Community Blog: Management Education Group

There is a natural tendency to avoid asking questions when you are uncertain as to what the answers will be. As a result, managers often avoid asking questions. Instead, they just tell the employees the answers they really want to hear. It may seem like you are giving up control when you ask an open-ended question that engages the employee. But, it doesn't have to be a scary proposition. One way to encourage dialogue while still guiding the direction of the conversation is to use sideboards to frame the question.

Frame the question with sideboards.

Sideboards are the parameters that frame an issue. They are the "givens." Sideboards are the assumptions you have already made that are non-negotiable. In most situations, there is background information that must be considered before a conversation can progress. Those are the sideboards. Usually there are limitations (time, money, resources, etc.) that must be noted when you are exploring options. Those are the sideboards.

The challenge is to state the sideboards clearly before asking a question that involves the employee in finding the solution. Here are some examples of sideboards in action:

Given our current budget situation...which of our projects is the highest priority?

Assuming we will meet our end of the year objectives, what additional tasks should we pursue?

Knowing that our relationship with this client is tenuous, what options do we have for satisfying this order?

Given the restrictions placed upon us in the regulations, what alternatives should be considered?

As a manager, you can establish parameters that will help employees find workable, effective, and successful solutions to issues and challenges. Think about the sideboards.

 You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Recently, E-Tips has been focusing on the power of questions to build relationships and to engage employees in performance conversations. This month we offer a very subtle but powerful trick for expanding the possibilities of your conversations. Here's the trick:

Use plural nouns to open or extend the other person's perspective.

I don't want to get all "English teacher" on you (that's my husband Steve's job). Still, an awareness of the words you choose will allow you to have a greater impact on the conversations you initiate with employees. You use nouns in all of your open-ended questions anyway. That's how our language works. Now, when you ask for input ask for more than one response. Here are some examples of useful plural nouns:

· Goals rather than goal
· Options rather than option
· Perspectives rather than perspective
· Ideas rather than idea
· Alternatives rather than alternative

What does this look like in a sentence?

What options have you considered to meet the customer's needs?
rather than
What option have you considered to meet the customer's need?

What perspectives can you share about the project?
rather than
What is your perspective about the project?

What ideas do you have for solving the problem?
rather than
What idea do you have for solving the problem?

Plural nouns encourage the employee to consider multiple options and convey your openness to unique approaches. The singular nouns in these examples (option, perspective, idea) limit the response you will receive and do not encourage the employee to participate in the resolution of the issue. Simple, huh?

This month, try to consciously ask more open-ended, option-filled questions and see what you get. Let me know how it goes. Next month we'll talk about how to avoid the "off the wall" or unreasonable answers you may get.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Last month we began a series of tips designed to build your skills in asking powerful questions. You've heard me say time and time again, "questions are the key to a meaningful performance conversation." Last month we explored the concept that paraphrasing allows you to confirm what the employee has said and then redirect the conversation if necessary. This month we'll look at another critical concept of a painless performance conversation:

Make questions open-ended.

This concept is a bit of a "duh." We all know that open-ended questions, those that require more than a yes/no answer, are more appropriate if you are trying to engage the other person in the conversation. Still, how conscious are you of the openness of your daily questions? Here are a few examples.

Example: "Do you like your work?" is not open-ended. You are likely to get a short, blunt answer to a question like this. An alternative way to ask the question which is open-ended is, "What about your work do you most enjoy?" The response is more likely to be robust enough to give you insights into the employee's motivations.

Example: "Are you going to make that mistake again?" is closed-ended and will likely put the employee on the defensive. It is parental in nature and does not allow the employee to participate in the problem-solving. An open ended alternative would be, "What are you going to do next time to make sure the outcome is more effective?"

Example: "Have you considered calling the vendor back?" is a question that is really a directive. You may have a clear picture of what the employee should do. In fact, you may have several suggestions for the employee. In time, you can offer your suggestions. However, if you want to engage the employee in solving the problem or if your goal is to coach them to higher levels of performance in the future, giving them the answer, even in the form of a closed question, is not the most effective approach. Instead, use an open-ended question like, "What solutions have you considered?"

Throughout the next few days, be aware of every question you ask. Are they really open ended questions or are they closed?


You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

If you've been reading e-tips for awhile, you know that powerful questions lead to more meaningful performance conversations. You can't do all the talking and expect an employee to really buy in to your ideas. You have to engage them in the exchange. For most of us but those highly skilled inquisitors, forming thought-provoking questions on the spot can be a challenge. It's a skill that takes some effort to develop. Over the next few months I'll offer tips for developing strong questions off the top of your head. Here's the first tip for creating powerful questions:

Use the context of the situation to paraphrase what has been said
and leverage the conversation in a new direction.

By restating in your own words what the employee has said, you let them know that you have listened. It is also insurance that you will respond in a way that is in line with their perspective. If your paraphrase is not correct in their eyes (or ears) they'll let you know and you can redirect your response accordingly. Paraphrasing is easy. Just tell the employee what you just heard and then follow that with a question that will direct the conversation where you need it to go.

Example: "You say that the workload has become too heavy and that it is
               unreasonable to expect that you can complete all of these tasks in an eight
               hour day. Can you give me some examples of what tasks are more difficult to
               accomplish recently?"

Example: "I know you have been struggling lately with Arlene. You have had several
               conflicts recently and now the two of you are not speaking. What is it going to
               take to get the two of you on productive working terms again?

When we forget to paraphrase we run the risk of misinterpreting the other person. When we misinterpret (something we all do daily) we create a gap between us and the employee. Take the time. It's worth it.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

We are facing workplace challenges many of us have never faced before. If your organization is facing layoffs, reorganizations, or other upheavals, you are probably spending your days looking at budgets and planning for a new reality. You are working hard to make the best decisions to get through this period in a stronger, more nimble position.

While you are focusing on the future, others in your organization may be struggling with the present. How you respond to questions about organizational changes, regardless of the nature of the change, will impact how you are perceived now and in the future. While employees may be asking questions like, "will I have a job?" "who are the decision makers?" and "what options do I have?" you should be asking yourself and your organization's leaders questions like:

· How will we communicate the message of change?

· Where can employees get answers to their questions about organizational changes?

· How will we say goodbye if people will be leaving our organization?

· How will we greet new employees who may be joining us due to restructuring?

· How can we convey compassion and respect for employees who may be facing a loss?

· What resources will be made available to employees who may be laid off?

· How can we refocus the workforce on critical activities like maintaining customer loyalty and
  increasing productivity?

· How can we show appreciation to employees who go the extra mile during tough times?

Regardless of your organization or industry, you are probably facing challenges that you've not faced before. Have you covered all of your bases and considered the impact changes will have on the people you depend upon most?

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Part of a manager's job is to give feedback to employees to help them meet and exceed expectations for performance. It should be easy, right? Just share your perspectives with the employee and they will improve, grow, and develop. As easy as this concept sounds, most managers struggle with giving feedback that is constructive, productive, and received the way it was intended.

Why is feedback so hard to give? One reason is because managers often don't really give feedback; they make judgments. Let's draw a distinction between judgment and feedback. Judgments include opinions or conclusions. Feedback is a presentation of the facts. Here are some other distinctions:

Judgment                                               Feedback
Opinion                                                   Factual
Conclusions                                            Evidence
Conceptual                                             Concrete
Emotion-driven                                        Free of emotional influence
Provided for the benefit of the giver       Provided for the benefit of the receiver
Intended to influence change                 Intended to influence growth


Often, when we intend to provide helpful feedback it is heard as if we are passing judgment. And, when a judgment is lobbed, resistance usually results. An essential principle of a Painless Performance Conversation is to recognize this important difference. Here are some examples:

Judgment: "You didn't prepare enough for that important presentation."

Feedback: "There were critical details and statistics that were not included in your presentation. For example..."

Judgment: "You are not carrying your weight in the office."

Feedback: "You have completed three case files this week. Your peers are completing an average of six case files per week."

Judgment: "You did a great job today! Nice work!"

Feedback: "Your ideas for solving the Jones complaint were innovative and effective. You gave the customer several options, all of which were appropriate given the situation."

Judgment: "Many of your assignments are not getting done thoroughly."

Feedback: "This month there were four projects that were not submitted by the deadline that we agreed upon."

Feedback is the tool great managers use to encourage self-assessment and accountability. It takes some thought but the results are more meaningful to the employee and more productive for the manager. The last time you gave an employee feedback, was it really feedback or was it judgment?

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com.  I'd love to hear from you! 

We're all getting into the social networking thing these days. It's fun to use Facebook to reconnect with old friends. Twitter is allowing me to follow Lance Armstrong's attempt to reach the top of the cycling world once again. But can we use this hip new technology for something as mundane as performance reviews? Jena McGregor in this week's Business Week says it's being done.

According to McGregor, private firms, including Accenture, have developed a Facebook-like application which allows employees to post status updates and weekly goals. Managers can pose questions and comments related to employee performance. It's real-time feedback that today's employees crave and this technology provides the tools--supposedly.  Accenture is hoping to sell its software to outside clients once its ready.  They say the software is more about motivating employees than about evaluating them.

But could something like this work in your organization? Most of the performance management systems I see are form-driven events that are more painful than developmental. Managers avoid giving feedback until they have to (if at all).  Employees have learned that "no news is good news."  Could a real-time review system using today's web-based tools be the answer to these long-standing problems with performance evaluations in the public sector?  

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com.  I'd love to hear from you! 

 

In my last blog posting I offered five tips for building managerial confidence. These tips included:

1. If not you, then who?
2. Build mastery.
3. Model successful people.
4. Practice visualization.
5. Mind your negative thoughts.

To see the full article click here.

Those five tips were only the start. Here are five more tips for boosting your confidence as a performance manager:  

1. Have the toughest conversation today. Performance conversations can be uncomfortable for everyone involved. The longer you put them off, the harder they become. Build your confidence by tackling the toughest issues today. The sooner you address a concern, the sooner the employee can begin to make adjustments.

2. Wait through the silence. In tough conversations, there's a lot going on in the minds of everyone involved. Because emotions are competing for space in the brain with facts, a little silence can provide the necessary space for everyone to think. Stop talking and wait to hear what the other person has to say. The more you hear from them, the more you'll understand and the more they'll understand.

3. Shift your focus. We often enter performance conversations with the goal of "fixing" something or someone. Many times, there is no "fix" for the issue; rather, a shift in perspective is in order. Before you enter your next performance conversation, consider these shifts:
   -focus on what's right, not what's wrong
   -focus on what you have, not what you don't have
   -focus on solutions, not problems

4. Ask for reassurance. Sometimes we need a little boost from one another. Ask someone close to you for some reassurance before you dive into a tough conversation. Your boss, a colleague, a representative from Human Resources--all of these individuals can be a sounding board to remind you that you are doing the right thing by having the conversation.

5. You don't have to be PERFECT all the time. Remember that the conversation is just the beginning and that you may not see dramatic changes from one exchange. Even if the conversation doesn't result in the immediate changes you envisioned, you have had an impact. Be patient and follow-up, if necessary.

Some conversations are just tough. They cause our hands to sweat, our heart to pound, and our mouth to go dry. Still, you can convey confidence and strength in your approach. It just takes a little work.  

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com.  I'd love to hear from you! 

A primary goal of our new Painless Performance Conversations workshop is to build confidence in leaders so that they can successfully conduct the tough, yet important, conversations with employees. Here are five tips for boosting your confidence as a performance manager: 

1. If not you, then who? Remind yourself that when it comes to helping an employee enhance or modify their performance, there's no one else who has that direct responsibility. If you are expecting something other than what you are getting, you are the best person to raise the issue.

2. Build mastery. Feeling confident in your role as a leader takes practice. Take little steps each day to practice having performance conversations. Separate attitudes from behaviors and focus on providing specific feedback related to the behaviors you observe. Little by little you'll build confidence as you become more proficient.

3. Model successful people. Identify other leaders within your organization who appear to confidently conduct performance conversations. Watch how they deliver the tough messages. Listen to the questions they ask. Model your approach after those you admire.

4. Practice visualization. Before you enter into a performance conversation, use a planner to imagine yourself confidently and successfully leading the discussion. Even if you don't write out a plan, just think about the steps you'd like the conversation to follow. The conversation probably won't go as you planned, but having a roadmap will give you the confidence you need to get back on track when you are hit with a surprise.

5. Mind your negative thoughts. Do you find yourself thinking, "Oh, I don't want to have this conversation." or "I'll just wait to see if the employee changes...?" These thoughts do nothing but slow you down. They aren't helpful and do nothing to build your confidence. Try to catch yourself when you see that you are using these statements and replace them with positive self talk.

Some conversations are just tough. They cause our hands to sweat, our heart to pound, and our mouth to go dry. Still, you can convey confidence and strength in your approach. It just takes a little work.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you! 

For many people today, the comfortable stability that we grew accustomed to has been rocked.  Everyone will get through these difficult times.  Many will even recover in a way that is bigger and better than before.  What will make the difference? I believe that resiliency is the factor that differentiates those who survive tough times and those who thrive.  Resiliency is the ability to bounce back after failure or disappointment.  It’s the ability to learn from difficulties and quickly move to a new, better place. What do resilient people do?  How can you become more resilient?  Click here to read the rest of the e-tip and a few thoughts on how you can become more resilient.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you! 

As a manager you've probably faced some tough employee situations. Many of those "tough" situations often involve an employee not doing what you expect them to do or not delivering on what they were hired to produce. These situations are tough because they require you to have a conversation to address the issue. And, in these tight economic times, you and your organization cannot afford poor performance. Yet, many managers would rather avoid the conversation, waiting to see if the issue will resolve itself. Are you one of those who avoid the tough conversations? Click here to read the rest of Marnie's article, "You Have to Have Guts."

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

During a time of budget cuts and layoffs, employees look to you, their manager, for the critical information they crave.  The reality is that you may not know the answers to their questions.  Still, your responses send strong emotional signals about your ability to lead under pressure.  Before you respond to those answerless questions remember these 4 suggestions. Click here to see the rest of this month's e-tip.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email , or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd Love to hear from you!

This month's tip is to involve employees in finding solutions rather than prescribing the solutions for them. When we tell someone what they need to do, especially when our advice is not asked for, it's kind of like wagging your finger in their face. No one likes to be told what to do.  Click here to see the rest of this month's e-tip, including some warning signs that you are being prescriptive, rather than involving others in the solution.

You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at ww.managementeducationgroup.com. I'd love to hear from you!

Is there a conversation you need to have with an employee that you're avoiding because you know it's going to be unpleasant? With the job of supervision comes the task of addressing problems or tough issues even though you'd rather not. We procrastinate. We "wait and see" if the problem will take care of itself. We avoid the issue. In most cases, the waiting only makes the situation bigger and more hairy.

Over the next few months, our e-tips will offer some ideas for having more productive and painless performance conversations.  Click here to view this month's e-tip article and my first tip.  You can also r eply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com.   I'd love to hear from you! 

Performance evaluations are one of those things we just do in organizations. And often we don't really know why the heck we're doing them. I recently asked a group of employees why we do performance evaluations. I asked, "Why do we bother to design fancy forms, conduct training, and write policies for performance evaluations?" The group of 25 just stared at me. One guy finally spoke up and said, "Is it to determine our pay?" When I asked whether his pay was determined by his annual performance evaluation, he said, "Well no, not really." Clearly we had some work to do.

Performance evaluations can have valuable, meaningful outcomes, for employees as well as for organizations. Click here to read the rest of this e-tip article and to find more helpful hints for completing or receiving a performance evaluations.  You can also reply to this blog with your comments, send me an email, or visit me online at www.managementeducationgroup.com.   I'd love to hear from you!