Who's Responsible for Employee Success?
Cathie Leimbach • July 15, 2020
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When I facilitate client meetings, every person in the room shares their perspective on the matter at hand and contributes ideas of how to move forward. Managers are often shocked at the positive energy and quality of input from their staff. Why are so many leaders, managers, and supervisors unaware of their staff’s potential and their value to the organization?
One reason is that few managers ask questions. There is a tendency for supervisors to give their staff day-by-day, or even hour-by-hour, specific instructions on what to do next, or they leave their staff alone to figure everything out by themselves. Few managers invest a lot of time using an intermediate approach. Daily or weekly two-way conversations between staff members and supervisors are relatively uncommon. Without such discussions, supervisors are unaware of their staff’s strengths and interests so can’t leverage their potential.
And, when staff don’t interact with others at work, they don’t feel valued. Their enthusiasm and productivity drop. Then, managers get frustrated with employee apathy and mediocre productivity.
Leaders push staff to work harder. Staff complain that managers aren't helpful or expectations aren't clear. Decades of Gallup research has revealed that the staff's assessment of the problem is pretty accurate. 70% of the factors that contribute to disappointing morale, engagement, productivity, and profit are the responsibility of managers.
So, what is the root cause of mediocre organizational outcomes? IT’S THE MANAGER!
Effective managers have servant hearts. They develop the skills needed to help their staff be the best they can be. They manage by asking questions that inspire great conversations and by becoming competent in the fifteen core skills of effective management. Unfortunately, this description of an effective manager does not describe the majority of managers.
What will you do this week to move beyond average? What is your next step to becoming a manager who leads with excellence and develops a healthy, high performance workplace team?
An empty workstation gets your attention. What caused it should keep your attention. When attendance becomes a problem, the first response is often to review the policy, document the absence, or find someone to cover the shift. Those things may be necessary. But they don't tell you why the problem is happening. A conversation might. Instead of starting with “Why do you keep calling off?” try “I've noticed you've missed several days recently. What’s going on?” Then listen. You may hear about something outside of work. But you may also discover frustration with a supervisor, conflict with a coworker, unclear expectations, scheduling difficulties, or an employee who no longer feels valued. Understanding the reason doesn't mean ignoring attendance expectations. It means you know what you're actually dealing with. Also, look for patterns. Is absenteeism higher on one shift? In one department? Under one supervisor? Did it increase after a schedule or leadership change? Those patterns may tell you where another conversation needs to happen. Most importantly, don't wait until attendance becomes a disciplinary issue to start talking. Check in with employees. Ask what's making their work harder. Ask what they need from their supervisor. And when someone raises a concern or makes a suggestion, be sure to tell them what action you are taking or why their idea won’t be implemented. The goal isn't to eliminate accountability. It's to address problems before accountability is the only conversation left. Conversation is Where Leadership Happens™ You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on September 21. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
Absenteeism is expensive. Every unexpected absence costs more than a day's wages. Someone else may need to work overtime. Priorities get reshuffled, service slows, projects fall behind, and customers notice. Before long, absenteeism starts taking money right out of your pocket. That's why many organizations turn to attendance policies, incentives, disciplinary action, or tighter oversight. But what if those approaches are addressing the symptom rather than what's really going on? Most people don't wake up one morning and suddenly decide they don't care about their work. Disengagement usually happens gradually. People stop sharing ideas. They stop feeling heard. They begin doing only what's required. Eventually, some stop showing up. By the time absenteeism is brought to your attention, the real issue may have been growing for weeks—or even months. If absenteeism has become a recurring challenge, don't just ask, "How do we reduce call-offs?" Instead, ask "What happened before people stopped wanting to show up?" That question may lead you somewhere an attendance report never will—and may ultimately save far more than overtime costs. Attendance problems. Accountability. Difficult conversations. Team conflict. Every leader faces workplace people challenges, and few have been taught exactly what to do when they arise. Talking through your challenges with others can be helpful. Ask questions of your network. Get some ideas online. Sometimes another perspective is exactly what you need to see the situation differently. You Don't Need to Go It Alone. Bring your workplace people challenges to the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic on August 17. Gain insights from Cathie Leimbach and other attendees as you explore practical ways to handle the situations you're facing. Register here for the FREE Workplace Conversations Clinic
