My challenge for you this month: Start having one-on-one talks with employees.

THE REASONS

The majority of staff management problems I hear about trace back to poor communication. Some examples are failure to clarify expectations, poorly defined goals, inadequate training and insufficient performance feedback. Staff meetings are great, but not always the appropriate forum for providing individual feedback.

ACTION STEPS

• Step 1. Notify the staff of your intention to start having one-on-one meetings on a regular basis (i.e. quarterly).
• Step 2. Assure the staff that the intention is not to harp on mistakes or poor performance, but rather to support them by providing positive and corrective feedback, clarifying expectations, answering questions and listening to their concerns. This is an opportunity to both give and receive feedback. Because it’s a private meeting, it’s also a more suitable environment to give critical feedback on areas, such as customer service, that may need improvement.
• Step 3. Document what was agreed upon during this meeting. Having to “account” for performance on a regular basis builds a culture of accountability. OM