Advice for New Managers

Posted by ken on February 3, 2009 under Rockhurst Announcements |

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT.

Performance reviews: Every employee is entitled to know where they stand. The annual performance review should not contain any surprises. A good practice is to keep a Critical Incident File on each subordinate. Anytime your subordinate deviates from expected performance (exceeds or falls short) disuss the situation (problem solve as required) and make a brief entry in a daytimer book (I like the small ones you often get from your insurance company). Thus it is not just a black book with sins and omissions but contains a balance of + and - as these incidents occur. Your employee will then see that you are treating them in a fair and objective manner. Then at the end of the review period you can use these as a basis for reviewing performance without it becoming a “what have you done for me lately that I can remember” session.

LEADERSHIP

There is no one best leadership style.
In general your leadership style should vary with both the willingness (motivation) and capabilty of the employee. Obviously a new employee will need and welcome more direction while an an experienced capable motivated employee will be best managed by delegating goals/ deliverables and leaving task management to them.
ALWAYS TREAT SUBORDINATES WITH CARE AND RESPECT. You can even fire people with care and respect.

Your goal here as a manager is to move your people along. To train/develop them to the point where they can be self managing. You will change your style to suit the individual. Moving from Directive to Coaching to Consulting with (but reserving final decision to yourself) and finally to Delegation when the employee is ready.
In this way you develop self managing, responsible, empowered employees.
If you don’t move through this style continuum you will arrest the development of your subordinates and deny them the satisfaction of “owning” their work”. A person who has always been directed & closely supervised will always need direction and close supervision to function. It really is a self fulfilling prophesy.

NOTE: In a crisis situation you will forget the above and get Directive.

Hope this helps.

Let me know how it all works out.

Ken