No one is born knowing
how to be a manager. And whatever your previous job, it did not prepare
you for management work. So if you’ve just become a supervisor, you
must quickly start learning some new skills. The most important of
these is performance management.
Delivering results
through other people is the greatest challenge for most new
supervisors. Before, you only had to worry about your own results – but
now you must motivate others to do their best work. The guidelines
below can help you succeed at this complex task.
1.Start by learning from your employees.
Meet individually with
each person who reports to you to learn about their job. Your goal is
to understand the work they do, how they feel about it, and what they
need from you. Even if you were promoted in the same department, you
need to have these meetings, because you are now in a totally different
role.
2.Then find out how their work is perceived.
Once you fully understand
your department from the employees’ point of view, then you need to
determine how their work is viewed by internal or external customers.
Meet with people who are the recipients of your department’s products or
services and ask for feedback. Make note of departmental strengths and
weaknesses. Share this information with your employees.
3.Figure out what you expect. Tell your
staff.
As the one who will be
doing their performance appraisals, you must let employees know what
“good performance” means to you. What results do you expect? Also,
clarify expectations about work habits. Do you like frequent updates?
Expect everyone to be very punctual? Prefer face-to-face communication
over email? If you knew the previous manager, describe how your
expectations may be different.
4.Recognize that your way is not the only
way.
People have different
work styles. Your own approach to tasks, problems, and decisions is
just one of many ways to get things done. Now that you are supervising
others, you must determine when another style is just as good as, or
even better than, your own.
5.Stay up-to-date with employees’
activities.
Having established
expectations and goals, you need to know whether they’re being met. Set
up regular reports, reviews, or meetings to track progress and
problems. Try to determine the appropriate amount of feedback, because
you don’t want to be either a micromanager or completely clueless.
6.Don’t practice “psychic management”.
For some reason, managers
seem to believe that people should know what they’re thinking. They
often expect employees to correct problems that have never been
discussed. Conversely, they may be quite pleased with someone’s
performance, but never say so. Do not expect employees to read your
mind.
7.Appreciate good work. Recognize
outstanding accomplishments.
People need to hear what
they’re doing well. For everyday tasks that are a normal part of the
job description, express appreciation for ongoing good work. Don’t ever
take it for granted. But if an employee goes above and beyond
expectations, recognize this special performance in a special way.
8.Help employees meet their career goals.
The best managers enjoy
helping people develop and succeed. If you understand employees’ career
goals, you can expose them to helpful opportunities and experiences. In
the process, they’re more likely to be motivated to do their best work
for you.
9.Nip problems in the bud.
When work or work habits
start to head in the wrong direction, address the problem before it
becomes a major issue. If deadlines are suddenly being missed or errors
have begun to increase, simply mention what you have observed. For
example, “I noticed that the last two reports were completed several
days late. You’re usually right on schedule. What happened?”
10.Coach, don’t criticize.
Managers often delay
performance discussions because they fear being critical. But it’s
important to realize that your role is to be a coach, not a judge. When
problems arise, you should describe the situation, explain why it
concerns you, ask for the employee’s input, and agree on a solution. (You
will find more specific coaching suggestions at the link below.)
11.Treat serious problems seriously.
Most performance issues
call for coaching, but when a serious violation occurs, corrective
action may be in order. You must make it very clear that if the
unacceptable behavior ever happens again, serious consequences will
follow. (Corrective actions steps can be found at the link below.)
12.Don’t keep non-performers.
The vast majority of
employees can succeed with the help of an effective coach, role model,
and mentor. But a few people are never going to make it, because they
lack either motivation or ability. Once you have definitely determined
that someone can’t or won’t perform acceptably, then you need to let
them go. Otherwise, their presence will harm your results and
de-motivate your good performers.
13.Hire the right people.
The best way to prevent
performance problems is to hire the right people in the first place.
When filling a position, clearly define your requirements and screen
applicants carefully. If you hire in haste, you may be living with your
mistake for a long time. (Hiring tips can be found at the link
below.)
