No Bull Business Blog

ManageElite: Great new tool for training managers

Most managers get little to no training. Yet they need it as much or more as anyone on the staff. Biggest problem? Getting the time to train. And it’s always expensive. Here's a new product that is extraordinarily affordable (only $37 a month for unlimited use) and fits every manager's schedule.

A new product called ManageElite just launched and it’s perfect for getting managers the training they need. It’s online and the training modules are short – only 10 to 20 minutes long. And it is interactive. Plus, it’s real practical stuff and many of the modules have real-life scenarios that require the manager to make choices.

And managers can do the training right at their desks – at any time. Even on weekends when they are at home.

There are also other interactive pieces and PDF handouts in many cases.

The modules cover everything from Handling Difficult Conversations to Interviewing job applicants to doing Performance Review. Plus, there are modules on those tricky compliance issues like Sexual Harassment, Workplace Bias and Retaliation.

But one of the best points, is that it really affordable. ManageElite's charter subscription is only $37 a month, though the cost will eventually go up. But charter subscribers will lock in at $37.

Check out the site at ManageEliteTraining.com

The "Dirty Dozen" of performance reviews

Excerpted from the Executive Report – Performance Reviews: Best – and Worst Ways to Do Them

Here are the 12 biggest mistakes supervisors habitually make in performance reviews:

1. They do not adequately prepare for the review, and they do not allow enough time for the process, rushing through it.
2. They regard the review as a waste of time. This becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy when they just go through the motions of giving all employees a "C" as a cop-out for not giving specific and pointed feedback.
3. They base the review on a score according to meaningless criteria. Does it really matter if someone scores 90% or 95% on attendance? Attendance problems can be dealt with separately through normal discipline.
4. They fear the employee's response. Many supervisors still avoid giving constructive criticism and suggestions for improvement because they fear a confrontation with the employee.
5. They lack training in how to give constructive feedback and have not sought it out on their own.
6. They are uncomfortable siting down one-on-one with employees to talk about performance and attitude.
7. They are plagued by anxiety over any possible area of disagreement with the employee being reviewed, instead of accepting it as a natural part of the process.
8. They let the review process reflect their own poor management skills.
9. They hide behind other supervisors - if other supervisors don't make a special effort on the performance evaluations of their personnel, why should they?
10. They use the performance review only to lay blame, instead of using it as an opportunity to point out the good and the bad. You want to praise good deeds so the employee will repeat them.
11. They don't want to say negative things. Everybody likes to play Santa Claus and give away raises and praises, but not everybody is comfortable sharing necessary bad news, and can do it in a way that is uplifting and points to a better future.
12. They save up some negative feedback to surprise the employee with it at performance review time since they believe they have to have something negative to say. Necessary criticism should be given out over events as they occur in real time, not "saved up" and stored for review time. The best reviews are the ones where there are no surprises on either side, the supervisor or the employee.

DIGGING DEEPER
Lawyers will tell you that if you aren’t going to do performance reviews the right way, then you’re better off not doing them at all. Find out the right way in this Executive Report – Performance Reviews: Best – and Worst Ways to Do Them

When to give negative feedback

Excerpted from the Executive Report: 47 Ways to Deliver Effective Feedback.

Negative feedback - for obvious reasons - can be tricky. If you learn of a situation and realize you have to reprimand an employee, the key is to wait until you're ready. That means: Get your emotions under control and carefully plan what you're going to say.

You don't want to wait too long from the time the event occurred. Just like positive feedback, you want the situation fresh in everyone's mind. But sometimes it's best for everyone if you wait a few hours - or even until the following day - to deliver negative feedback.

Ask yourself, "Am I able to deliver this feedback in a calm and objective manner?"

If the answer is "yes," go for it.

DIGGING DEEPER
One of the keys to being a successful manager is giving feedback to employees. For additional help, read the Executive Report: 47 Ways to Deliver Effective Feedback.

 

Employee discipline: Too little, too late

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Disciplining Employees - The Right Way to Do It

Managers tend to be focused on one thing: Productivity.

They don't want to deal with disciplinary problems any more than an employee wants to be disciplined.

It's easy to let small things slide because bringing up minor problems sometimes seems like more trouble than it's worth. You pick your battles.

And who wants to stir the pot, and maybe make an enemy, when it's already hard enough to meet monthly goals?

The last thing a manager wants is for a disciplinary action to create a wider staff morale problem.

It's an understandable rationale ... but it's flawed. Those small issues rarely go away by themselves - indeed, they almost always get worse.

And by not taking action, managers send employees the message that undesirable behavior will be accepted, or - even worse - hasn't even been noticed.

Delay has another adverse impact on the manager. As the problem worsens, it's common for managers to build up resentment against the employee - and that can warp the supervisor's perspective in a way that makes it difficult to eventually deal with the person in an objective and positive way.

DIGGING DEEPER
Poor performance and unacceptable behavior are inevitable. And too often the dread of disciplining employees stops managers from taking immediate action to resolve the issues. Find out what managers need to do by reading the Executive Report: Disciplining Employees - The Right Way to Do It.

Time to fire? Don't wait

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear – What Employers Need to Know

Sometimes managers fear pulling the trigger on a termination out of fear that other employees might "think I'm a bad person." It's a common sentiment, and a misplaced one, too.

Remember: Good employees know who the bad ones are. Good people are looking to management to do something about it.

If an employee's not performing up to standards, his or her co-workers know it. They're probably wondering why the person's still around, and they're likely growing resentful that they're fulfilling their duties while the other worker isn't.

The longer managers wait before proceeding to the actual termination, the more respect they can lose in the eyes of their other workers.

Employees prefer to work for supervisors who enforce high standards evenly, uniformly and fairly.

DIGGING DEEPER
Firing an employee isn’t fun. But to keep a bad employee is a huge mistake. Need help? Read the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear – What Employers Need to Know

Seven things not to say

Excerpt from the Executive Report: Document, Document, Document - What Every Manager Needs to Know About Tracking Performance and Problems

Good documentation lists specific events and examples, clearly identifying issues that need to be addressed. So some words and phrases weaken good documentation because they're either too vague or too hard to prove.

Avoid using these seven when documenting performance or problems:

1. Perhaps
2. Possibly
3. I think
4. Never
5. Every time
6. Always
7. It seems

DIGGING DEEPER
Documenting employee performance or problems is key to being a good manager. To do it the right way, read the Executive Report: Document, Document, Document - What Every Manager Needs to Know About Tracking Performance and Problems

The trap of the 'at-will' myth

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear – What Employers Need to Know

The vast majority of states operate under the "at-will" doctrine of employment, which gives both employers and employees the right to terminate a working relationship at any time, for any reason - or for no reason at all.

But the at-will doctrine often provides supervisors with a false sense of security: "Hey, we're operating on an at-will basis here. If I want to fire 'em, I fire 'em. I don't need a reason."

That's only true up until the point that the employee actually sues for discrimination or retaliation, or any number of other possible violations.

When the employee's attorney asks the manager why the person was dismissed, the manager answers, "I didn't have a reason. I didn't need one. He was an at-will employee, so I was within my rights to fire him."

What happens next is a classic case of filling in the blanks ... to suit your own agenda.

Since the manager left the reason for the firing essentially "blank," the lawyer simply begins filling in that blank with past interactions between the employee and the manager, portrayed solely from the employee's point of view and tilted in the employee's favor.

And because the manager has no documentation and no stated reasons for the firing, it's very hard to counter whatever bias allegations the employee might be claiming.

It's the plaintiff's attorney's job to create the suspicion of discrimination in the minds of jurors. In the courtroom, years after the encounters have occurred, that's not hard for a good lawyer to do if the manager has no documents supporting his or her actions.

And that's why employers are well-advised - even in at-will situations - to not only establish good reasons for firing an employee, but to be sure to create the critical documentation that backs up the decision.

DIGGING DEEPER

Yes, managers can terminate problem employees. In fact, problem employees make it easy, but managers still need to follow some basic rules. For the right way, read the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear – What Employers Need to Know

The right way to give verbal warnings

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Verbal warnings are a reliable first step when trying to get people back on the right track without making a to-do of things.

But it can be a bit of a judgment call.

A non-specific verbal warning, such as "Bob, you need to dial up your attention to detail" probably isn't worth the time it'd take to make a written record of the interaction.

It doesn't say enough.

Instead, try: "Bob, today is the third day in a row you failed to put the extra washer on the thingamajig. You know that step's been added to the assembly process, and I've mentioned it to you several times, and it is mandatory. I'm going to be monitoring your attention to detail, and if you continue to make the same mistake, I will have to move on to the next disciplinary step."

After an encounter such as that, a manager should make a written note of the interaction - as precisely as possible - making sure to include exactly what the employee was told, the date and time of day. Also include the employee's actions or response.

The paperwork should be filed away, but since it is a written record of a verbal warning, it is not necessary to get the employee to sign off on the document at this point.

If the employee then fails to improve, the manager might begin a more formal process of progressive discipline.

And in the first write-up, the manager should refer to earlier verbal coaching: "As we've discussed on several occasions, your attention to detail ..."

If the employee claims he wasn't given prior notice that his performance or behavior was unacceptable, the manager has the earlier notes to fall back on, and can and should recount the specifics of those earlier interactions with the worker again.

DIGGING DEEPER
Managers too often let fears of legal repercussions cloud their judgment about pulling the trigger on terminations. For help, get the Executive Report: Terminating Without Fear - What Employers Need to Know

Boss fires employee on Facebook

There is no question that some employees have posted dumb comments on their Facebook pages, but it may be even dumber for the boss (who has been “friended”) to answer back. TheNextWeb.com shares one such exchange between an employee and the boss. After the employee called the boss a “pervvy wanker” on her Wall, the boss replied by blasting her incompetence, called her a few choice names and fired her in the post.

That’s extreme, but the problem for companies is growing. A recent Proofpoint survey of companies with more than a 1,000 employees said that 8% of the companies had terminated employees for their posts on sites, such as Facebook and Linkedin. That twice what it was a year ago.

DIGGING DEEPER
To head off trouble and to make sure everyone in the company knows what’s acceptable, it pays to have a written policy. To get help, read the Executive Report: Facebook, Twitter and Your Employees: The Dangers of Social Networking

Are you stressing out your employees?

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Why Good People Burn Out – and How You Can Stop It

As much as you and your employees don't want to suffer from stress and burnout, you could be the "cause" of the stress. Here are some things to watch out for:

• Setting unrealistic goals. Imposing highly ambitious goals on employees will daunt and discourage, rather than motivate, them. If you have tough goals they must achieve, break them into smaller parts before presenting them.
• Looking at the dark side. If you always look at the downside or harp on what's wrong - and allow others to do it - you can bet employees will become de-motivated and stressed. Instead, mention the bright side of every tough circumstance you and your people face. Encourage employees to suggest changes for things they don't like.
• Us vs. them talk. Managers often don't want employees angry at them, so they unintentionally remove themselves from potential guilt. (For instance, "I fought for your pay raise, but you know HR makes the final decision.") Leaders need to stand behind decisions they've made or have been made regarding their employees.
• Allowing some people to slide. Managers who let poor performers get by or allow bad behavior to continue will derail good employees. Confront those issues until they're fixed or gone.
• Talking more than you listen. Whether you deliver bad news or offer an opposing opinion, your employees will want to vent about it. Let them, because that may be all they need to get over it.
• Jumping to conclusions. One person rarely knows how another person feels, so avoid telling employees how they should react or feel in any situation. Let them react and then talk about solutions.
• Poor listening. Nothing is more irritating than not being heard. Paraphrase, take notes or do anything to show employees you care.
• Reacting to anger or anxiety. This only adds fuel to the fire. Instead, keep an even tone and deal with similar situations uniformly.
• Bad habits. Ask a trusted colleague (or loved one), what habits you have that can get on people's nerves.

DIGGING DEEPER

So, are your employees stressed out? Find out what you can do by reading the Executive Report: Why Good People Burn Out – and How You Can Stop It.

The dangers of Facebook, Twitter, blogging in the workplace

Excerpted from the Executive Report - Facebook, Twitter and Your Employees: The Dangers of Social Networking

Employees are flocking to social network sites. Every organization needs to have a written policy on use of social networking sites by employees - for the good of both employees and the company.

A recent Harris Interactive survey found that just under half (48%) of U.S. adults have either a MySpace or Facebook account.

Usage statistics are much lower for Twitter, with only 5% of Americans saying they currently use it. But that number doesn't tell the whole story.

Twitter grew 1,382% year-over-year as of February 2009, registering a total of just more than 7 million unique visitors in the U.S. for the month.

As you might expect, there are substantial differences in who is and who isn't using these selected social networking sites:

• Three-fourths of those ages 18-34 (74%) have a Facebook or MySpace account, but this quickly drops off the older people get. Just under
• one-quarter (24%) of those ages 55+ have an account.
• Tweeting's also more common among the young, but not by much; only 8% of 18-34-year-olds use Twitter, while 7% of those ages 35-44 use it, 4% of those ages 45-54 and only 1% of those ages 55+ use it.
• While men and women use Twitter at the same levels (5% each), women are more likely to have a Facebook/MySpace account (52% vs. 45%).
• There's also an educational difference in usage of MySpace and Facebook. Two in five people with a high school degree or less (40%) have a Facebook or MySpace account, compared with 55% of those with some college and 52% of those with at least a college degree.

DIGGING DEEPER
To protect your company and employees, it's smart to have a policy to explains what's acceptable and what's not. To find out more, get the Executive Report - Facebook, Twitter and Your Employees: The Dangers of Social Networking

Prima donnas: Are they worth keeping?

Excerpted from the Executive Report: The 7 Most Disruptive Workplace Issues - and How to Handle Them

No question, prima donnas are often valuable to companies. Start-ups especially benefit from the high-powered energy that prima donnas can bring to the table.

But there are times that these employees are simply more trouble than they're worth. And then management has a critical decision to make.

A few questions to ask:

• What's this person's effect on morale? Did good employees jump ship because of this person's behavior?
• How much extra staff time is spent dealing with this person?
• Is he/she really the only employee who can handle this assignment?

The answers will indicate whether it's appropriate to make internal adjustments or end the relationship. Sometimes, jettisoning the top-performing prima donna may be less painful than managers fear it's going to be.

Other employees (rejoice) step up to fill the vacuum, and morale gets a boost.

There's an old saying: "The cemetery is full of indispensable people." That sort of puts it back in perspective.

DIGGING DEEPER
Keeping employees focused has gotten more difficult. So no manager can afford the distractions that a disruptive employee causes. Get the help you need in the Executive Report: The 7 Most Disruptive Workplace Issues - and How to Handle Them

You can't treat every employee the same

Excerpted from the Executive Report: 6 Dumb Ways to Kill Morale - and What You Can Do to Fix It

It's human nature to look at other people through our own prism. When people are very different from us, we have a much more difficult time understanding where they're coming from. Two people facing identical problems or sets of circumstances often choose very different actions.

Does that mean one is smart and the other is dumb? As managers, we may see it that way, but the different actions most likely have very little to do with smarts or lack thereof. People do things more because of their own intrinsic nature than because of any real or perceived lack of expertise or intelligence.

Managers who play to people's strengths do a better job of making new hires work. The easy part is to identify skill sets. It's much harder to identify the behavioral nature that fits the job - that's where most mistakes in people management are made.

DIGGING DEEPER
Managing people is the hardest thing we do. Motivating them and keeping morale up is never ending. For help, read the Executive Report: 6 Dumb Ways to Kill Morale - and What You Can Do to Fix It

Don't waste time on the turkeys

Excerpted from the Executive Report: Turning Good Employees into Great Managers – A Guide for New Managers

If you have a bad apple on your team. Is it better to try and salvage the person or just get rid of that person?

Clearly if the person can do the job and just isn't trying or is goofing off, you want to put some energy into salvaging that individual. New managers often think they can - and should - try to save everyone.

But they shouldn't spend too much of their time on that.

The top commodity a new manager offers to the organization is his or her time. And if you waste too much of it on a lost cause, you're turning yourself into overhead and others you manage will notice. 

To simplify, you can break your employees into three categories:

• eagles: top performers who fly and soar
• robins: folks who come to work and get the job done, but who don't rise to the top
• turkeys: self-explanatory.

Ask: Where am I spending the majority of my time and energy? Nine out of 10 managers will say the lion's share goes to the turkeys - and that's not good!

Best approach: Spend most of your time encouraging the eagles to keep soaring and develop the robins to become eagles.

Spend just enough time with the turkeys to let them know they need to get better - or else.

DIGGING DEEPER

The key to business success is managing people. For more help, check out the Executive Report: Turning Good Employees into Great Managers – A Guide for New Managers

What nervous employees don't want to hear

Employees are quite antsy these days. So be careful what you say. BuzzWhack.com listed the top 10 things not to say, including:

• "I've always thought of us as family around here, but ..."
• "Can I see you in the conference room"

And our favorite is: "They've asked everyone to come to the Employee Appreciation Room for a 4 p.m. meeting."

See the full list and another 10 that readers offered up at BuzzWhack: Top 10 things nervous employees don't want to hear right now