The combination of these four proven elements together is powerful. There are no better techniques to fully engage employees and deal effectively with difficult people in the workplace.
Constructive confrontation can be used to address miscommunication between managers and their direct reports. It can solve many of the problems that occur between coworkers and the difficulties you may be having with you boss. With constructive confrontation, problems are addressed sooner, while they are small and manageable, rather than later, when they've grown so large and unwieldy that any attempt to address them will probably be negative. Dealing with problem behaviors early and repeatedly gives you the most leverage to keep them under control. The natural results of constructive confrontation are increased accountability and reduced conflict between bosses and subordinates.
STEP ONE: CONVERSATION
The cycle of constructive confrontation begins with a conversation. When an employee is being difficult, engage her in a conversation, preferably in her work space. Bringing a subordinate into your office might intimidate her and prevent her from opening up to you.
In discussing whatever behavioral issues there might be, also talk about her job responsibilities and how they are to be carried out. Purposely keep the conversation positive by asking for your subordinate's point of view. How does she perceive her role in the department? What are her expectations of her subordinates, of her colleagues, and of you, her manager? Are her expectations being met? If the individual you're talking to is particularly difficult to work with, she might give you tremendous insight into what makes her act the way she does. If you spend at least twice as much time asking and listening as you do talking and telling, you will learn a great deal of valuable information.
To frame your conversation, go back to the five basic questions that journalists use to gather the news.
WHO? - Other than you and your employee, others may be involved - your employee's coworkers, vendors, even customers. Who are the people affecting this person's job, and who does this person affect?
WHAT? - What are your subordinate's short-term and on-going responsibilities? What are your responsibilities as a boss? Is there any miscommunication about responsibilities or expectations between the two of you?
WHERE? - Where is the subordinate supposed to be at any given time? Is attendance or lateness an issue? Is the subordinate expected to travel? Does the subordinate support the team members in remote locations?
WHEN? - When is your subordinate required to complete tasks and communicate with supervisors - deadlines, reports, and so on? Schedule regular constructive feedback sessions in which you and your subordinate can review whether you are both on task, on schedule, on budget, and on track.
WHY? - Why are you having this conversation with the subordinate? Make sure you clarify the new goals you've set out to achieve and your reasons for requesting the employee to make changes.
HOW? - How is your subordinate going to meet your new expectations? Discuss new approaches she might try to get her job done and to get along with others. Also offer encouragement and tell her how, as manager, you're going to support her efforts.
STEP TWO: COVENANT
Once you've had a constructive conversation with a difficult person and covered the basic questions, it's time to draft a covenant. Have your subordinate write up the basic agreement about what he will do to fulfill his obligations to the organization, including improving his difficult behavior. The covenant clearly sets out who?, what?, when?, where?, why?, and how? You want to engage the subordinate in the process of creating this document, so he doesn't feel the "covenant" is imposed by you. The covenant is your working agreement on realistic and mutually agreed upon job responsibilities and behaviors. You and your employee sign of on it.
STEP THREE: FEEDBACK
Every week, schedule a regular feedback session with your subordinate in her office. At these check-in sessions, confront the action items in the covenant, not the person.
You must hold feedback sessions at specific, prearranged times and at designated intervals (e.g., weekly meetings). If you've kept good records of your initial conversation and have a written covenant with the difficult employee, you'll have all the documentation necessary to check progress against the expectations that you've mutually agreed upon. Monitor how much your employee's performance and behavior have improved and continue to document this progress. If you need to initiate disciplinary or termination proceedings with your subordinate, you will have a well-documented case. Yet if you clearly articulate your expectations and use constructive confrontation immediately to address problems with a difficult employee, it is unlikely that it will come to that.
STEP FOUR: CELEBRATION
Rewarded behavior is repeated behavior. If you want something good to happen more often, recognize it when it does happen. When creating a covenant with a difficult employee, you should not only discuss the employee's expectations and goals, but also discuss how the employee will be recognized for achieving particular milestones. There are thousands of ways to reward employees and most of them are extremely affordable and effective. (For specific advice on how to reward employees, contact the National Association for Employee Recognition at www.recognition.org.)
Celebrations serve several purposes in the constructive confrontation cycle. First, they mark an ending and bring a sense of accomplishment. Second, celebrations are times to reflect on what has been accomplished to date and what still lies ahead. Third, they are springboards for the next phase. Higher productivity and increased performance will be built upon the success of past accomplishments.
Constructive confrontation can be used to address miscommunication between managers and their direct reports. It can solve many of the problems that occur between coworkers and the difficulties you may be having with you boss. With constructive confrontation, problems are addressed sooner, while they are small and manageable, rather than later, when they've grown so large and unwieldy that any attempt to address them will probably be negative. Dealing with problem behaviors early and repeatedly gives you the most leverage to keep them under control. The natural results of constructive confrontation are increased accountability and reduced conflict between bosses and subordinates.
STEP ONE: CONVERSATION
The cycle of constructive confrontation begins with a conversation. When an employee is being difficult, engage her in a conversation, preferably in her work space. Bringing a subordinate into your office might intimidate her and prevent her from opening up to you.
In discussing whatever behavioral issues there might be, also talk about her job responsibilities and how they are to be carried out. Purposely keep the conversation positive by asking for your subordinate's point of view. How does she perceive her role in the department? What are her expectations of her subordinates, of her colleagues, and of you, her manager? Are her expectations being met? If the individual you're talking to is particularly difficult to work with, she might give you tremendous insight into what makes her act the way she does. If you spend at least twice as much time asking and listening as you do talking and telling, you will learn a great deal of valuable information.
To frame your conversation, go back to the five basic questions that journalists use to gather the news.
WHO? - Other than you and your employee, others may be involved - your employee's coworkers, vendors, even customers. Who are the people affecting this person's job, and who does this person affect?
WHAT? - What are your subordinate's short-term and on-going responsibilities? What are your responsibilities as a boss? Is there any miscommunication about responsibilities or expectations between the two of you?
WHERE? - Where is the subordinate supposed to be at any given time? Is attendance or lateness an issue? Is the subordinate expected to travel? Does the subordinate support the team members in remote locations?
WHEN? - When is your subordinate required to complete tasks and communicate with supervisors - deadlines, reports, and so on? Schedule regular constructive feedback sessions in which you and your subordinate can review whether you are both on task, on schedule, on budget, and on track.
WHY? - Why are you having this conversation with the subordinate? Make sure you clarify the new goals you've set out to achieve and your reasons for requesting the employee to make changes.
HOW? - How is your subordinate going to meet your new expectations? Discuss new approaches she might try to get her job done and to get along with others. Also offer encouragement and tell her how, as manager, you're going to support her efforts.
STEP TWO: COVENANT
Once you've had a constructive conversation with a difficult person and covered the basic questions, it's time to draft a covenant. Have your subordinate write up the basic agreement about what he will do to fulfill his obligations to the organization, including improving his difficult behavior. The covenant clearly sets out who?, what?, when?, where?, why?, and how? You want to engage the subordinate in the process of creating this document, so he doesn't feel the "covenant" is imposed by you. The covenant is your working agreement on realistic and mutually agreed upon job responsibilities and behaviors. You and your employee sign of on it.
STEP THREE: FEEDBACK
Every week, schedule a regular feedback session with your subordinate in her office. At these check-in sessions, confront the action items in the covenant, not the person.
You must hold feedback sessions at specific, prearranged times and at designated intervals (e.g., weekly meetings). If you've kept good records of your initial conversation and have a written covenant with the difficult employee, you'll have all the documentation necessary to check progress against the expectations that you've mutually agreed upon. Monitor how much your employee's performance and behavior have improved and continue to document this progress. If you need to initiate disciplinary or termination proceedings with your subordinate, you will have a well-documented case. Yet if you clearly articulate your expectations and use constructive confrontation immediately to address problems with a difficult employee, it is unlikely that it will come to that.
STEP FOUR: CELEBRATION
Rewarded behavior is repeated behavior. If you want something good to happen more often, recognize it when it does happen. When creating a covenant with a difficult employee, you should not only discuss the employee's expectations and goals, but also discuss how the employee will be recognized for achieving particular milestones. There are thousands of ways to reward employees and most of them are extremely affordable and effective. (For specific advice on how to reward employees, contact the National Association for Employee Recognition at www.recognition.org.)
Celebrations serve several purposes in the constructive confrontation cycle. First, they mark an ending and bring a sense of accomplishment. Second, celebrations are times to reflect on what has been accomplished to date and what still lies ahead. Third, they are springboards for the next phase. Higher productivity and increased performance will be built upon the success of past accomplishments.