My last blog was titled, “Getting Rid of People Isn’t Always the Answer.” Or course, sometimes it is the right answer but I asked the question, “Have you done everything you can to make an employee successful before you let them go?” This is a big deal.
As the owner/operator or supervisor of people, it is likely that people are your primary business whether you know it or not. Every time you fire someone, consider it a personal failure. Did you hire the wrong person? Did you fail to give them sufficient guidance or training? Did you give them the tools they needed to be successful? And did you do everything you could to help them succeed?
Job Descriptions
Job Descriptions are the cornerstone of hiring for a position and judging the person who fills that positon. Too often I see Job Descriptions that are oriented more towards legal compliance than providing guidance to the person who fills the role. How are they to know what is expected of them if it is not reflected in their Job Description?
Success Plans
One of my clients has introduced the idea of a ‘Success Plan’ for every employee, so I can’t claim I’m the one who thought of this but I sure like this idea. A Success Plan is part Job Description, part career path and mostly very clear guidance of what is expected. More importantly, it tells each employee what they need to do to be successful within the company.
Reviews
Annual reviews seem to be hated by everyone involved, particularly when they are tied to compensation. In my view, annual or semi-annual reviewed are far too infrequent.
The concept of the Success Plan includes much more frequent feedback to the employees to help ensure their success. A formal review should probably be done quarterly but feedback should be provided at least once a week or maybe once every project. Really, why should one wait if the goal is to help the person be successful?
This is different than micromanagement. I’m talking about reviewing, coaching, teaching and mentoring employees, all with the goal of making each person successful. And all of this is within the context of a Success Plan for that employee. That Success Plan includes what the employee needs to learn and master after various periods in their new job. Think of 30, 60, 90 and 180-day goals upon hire.
Is the Problem You?
If you accept my assertion that, as a manager, your stock-in-trade is people, you should be judged by the success of those who work for you. Of course, if you’re the CEO, you’re going to also be judged on financial performance. But every manager should take to heart the goal of doing everything they can to make their people successful.
And If All Else Fails
If you do everything possible to make your direct reports successful and they still don’t succeed, what then? Yes, it is a personal failure for you. But sometimes you just have to terminate somebody and start over. Learn from the experience and resolve to do better the next time.
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