Creating Communication Success: Reserve Judgment and Actively Listen
To ensure that you are operating in the best interest of your employee and your company, it’s important to state only the relevant facts and share what you have observed, not what you think about it or generalizations about their behavior. Reserve judgment, don’t make assumptions and keep emotion out of the conversation. Here are some tips to start your conversations:
Conversation Starters:
I’ve noticed that…
I’ve observed that…
A concern I see…
Conversation Killers
I’m disappointed / upset / hurt that…
I can’t believe that…
You always / You never…
Assume Positive Intent in Employee Communication
Ensure that you are coming into the conversation without prejudgment. Assume your employee has the best of intentions and is doing the best they can with the tools and resources that they have. This will automatically create compassion for your employee and will set the tone for your conversations. Many seasoned leaders have had situations where they thought they knew exactly what was going on, only to have an employee throw them a curveball.
Assuming positive intent does not change the outcome of your conversation. It does not mean that you will not be holding your employee accountable for improving their performance, It simply sets the stage for you and the employee to work together toward the common goal of solving the issue.
If assuming positive intent is a challenge for you as a leader, you are not alone. One of the reasons this is so hard is that many leaders achieved success because they were good at their jobs. Not everyone understands and prioritizes work in the same way. Many leaders were great “doers” and rose up the ranks because of this. However, at times, successful leaders cannot understand why others may struggle to “do” as well as they have. If this is a challenge for you, it is important to take a step back and go back to the basics. Not assume that employees are not performing up to expectations because they have ill-intent or are just lazy.
Related Posts
https://www.vantagepoint-hr.com/employee-reviews-establishing-employee-accountability-in-performance-management-conversations/
https://www.vantagepoint-hr.com/setting-the-stage-for-performance-management-success/
