This past Thanksgiving I spent time taking stock of the many reasons I have to be thankful. Like everyone I have had the ups and downs and good and bad times of life--losing love ones is always hard, but mostly I have lived a very bountiful life -- so far -- and who knows what the rest of it will bring.
I hope all of you can say the same. I had a varied career in state government and for the last twenty years I was fortunate to have a job that I loved -- challenging and varied, working with coworkers that I liked and respected. I felt so lucky to work in a very supportive, progressive and collegial environment where I had a voice.
Having a voice is important. We all want to be heard, we all want to believe that we matter, and we all want to think that we have something meaningful to contribute to our workplace -- why else would we have been hired (we ask ourselves). But do workers these days really have an opportunity to contribute with their voice, their talents, or are they just instructed from above and told what to do? Being directed to do something in a certain way without any thought does not lead an employee to feel valued.
What has happened? We thought our comfortable middle class lifestyle, with good paying jobs, would last forever. We thought this country would always remain strong and American corporations, government institutions and political leaders all had our collective best interests at heart. We just assumed they would take care of us. We forgot that not so long ago others who came before had to win hard fought battles for equal opportunity, good jobs with decent pay, safe working conditions and fair treatment at work -- supposedly a merit system in government. We became complacent -- yet we expected all of these rights and liberties to last forever.
Nothing lasts forever unless we stand up and demand it. It is just human nature. While no one was paying attention, those who could got greedy; they thought only of themselves first -- higher salaries, bonuses, bigger pensions, and lavish houses -- these are all part of the deal. Their ego demands it. And they will conspire with others and compromise everything just to get what they want -- the end justifies the means.
The saying that "bad can only happen when good people do nothing" is so true. So as we head into the holiday season my wish for all of you is that you will reflect on the things that you are thankful for and find the resolve to be willing to fight for them. We need to ensure that our children have things be thankful for on the future Thanksgivings of their lives -- so that they too can live a bountiful life.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Friday, November 18, 2011
#35 Pruning the Vine
When I say "pruning the vine" I mean disciplining those "bad actor" employees that deserve to be disciplined. It means getting rid of the deadwood just as you would with a plant. Pruning brings renewed life and vigor to a plant and promotes healthy growth. "Pruning" can also be a very positive thing for an organization and all of its employees.
Sometimes the "pruning" can be drastic and sometimes it can be a snip here and a snip there --- if it is well thought out and done fairly -- it can be essential to maintaining a good healthy workplace. If numerous interactive dialogues have taken place between supervisor and employee and clear expectations for this employee have been set, and the employee is just are not able or willing to change, then for the health of the organization the employee needs to be dealt with.
Other good employees who watch and work with the "bad actor" employee begin to feel great frustration. They ask themselves and others why are they working so hard when so and so is not. If the "bad actor" employee is not dealt with, after a fashion they begin to question management and start to think that no one is paying attention and that no one cares -- all of this leads to an organization with bad morale.
In state government especially it is often said, "It is so hard to do anything to employees -- labor unions and all.... you know". Well I am here to tell you, that is absolutely not the case. While it is a lot of work to put together an adverse action and deal with the potential subsequent hearings, it can be well worth a department's while. The employer will either get the attention of the employee to let him/her know that they are serious; then the employee can decide between two choices -- s/he can either "clean up their act" or s/he can continue the bad performance/conduct and eventually earn him/herself an exit from state government.
Not only that, if the "bad actor" is dealt with, it sends a very positive message to everyone that someone is paying attention (and cares). This is a good message for everyone in the organization -- it also telegraphs to everyone in the organization that they too may need to "clean up their act".
While dismissal of an employee, of any tenure, is always a difficult decision, sometimes it is the only choice. "Pruning the vine" in an honest and fair manner will help promote a healthy organization and a positive and energized workforce.
Sometimes the "pruning" can be drastic and sometimes it can be a snip here and a snip there --- if it is well thought out and done fairly -- it can be essential to maintaining a good healthy workplace. If numerous interactive dialogues have taken place between supervisor and employee and clear expectations for this employee have been set, and the employee is just are not able or willing to change, then for the health of the organization the employee needs to be dealt with.
Other good employees who watch and work with the "bad actor" employee begin to feel great frustration. They ask themselves and others why are they working so hard when so and so is not. If the "bad actor" employee is not dealt with, after a fashion they begin to question management and start to think that no one is paying attention and that no one cares -- all of this leads to an organization with bad morale.
In state government especially it is often said, "It is so hard to do anything to employees -- labor unions and all.... you know". Well I am here to tell you, that is absolutely not the case. While it is a lot of work to put together an adverse action and deal with the potential subsequent hearings, it can be well worth a department's while. The employer will either get the attention of the employee to let him/her know that they are serious; then the employee can decide between two choices -- s/he can either "clean up their act" or s/he can continue the bad performance/conduct and eventually earn him/herself an exit from state government.
Not only that, if the "bad actor" is dealt with, it sends a very positive message to everyone that someone is paying attention (and cares). This is a good message for everyone in the organization -- it also telegraphs to everyone in the organization that they too may need to "clean up their act".
While dismissal of an employee, of any tenure, is always a difficult decision, sometimes it is the only choice. "Pruning the vine" in an honest and fair manner will help promote a healthy organization and a positive and energized workforce.
Monday, November 7, 2011
#34 Managing to Strengths
So you think you hired yourself the perfect employee. You are feeling so good about this person that you know you it will be smooth sailing from here on out. But pretty soon you begin to notice that while s/he performs some duties really well, there are other things that s/he does that are not so great...Oh no, you say! What am I to do now?
You are going to have to attempt to fix this employee's shortcomings -- right? This will include having the dreaded "talk" with the employee. Never a fun thing. I am sure the talk will go something like this, "(name), while you do this really well, I am noticing you are not doing these other things quite up to par". From the employee's perspective s/he hears, "I am doing this whatever really well", and feels good for a moment. However, when the but word comes out of your mouth, the employee hears nothing else. From the employee's viewpoint all s/he can think is "Oh here it comes again", and all s/he hears is "blah..., blah..., blah." Just like in the Charlie Brown cartoon specials.
This attempt to change the shortcomings in an employee seems logical, but does it work? The fact of the matter is that individuals who are not good at something, typically are never going to get much better. You can spend countless hours talking, fretting and sending employees to additional training classes. If someone does not have the talent, ability or motivation, they will never be particularly good at that task(s).
A few years back in a book titled "The Strengths Finder", it was suggested that managers focus on an employee's strengths. If you emphasis his/her strengths and allow the employee to continue to learn and get better at what they do best, all of you will be much happier and productive. The thought is to supplement his/her talents with another employee who is strong in the area that the first employee is not so good in. It creates a win-win situation for both employees, and ultimately for you, the manager, too!
So try managing to strengths and quit spending so much time on an effort that will bring little if any rewards. No more dreaded "talks" -- you and your employee will be very pleased with the results!
You are going to have to attempt to fix this employee's shortcomings -- right? This will include having the dreaded "talk" with the employee. Never a fun thing. I am sure the talk will go something like this, "(name), while you do this really well, I am noticing you are not doing these other things quite up to par". From the employee's perspective s/he hears, "I am doing this whatever really well", and feels good for a moment. However, when the but word comes out of your mouth, the employee hears nothing else. From the employee's viewpoint all s/he can think is "Oh here it comes again", and all s/he hears is "blah..., blah..., blah." Just like in the Charlie Brown cartoon specials.
This attempt to change the shortcomings in an employee seems logical, but does it work? The fact of the matter is that individuals who are not good at something, typically are never going to get much better. You can spend countless hours talking, fretting and sending employees to additional training classes. If someone does not have the talent, ability or motivation, they will never be particularly good at that task(s).
A few years back in a book titled "The Strengths Finder", it was suggested that managers focus on an employee's strengths. If you emphasis his/her strengths and allow the employee to continue to learn and get better at what they do best, all of you will be much happier and productive. The thought is to supplement his/her talents with another employee who is strong in the area that the first employee is not so good in. It creates a win-win situation for both employees, and ultimately for you, the manager, too!
So try managing to strengths and quit spending so much time on an effort that will bring little if any rewards. No more dreaded "talks" -- you and your employee will be very pleased with the results!
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