this is an informal conversation about the state of discipline, which should be held in case of regular, relatively minor violations of corporate rules (in the case of regular lateness or negligence in work).
It is important to have an informal conversation as early as possible. It is quite possible that you have already given the offender a “slap in the face”, but have not achieved any results. Now you need a more serious measure of influence - a “thrashing”. Sometimes this is what helps bring the offender to his senses.
Let's say an employee was late for work once, and you limited yourself to a mild remark. For some time the delays stopped, but now it happens almost every day.
After the fourth or fifth occasion, you will inevitably have to have an informal conversation. Postponing the conversation for a month or two will create the impression of tacit agreement with the violation - since you don’t say anything, it means you don’t mind being late.
Informal conversation: rules of conversation
The rules to follow when conducting an informal conversation are quite simple:
- a conversation will definitely require a private place - the conversation should remain between you and the offending employee. There is no need for others to know not only its content, but also the fact that such a conversation took place;
- rely only on verified and reliable facts when inviting someone to an informal conversation, so that later you do not have to blush for a mistake;
- be consistent in your actions - similar problems should be solved in a similar way;
- give the offender the opportunity to speak out - the circumstances may be more complicated than you thought at first, and the person may even be aware of the ugliness of the situation without unnecessary reminders. Allow him to apologize before taking any action;
- focus on the problem, not on the personality of the offender - seek behavior change, not the person;
- keep it short and friendly - you need to discuss a specific problem, not the person’s work history. Stick to the facts, don’t beat around the bush and don’t get lost in thoughts;
- End the conversation on an optimistic note, no matter what you think about the issue or person. An upbeat ending will leave the person with a good impression of themselves, you, and the conversation.
Difficult situations
Life constantly gives us surprises. From time to time, difficult situations arise in matters of maintaining discipline and order for which you need to prepare in advance.
Discipline conversations can be difficult for a variety of reasons:
- the offender is a very emotional person who easily flares up in anger (bursts into tears);
- repeated conversation about a problem that seemed to have already been resolved;
- incorrect interpretation of facts that came as a surprise to you;
- the employee’s silence and refusal to discuss his actions;
- submissive agreement with everything you say.
♦ Emotional person
Emotional outbursts of any kind usually have the same goal - to make you deviate from the topic. If an employee suddenly starts screaming or crying, he does this in order to avoid criticism, reproaches, lectures or dismissal. In fact, this is nothing more than blackmail: “See how much you upset me - I can’t help but cry (anger).”
This behavior is like the whims of a small child. No one is saying that this person is not completely upset and does not experience emotional distress, but we are at work and this is not the place for theatrical performances. An adult who is responsible for his actions should accept disciplinary action without tears or outbursts of anger.
If such a person is very upset, show sympathy, but do not allow yourself to be distracted from the main goal.
Give the person time to calm down if they become very agitated, but always bring them back to the facts. If he gets angry, ask him why the discussion is so stressful and get back to the facts.
If the other person raises his voice, remain calm, but do not forget that you are free to end the conversation at any time. In this case, as soon as the “brawler” cools down, immediately set a new date for the trial. You don't retreat, you simply give yourself room to maneuver. You will see that if you stick to the facts, do not put forward ultimatums, remain calm and maintain a businesslike tone, the likelihood of emotional outbursts will significantly decrease.
♦ Analysis of measures
Before you take any action, try to find the answer to the question: Why do you think this problem occurred? Are there serious flaws in corporate policies that allow people to go astray?
Let me give you the example of the lost sheep. You are back in the field. Did you completely repair the fence last time? Or is there still a loophole left in it that you can slip through? There is no point in blaming the sheep for straying - that is its nature.
But you need to do something about the fence before the sheep leaves the flock. On the other hand, there may be a black sheep in your herd. Some are capable of creating problems due to their nature. There's nothing you can do about it. Remind him of the action plan adopted last time, and try to understand (together, of course) what his weak point is.
Developing a different plan, reminding him of his responsibilities, and telling him what will happen if he doesn't change his behavior is not a threat, but a timely reminder that the employee's continued tenure with the company may eventually become a question.
♦ You interpreted the facts incorrectly
If you find yourself in this situation (sometimes it happens to everyone), you should immediately stop reviewing your personnel file and apologize. Don't try to get out, don't try to say that it's not your fault. Admit the mistake and close the issue quickly.
♦ The employee refuses to discuss his actions
In such cases, it is necessary to state the facts and ask an open question that will force the offender to talk. If he persists, just ask an open-ended question and wait. Your interlocutor knows that it is now his turn to speak, and he will be forced to break the silence first.
Take your time - no matter how unpleasant the situation is for you, remember: for him it is even more unpleasant. After the employee starts talking, discuss all the necessary actions for the future - the action plan must be agreed upon, otherwise it will not work... and let him go.
He understood everything. Even the biggest silent person still listens. You have done your part - operated with reliable facts and formulated an action plan.
♦ The employee agrees with everything
Act in exactly the same way as in the previous case - operate with facts and do not express your opinion, let the offender speak out.
After this, agree on an action plan and close the issue. This person thinks they can get away with it if they just agree with you, so be consistent, be natural, and stay focused on the task at hand.
In practice, you will probably have to deal with many other cases - from a “regular lawyer” who knows all the details of the law, to a “sidekick” who is sure that you will not reprimand him if you just remind him how you once relaxed or had fun together.
There are real liars who make up such amazing stories that it is difficult not to believe them. There are gossipers who, instead of accepting a reprimand, will spill out a bunch of information about the violations of their colleagues... and hundreds of other similar “things”.
When dealing with situations like this, always keep these three key points in mind:
- Clarify the factual side of the matter (be sure to find out the reason).
- Take appropriate measures to correct the situation when a problem arises (and in such a way as not to undermine the morale of other team members).
- Prevent the problem from occurring in the future - implement inspection procedures that will allow you to control the situation in the long term.
Now you know what to say and how to say it. Take a deep breath and exhale. Remember - this is part of your job.
The cost of delay
A boss who, due to lack of self-confidence or unpreparedness for conflict, does not speak up about the mistakes of his subordinates, acts irresponsibly: he does not give the latter the opportunity to correct their behavior.
Often people simply do not see all the possibilities inherent in such a conversation. After all, we are not talking about hastily and unreasonably reprimanding a subordinate, but about treating mistakes correctly.
Such conversations are a test of strength, an opportunity to gain additional experience, a chance to improve what did not work very well before.
European companies have much more extensive traditions of personnel assessment. Russian companies have only recently begun to experiment in this area. But the majority prefer to adopt the experience of their Western colleagues, not always adapting it to our conditions. An assessment interview is often used as part of personnel assessment. It involves conducting a dialogue with the employee. Based on the results of the assessment, the employee’s goals for the next year are formed. The quality of the dialogue determines in what mood and with what thoughts the employee will work. Therefore, it is necessary to observe certain principles in order for the dialogue to be effective both for the one who conducts it and for the one with whom it is conducted.
The most important step in assessing the work of subordinates is the evaluation interview. An assessment interview is an interview with the person being assessed, solving well-defined problems.
Such an interview helps the manager and subordinate determine their mutual expectations. An appraisal interview with employees is also conducted to inform them of the result of the assessment of their performance. It allows a manager to review a subordinate's performance, reinforce desired behavior, point out performance deficiencies, and work with the manager to develop a plan for improvement.
Until recently, our company did not have the practice of conducting such dialogues, however, when the decision was made to change the evaluation system, the need arose to find new models for personnel evaluation.
In our company, instead of personnel certification, a European model was introduced, which I designated as “Annual assessment and dialogue with the employee.”
And while managers were able to sort out the issue of grading employees at the end of the year, big problems arose with conducting dialogues with employees, because Most managers did not have such practice.
Dialogue with the employee is a key point in the annual personnel assessment procedure. The construction of the dialogue is based on the manager’s ideas about the process of managing people and ways to influence their behavior. There are at least three approaches that can be used by a manager:
- force- force improvement of work or behavior, suppress resistance.
- convince- convince the employee of the need for change.
- involving employees in decision making- convey your point of view, understand the employee’s point of view and come to a common agreement. Awaken the employee’s desire for professional growth and personal development. Determine what needs to be done to solve problems that hinder the improvement of his work efficiency.
Obviously, the third option is correct from the point of view of the most effective employee motivation. The employee makes his own decisions, which means he is responsible for them.
To make it easier for our managers to take into account, a training program for conducting assessments and dialogue with the employee was written.
First of all, it was necessary to explain why we were holding a dialogue at all.
For the manager and for the employee, different goals were identified in the dialogue:
for employee:
- Understand the Company’s goals and relate them to your professional goals;
- Understand how well he does his job, to what extent the manager is satisfied with his work results;
- Receive timely recommendations that contribute to better performance of work, plan your activities more effectively;
- Be included in the process of drawing up development plans and setting goals;
- Convey your point of view to your manager.
for the manager:
- Receive feedback on employee expectations;
- Help the employee to increase the efficiency of his work, to make fuller use of his professional potential;
- Achieve increased productivity and fulfillment of business objectives by increasing employee motivation.
To make it easier to control the annual assessment process and to help managers with planning, the dialogue procedure was outlined in stages.
Step 1. Employee training.
Before going through the dialogue, the employee must be familiar with the evaluation criteria and also prepare to answer the following questions:
1. What did you plan to do during the reporting period?
2. What was done?
3. What failed to do and why?
4. What tasks are planned for the future?
5. How will their achievement be assessed (how will it be possible to understand that they have been achieved?)
6. How can we improve today's results? What needs to be done for this?
The employee can also prepare a report on the implementation of the work plan and other documents necessary, from his point of view. An employee may not agree with the manager's assessment, and therefore he should be able to argue his opinion. In addition, during the dialogue, the results of the employee’s work are summed up, and he needs enough time to repeat for himself once again what goals were set for him and which ones he achieved.
Employee training is important for himself, first of all. Therefore, at first, managers may forget to inform the employee about the upcoming assessment, or not inform him of the need to prepare.
To prevent the dialogue from becoming a stressful situation, the personnel assessment group independently sent information letters to employees with a detailed description of the issues and the procedure for conducting the dialogue and recommendations.
- Review your goals from the previous year and evaluate your level of achievement for each goal you set.
- Assess your strengths and identify areas that need development.
- Determine your next steps to continue your personal development.
- Identify and clearly describe 3-6 personal goals that you want to focus on achieving in the next year, and determine how you will measure their achievement.
- Think through your plans for the future so that you can describe them clearly and clearly.
The more actively an employee participates in the assessment process, the higher his responsibility for implementing the decisions made during the assessment interview.
Step 2. Preparation of the leader.
For a dialogue with an employee to be successful, the manager needs:
- be able to find psychological contact with subordinates;
- be able to plan and analyze the work of subordinates;
- understand the goals of the organization and the tasks facing the employee;
- know the standards and criteria for performing work;
- collect the most complete information about the employee’s work results.
These are the requirements for leadership training that I spelled out when I conducted the training. But it is quite obvious that not all managers will take this responsibly and not everyone can fulfill these requirements. Practice has shown that some managers cannot set goals for the year for their subordinates, cannot highlight the main thing, etc. Of course, this applied more to low-level managers... But still, the discovery was not a pleasant one. To eliminate this problem, we placed an order to write goal setting training for our training center.
With the first point (the ability to find psychological contact with a subordinate), the situation was more complicated. This already required a whole battery of trainings to develop communication skills. If a manager had difficulty conducting a dialogue with employees, he was offered to undergo training first. Anecdotally, many managers openly admitted that they had certain problems and asked for training.
We also recommended that managers create a database in which they could enter interim evaluations of the employee during the year, mistakes made, initiatives, etc. Continuous monitoring throughout the year will help the evaluator get a clear picture of the employee's achievements, difficulties and possible failures.
According to previous employee assessments, the assessment group had the entire database and the manager could use this information. There he could find recommendations for development, weaknesses, career expectations of the employee and determine what progress the employee had made in each parameter.
From a psychological point of view, the manager must keep in mind that the purpose of the assessment is to help improve the employee’s work efficiency, his output and the fuller use of his professional potential. There should be no place for emotions and subjectivism. The manager must be willing to listen and think about what the appraisee is saying and engage in dialogue with him.
The appraisee must know exactly the goals and criteria by which his work and work behavior are assessed. The more fair an employee considers the assessment of his work, the higher his responsibility for implementing the decisions made during the appraisal interview, the more satisfied he is with the course of the interview, the more ready he is to agree with the final assessment and the higher the likelihood that he will take real action. steps to improve the efficiency of your own work and your professional growth in the future.
Step 3. We conduct a dialogue with the employee.
The manager must schedule an interview for each employee at least two weeks in advance (the interview usually takes between half an hour and one and a half hours, depending on the position of the employee being evaluated and what duties he performs).
But at first, the entire procedure of annual assessment and dialogue was monitored by the personnel assessment group. To ensure that the dialogue was carried out and that no one fell behind the schedule, we scheduled all the meetings in person. Labor-intensive, but necessary work.
Meetings were scheduled for the manager and employee (as a rule, meeting rooms were used for these meetings so that work calls, etc., did not interfere with the dialogue).
Until the procedure became familiar, specialists from the assessment group were present at the dialogues and helped ensure the correct flow of the process.
Some leaders themselves asked that we be present, others, after several dialogues, were able to conduct the dialogue on their own and did not experience any difficulties.
To avoid long silences or conversations on unrelated topics, each manager was offered a list of sample questions for conducting a dialogue with an employee:
1. What are the basic requirements for your position?
2. What level have you achieved in each of these requirements?
3. What goals did you have for the past period? (2-3 goals)
4. Were there any additional, unplanned tasks?
5. How would you evaluate the work you have done?
6. To what extent were each goal achieved?
7. What didn't work? Why did this happen? What prevented this?
8. What tasks are planned for the future?
9. For what purpose will these tasks be performed?
10. Achieving which objectives will be the most significant?
11. How will their achievement be assessed (how will it be possible to understand that they have been achieved?)
12. How often and in what way would it be optimal to evaluate them?
13. What difficulties may arise during their implementation? How can you prevent their occurrence (what can you do about this?)
14. How could you improve your current results?
15. Are your skills, knowledge and abilities being used in the best possible way? If not, what should be done?
16. What training would help you improve your performance?
17. What are your expectations from work in the future?
18. What types of incentives will be preferable for you?
19. How satisfied are you with the feedback your manager provides you?
20. What kind of feedback would you like him to provide you with and how often?
As it turned out, the questions greatly helped the leaders in building a dialogue.
At the same time, the manager must constantly remember that dialogue should motivate the employee.
Some aspects of an employee’s work activity may be hidden from the manager, so sometimes an assessment of one’s own work (self-assessment) is more accurate than an assessment by superiors.
Based on the results of the dialogue, the manager formulates goals for the employee for the next year.
In order for goals to be clear and achievable, they must be:
1. Specific- the formulation must contain the answer to the question “what to do?”, i.e. a perfect verb (provide, implement, increase). Words that do not carry a semantic load should not be allowed in the formulation of the goal. For example: optimal, worthy, comprehensive.
2. Quantitatively (qualitatively) measurable- when setting a goal, it is necessary to set clear measurable criteria that will help judge its achievement. Numbers are used for quantitative measurability. For quality - technical specifications or other document.
3. Related to the goals and objectives of the Company and/or division- the goals you set must follow from higher-order goals. Ideally, it is necessary to define a hierarchy of goals, from the philosophy of the enterprise to the strategic and tactical goals of the organization and division.
4. End- if a goal does not have a deadline, it has a good chance of never being completed. Therefore, when setting goals, you need to determine the deadline for completion.
5. Compromise (reality and challenge)- goals must be realistic, i.e. achievable. At the same time, they must contain an excess of the previous indicator.
Employee participation in setting their own work goals leads to better results than coercion or criticism from the manager.
The better an employee understands how the results of his work are related to achieving the goals of the entire organization, the greater results can be expected from the dialogue.
The number of goals for one employee, as a rule, should not exceed five to seven. If there are more of them, the employee will not be able to keep them all in the field of attention and will begin to become scattered.
Practice has shown that almost no one was able to set more than five goals, because... it's quite difficult. Here you need to distinguish goals from tasks. There is no need to simply list all the tasks that the manager wants to assign to the employee. Goals should be set for development, both professional and personal, and there is no need to simply rewrite the annual plan.
So that managers can understand how goals should be formulated, you can conduct a short training and invite them to conduct a dialogue and set goals for an imaginary employee. We came up with several cases for working in a group with managers (for an example of a case, see Appendix 1).
During the training, managers were asked to consider the proposed heroes and, based on an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses, set goals for them for the next year.
Then the group worked through the mistakes of the leaders - the so-called. "wrong goals" For every “wrong” goal, managers formulated a “right” one.
As a result of the dialogue, the manager needs to make sure that the objectives of the assignment and the expected results are clear.
Our company has developed a form in which the results of the dialogue are entered (Appendix 2). The manager is required to promptly fill out the assessment form developed by the organization for his subordinate. If he leaves this task until the last minute, he may simply forget what goals were set.
The success of an appraisal interview critically depends on the manager’s level of development of the necessary skills and ability to create conditions conducive to achieving the main goals of the annual appraisal during the conversation with a subordinate. There are a number of factors that influence the success of an assessment interview.
Level of development of the evaluators' necessary skills:
- Ability to establish psychological contact
- Mastery of active listening techniques
- Work planning and analysis
- Ability to select and use assessment methods appropriately
- Consulting and development of subordinates
The quality of preparation for the interview of assessors and assessees:
Leader training:
- Understanding the goals of the organization and the tasks facing the employee being assessed
- Knowledge of work performance standards and criteria
- Collection of the most complete information regarding the work results of the employee being assessed
- Identification of ways to obtain the greatest return from the evaluated employee
Subordinate preparation:
- Understanding the purpose of the job/task
- Knowledge of work performance criteria and standards
- Knowing your strengths and weaknesses
- Understanding the connection between work results and prospects for your professional development and career
Process:
- Active participation of the assessed employee in the assessment process
- Constructive attitudes of the manager and, if necessary, assistance to evaluated employees
Reaching agreement on the content of the work:
- Developing an action plan to solve work problems that reduce performance
- Setting work goals for the future
- Defining the parameters of expected results
- Reaching agreement on the issues being discussed
Control
- Setting deadlines
- Setting Benchmarks
- Choosing a form of control
- Ensuring that the rewards the employee receives are consistent with the results of the evaluation.
Such dialogue provides an opportunity for the employee and manager to receive feedback regarding counter expectations related to the performance of work, future tasks and conditions necessary for effective interaction. Therefore, when preparing managers for an interview, special attention should be paid to how to provide feedback to a subordinate and how to receive it from him.
The manager’s questions during the interview are designed to establish not only the true level of the employee’s performance, but also to identify factors that negatively affect his work. However, one should not overestimate an employee’s ability to analyze the factors that determine the effectiveness of his work. The ability to listen presupposes the ability to identify, even by minor details, individual strokes, the presence of serious problems that affect the employee’s work. This will help formulate certain assumptions that can be tested during the interview.
The assessment interview requires the manager not just to listen, but to listen actively - this is a skill that needs to be trained.
Step 4: Completing the assessment interview
This is the most important stage of the assessment interview. At this stage, the assessments given earlier are summed up, and the goals and priorities for the coming year are once again spelled out.
At the end of the interview, it is important for the manager to pay special attention to the constructiveness of the criticism. The subordinate must clearly understand not only that he did something below the established requirements, but also how to correct the mistakes made in the coming year.
It is especially important to pay attention to the motivation of the employee. After completing the interview, will he be eager to improve and reach new professional heights or will he leave depressed with the thought of having to look for a new job? You should end the interview on a positive note so that the subordinate leaves the manager with a good attitude towards work. At the end, you should once again repeat those goals that must be achieved in the future. In addition, it is necessary to determine the date when the interim results of the work planned during the interview will be summed up.
When our company was just introducing a new personnel evaluation system, we decided to conduct a survey of employees directly after the dialogue.
As it turned out, many managers liked to conduct the dialogue, because they had the opportunity to talk with their subordinates not about current tasks, but about their pressing problems and prospects. During the dialogue, many managers (especially young ones) noted that they received completely unexpected information, which greatly helped them in establishing contact with their subordinates.
Employees who were evaluated also noted the importance of holding such dialogues.
However, in addition to interest and enthusiasm, there was also disappointment - some managers were very disappointed with the answers of their employees (for example, the employee could not clearly define his job responsibilities). The managers, of course, saw the reason for such poor training of employees in their shortcomings.
During the dialogues, career plans were also discussed. Several employees were recommended for inclusion in the personnel reserve, they were subsequently promoted, and two people during the dialogue expressed a desire to leave the company, because they had accumulated many unspoken complaints that could no longer be overcome.
In general, the dialogue with the employee had a motivating effect on the employees.
Annex 1
Case for teaching the procedure for conducting an annual dialogue
Fidget Ivan
23 years old. He has been working in your department as a sales specialist for six months. He is active like no other, takes on tasks of any complexity, despite the fact that many of them cannot be solved on his own. He craves to gain experience and develop, but he clearly lacks knowledge, he often misses important details, is impulsive, and does not calculate his strength and time. A lawyer by training, I just graduated from university.
According to the plan, you gave him a 2, because... it does not show stable results.
But in terms of potential, he can be given a 4, because Ivan is simply an inexhaustible source of energy and activity, which needs to be given the right vector. In addition, he is young and shows high loyalty to the Company, strives for career growth and, in principle, quickly learns new knowledge.
Nowadays, working via the Internet has become very common. Performers save time and have the opportunity to choose customers, and customers do not spend money on renting an office and pay directly for completed tasks. The mutual benefits are obvious. However, communication over the Internet is not analogous to a live conversation: words will not convey the mood in the same way as the person himself will do face to face. But even in these cases there are methods and subtleties.
How to set a person up for quality work without seeing him?
Auditor style
This is the most popular communication style. It assumes a calm tone, prudence and handling of facts. Both parties understand the essence of the issue and fulfill their obligations in good faith. Usually these people have been collaborating for a long time and therefore this style is ideal for everyone: pure pragmatism, nothing superfluous and nothing personal.
Big brother style
In this case, thoughts are expressed more emotionally. Thus, the customer shows the contractor that:
- This job is more important to him than others;
- This performer is more important to him than others.
Moreover, this may not be true, but the convenience of a particular style always takes a back seat to its effectiveness. The main thing is motivation, and here each person needs a separate approach.
Cross-examination style
Someone doing your task may just earn a living without showing much enthusiasm. If you want to get more, and most importantly, you know that a person is capable of more, this style is for you. It involves awakening leadership qualities.
Wrong: “Here’s your task, I’m waiting for the result”
Right : “You did great, but you can do even better!”
Very correct: “Is it weak?”
Alarmist style
At moments when the performer, having fallen into a routine or “losing his appetite”, does everything carelessly, there is a good technique to remind him where he is and what he needs to do. Tell him that the deadline is pressing, that the matter is of extreme importance and in case of failure, everyone will not lose their heads. This “artificial hysteria” helps in extreme cases; do not use it often, because a person quickly develops “immunity.”
Cheerleader style
Being a cheerleader means supporting and leading. Remember the dancing girls on the sports fields during breaks in competitions? Sometimes this method is required when working. You need to ignite a person with undisguised enthusiasm and drive and keep him on his toes. This requires certain energy costs, but if the task is successfully completed, it pays off with interest.
Learn to manage
The problem of competent management is very relevant for office space today. The policy of non-interference in the affairs of employees, which sounds like “given the task - and don’t interfere,” leads to missed deadlines, poor quality work and a deterioration in all indicators. This can only be avoided by constantly communicating with each employee. And remote work via the Internet is no exception.
By the way, one of our subscribers already has experience of working remotely on foreign freelance exchanges.