Why don’t employees do what you want them to do? That was the topic of a book written by Ferdinand Fournies where he collected feedback from nearly 56,000 managers. His research found that two of the top reasons were “They don’t like your way,” and “They think their way is better.” When you’re the boss, you typically exert some control over others, but that doesn’t mean they will always do as told or go the extra mile for you. What if, instead, you asked your staff what they would like to change about their job or the practice?

ACTION STEPS

Here are a few considerations when approaching your staff:

• Set expectations. Let them know you can’t grant everyone’s desire, but you’re open to hearing their ideas and even constructive criticism.
• Be firm on outcome, not process. Have a clear vision of desired outcomes. Dictating the process is often met with resistance.
• Be willing to implement the idea. There’s no point asking for feedback if no further action is taken. In fact, that will reinforce a message that their ideas are not valued. OM