Quirky Employee Behaviors- The Walking, Talking Infirmary

Isn’t absolutely amazing how one person can possibly contact every germ, bug and virus that exists in the universe? Well most of us have had the distinct honor of working with one or more of these individuals over the course of our work life. These are the employees that can hear you talking about one of your distant relatives having the flu, and they call in with flu symptoms the very next day. It is nothing short of miraculous how these individuals will contract everything from the common cold to a highly contagious virus (requiring days of in-home quarantine...of course) at the drop of a hat.  This unfortunate cycle seems to continue throughout the employee's marginal career.

These employees seem to be the unlucky souls who are constantly suffering with mysterious symptoms that leave their doctors stumped. They come to work wheezing, sneezing, coughing, dripping, sweating and seem to come just short of seizing. Not only are they frequently leaving work to go to their own doctor appointments, but they are also constantly running their family members (including fourth cousins twice removed) to their medical appointments as well. They need to be at every family member’s surgery, biopsy and tooth extraction. Clearly the extended family unit could not continue functioning without this employee being the focal point of all medical activity.

These employees also seem to get sick at the worse possible times. It does not appear that they have any regard for the impact their absenteeism has on their company or their fellow employees. Half the department could be out due to meetings, valid leaves of absence and/or vacations, and this employee will still call in sick with some random case of the bubonic plague.

CRYING WOLF SYNDROME
This type of employee defines the 'crying wolf syndrome'. They make a huge deal over every sniffle and cough, causing you to become desensitized to their many medical dramas. Just keep in mind that one of these days, one of their issues may end up being a serious medical condition. So although you really want to roll your eyes every time you see them coming, or hear their voice on the phone, you need to maintain your objectivity. If this latest issue is truly related to a serious medical condition, you have an obligation to discuss their right to apply for a medical leave of absence and/or FMLA (check your company policy). 

THE DREADED ATTENDANCE DISCUSSION
Although the employees with constant minor medical dramas can absolutely drain you of time better spent on other employees, you must not prejudge whether their latest story is true; just follow the guidelines established by your company for addressing attendance issues. Suggestions for an attendance meeting are as follows:

• Have a fellow supervisor/manager as a witness and ask them to take detailed notes.
• Thank the employee for joining you.
• Explain that you have noticed that their absenteeism seems to have increased and is bordering on excessive.
• At this point, the employee will most likely launch into the conversation and will begin unloading EVERYTHING regarding their health and the health of their family and closest friends. Make sure you listen carefully and try to determine whether there is any aspect of the story that sounds like it may be related to a serious medical condition related to the employee or an immediate family member.
• Again, explain that you are concerned about their level of absenteeism and if the situation is related to their own serious medical condition, or that of an immediate family member, then they need to consider applying for a medical/FMLA leave of absence.
• Most front-line supervisors/managers are not typically expected to know the details behind FMLA. Your role is to advise the employee of their right to pursue FMLA.
• If the employee expresses interest, inform the employee that you will be getting in touch with your HR representative. Make sure to contact HR that day!
• Have your company’s attendance policy available and make sure you reiterate the policy.
• If the explanations for the absences are random, and have nothing to do with a chronic medical condition, it is time to explain the consequences for their current level of attendance and any additional absences.
• If you are intending to issue some type of disciplinary action due to the random nature of the absenteeism, and then make sure you let the employee know that this documentation is forthcoming within the next few days. You don’t want to just spring it on them or they may feel like it is double-jeopardy (you already talked to them about the issue and are now coming back again to whack them over the head with it).
• Document the conversation and proceed with formal disciplinary action related to the employee’s attendance, if appropriate.

It is rare that these types of employees actually end up pursuing FMLA. There is stringent criteria for qualifying for FMLA, including physicians’ statements and a relatively frequent review of the employees medical information. Often times once an employee has a full understanding of what is required to qualify for FMLA, you won’t hear much more about it. As long as you have advised the employee of their rights under FMLA (do it with a witness present), and the employee either fails to apply or fails to qualify, you should continue to forge ahead with holding the employee accountable to the attendance guidelines. I strongly suggest you reach out to your HR representative to partner with them as you work through these issues; they can be tricky and have negative consequences for the employer if not handled appropriately.

SUMMARY
Putting this employee ‘in a box’ by strictly enforcing your company’s attendance policy is your only hope for forcing them into a decision. They can modify their behavior and begin showing up for work every day, or face termination where they can take their show on the road to another unsuspecting employer. Regardless of their decision, maintain your professionalism and your efforts will pay off in the end.

 

Quirky Employee Behaviors- Liar Liar Pants on Fire!!

LET'S MEET LIAR LIAR PANTS ON FIRE
Throughout my leadership journey, I have had the privilege of working with some incredibly challenging employees. Among the most difficult to manage were those who, as they say, would lie when the truth would serve them better. Oh yes, those special individuals who can lie with a frightening level of ease and conviction. This ridiculous behavior is an alarming factor in many a workplace, and it is emotionally draining and time-consuming to deal with.

These types of employees seem comfortable lying about everything from what they had for dinner last night to being the long lost heir to a famous family's fortune. But the most disturbing of the lies I have heard are from employees who claim to be suffering from a life threatening medical condition. Although I am not qualified to diagnose the underlying issue, this level of deceit is downright frightening.

Suffice it to say, if an employee is comfortable lying to their co-workers about suffering from a terminal illness, you don’t have much hope of ever being able to trust a single word they say! How do you work with someone who is absolutely devoid of integrity? A significant element of your leadership role is creating a strong professional relationship with your team, and the last time I checked, one of the key elements in any relationship is trust. So how in the heck does a leader deal with someone who is a chronic liar??

DEALING WITH A CHRONIC LIAR IN THE WORKPLACE
One of the main challenges of dealing with these individuals is it becomes very tempting to try to ‘out’ them on their latest lie. I mean let’s face it, listening to a barrage of colorful lies on a daily basis could have even worn Mother Theresa down. However, your objective is to treat the employee with dignity and respect, and maintain a high degree of professionalism at all times. Trying to poke holes in their latest fabrication just makes it personal, and detracts from the real goal which is holding the employee accountable for the expectations of their job. That is the key to dealing with the workplace liar. Stay focused on the quality and productivity of the employee’s work, as opposed to their latest and greatest whopper of a story.

One significant complication that often occurs when dealing with this employee’s performance issues, is they often come up with some creative story about how or why the issue occurred. Much like with the ‘Drama Momma’s’ of the workplace, they will most likely attempt to take you on a trip over the river and through the woods in an attempt to distract you from the real issue(s). DO NOT WAIVER! Continue bringing the employee back to the objective facts or results that you are attempting to talk with them about.

If any element of the employee’s lying becomes a violation of any company policy, you have an obligation to address it. Just be prepared to compile a mountain of data (evidence) to make your case. Remember, these employees are slippery buggers. They are quick on their feet when it comes to lying their way out of a jam. Once you are able to present them with one piece of evidence after another, they often fold. In some cases however, the employee will continue to lie throughout the entire investigation. Just don’t waiver on your commitment to professionalism. In the end, the facts typically win out and the employee will be subject to the consequences of their actions.

SUMMARY
The workplace liar is one of the most difficult employee types to deal with. The human side in many of us wants to right all wrongs, and working side by side with someone who chronically lies day in and day out really wears on the psyche. Continue to stay focused on your role and resist the temptation to spend too much energy on this employee. I have never seen any amount of attention change their behavior. Just make sure they are doing their job, and not violating any of your company’s rules. Finally, keep in mind that your focus must remain on their behavior in the workplace. Resist the temptation to become involved in any way with the tall tales they are telling about their personal lives.

Quirky Employee Behaviors- Dealing with Drama Momma

I am going to spend the next week or so highlighting quirky behavioral types that I have repeatedly found in work place regardless of the industry I was in. I know it is typically not appropriate to make sweeping generalizations regarding anything, but most leaders will tell you that they have worked with many, if not all, of these types of employees at one time or another throughout their careers. So grab a cup of your favorite beverage, strap yourself in, and prepare for a journey into what may feel like a trip to the Twilight Zone.

MEET ‘DRAMA MOMMA’

The reference to ‘Momma’ is not meant to be a gender reference; it just has a nice ring to it. Although I have seen both men and women behave this way in the workplace, it seems that more women fall into this category than men. Nonetheless, managers and employees alike will never forget working with a classic ‘Drama Momma’. You see, for this employee, drama and gossip seem to be as important as the air they breathe.

‘Drama Momma’ needs to have an audience and the workplace is the perfect stage. They seem to think that EVERYONE needs to know about the details of the latest and greatest event that has occurred in their life. I am not just talking about any old run of the mill life event; I am talking about the fact that no one in the history of man could possibly have as much drama or bad luck as this employee. Many co-workers actually begin to eagerly anticipate their daily dose of this live soap opera that unfolds before them each and every day. I have actually seen employees go get a cup of coffee prior to the ‘Drama Momma’s’ arrival so they were completely ready to tune in to the day’s episode.

These employees also LOVE bringing their family dramas into the work place as well. Stories of their children’s bad behavior, the spouse’s latest faux pas, their mothers nagging ways, and even disappointments caused by the family pet can be topics for their daily update. There is absolutely nothing sacred to this employee. There also seems to be no limit to the events that continue to shake this employee to their core. It is simply amazing that one mere human could possibly endure that much drama in their life! You know what I say? WHATEVER!!

Now as I have said before, we leaders are not psychiatrists, and should not be diagnosing our employees’ behaviors. But what we should be doing is determining whether our employees’ behaviors are acceptable for the workplace. And let me tell ya…all that drama and distraction that ‘Drama Momma’ is peddling is absolutely not acceptable and frankly, it’s downright destructive to the work place.

ENOUGH ALREADY!
These employees typically create a significant distraction wherever they go. The time they are spending telling each and every employee about the latest and greatest episode in their wildly insane life is eroding your department’s productivity. I would also venture to guess that it is also creating a morale issue, because although that drama may initially be entertaining, interest will soon wane and your employees will begin to get annoyed with this nonsense.

All the last-minute dramatic exits from work to deal with the latest world crisis often leave their fellow team members to take on an additional work load. So let’s face it, these employees are an absolute drain on the workplace and must be dealt with!

ADVICE FOR THE LEADER
You can typically spot these characters from a mile away. After a few days of exposure to their high intensity drama is all you will need to have their number. The magic cure for dealing with a ‘Drama Momma’ is ensuring there is a significant level accountability in place to keep them in line. One of my favorite phrases for dealing with problem employees is “put them in a box”. What I mean by this is, once you create significant structure around this employee, they will either adapt or succumb to your constraints. Typically, they can’t operate without the drama fueling their existence, so they either transfer out of your department or quit the company. Either way, score one for the leader!!

These individuals will need a ton of corrective feedback if you have any hope of modifying their behavior. You will need to get comfortable pulling them aside and addressing their behavior when it is occurs. Some suggestions for dealing with their behaviors are as follows:

Addressing the daily meeting of the drama department- ‘Drama Mommas’ typically feel empowered to have informal gatherings of employees at their desk (work area) each day to adequately update the team on the latest events unfolding in their oh-so-fascinating life. As the leader, you need to put an immediate stop to this. Walk up and join this impromptu meeting and politely ask what everyone is talking about. Someone will inevitably tell you that ‘Momma’ was just sharing his/her latest crazy experience. Then, politely explain to the group that there is a lot of work to get accomplished today, and although you don’t mind the team chatting, they really need to get back to work. After a couple days of this, ‘Drama Momma’ may figure out that you are onto their little daily broadcast.

If the meetings continue, it is time to confront ‘Momma’ about their behavior. If this becomes necessary, bring the employee into a private setting. If possible, have a fellow supervisor/manager present as a witness. Not only is this a CYA move, but it sends a clear signal to the employee that the gig is up! Explain the following:

• Thank the employee for joining you
• Explain that you want to speak to them about some concerns you are have regarding their behavior in the work place- You heard that right…get right to the point. This is not the type of individual to beat around the bush with. If you give them an inch, they will take 12 miles. Make sure there are NO LOOPHOLES in your message!
• Explain that you continue to see frequent gatherings in their work area that typically consist of social discussions.
• Explain that although you don’t have an issue with minor chit chatting throughout the day, the discussions that occurring in their work area each day are excessive and detracting from the productivity of the department. (again…be direct)
• Ask the employee if there is some business reason that you not aware of for these daily pow-wows.
• Regardless of the myriad of excuses you will most likely hear, stick to your guns. Remind the employee that they get two breaks and a lunch period each day and are free to discuss the details of their personal life at that time.
• The employee may bring up the fact that other employees share stories about their personal lives in the workplace. Respond to ‘Momma’ that they have taken social discussions to a level that is now affecting productivity in the department.
• Ask the employee to make a commitment to become more aware of the type and length of discussions they are engaging in. Also ask that they stay focused on their work while they are on the clock. If this is not an hourly employee, then ask that they stay focused on their work while they are at work.

The Wandering ‘Drama Momma’- Once you clip ‘Momma’s’ wings, they may just start taking random strolls to other departments. If they cannot pedal their stories in their own department, you may find them in other areas, talking to other employees. If this is the case, you will need to address it ASAP. Follow the same outline above but discuss their absence from the department is affecting productivity. Then reset the expectation that they need to stay in their department and focus on their work.

SUMMARY
Dealing with the ‘Drama Mommas’ of the world can be utterly exhausting. It is like being embattled in a chess game where you are always trying to anticipate your opponent’s next move. Just prepare yourself for the probability that an ENORMOUS amount of feedback will be required for dealing with this type of employee.

My personal experience is that these employees rarely modify their behavior. Many choose to go to battle with their supervisor for a time, and once they realize they have met their match, they leave the work place in a blaze of glory. Many come up with amazing stories of why they must move on. Whether they just became a bazillion dollar lottery winner, or have been offered a job by the White House to head up the mission to create world peace, you will undoubtedly want to pound down a few of your favorite cocktails after the close of business on their last day!!

The Interview and Selection Process- Assessing the Interview

Although there is often the temptation to bring this process to quick closure, it is absolutely imperative that you slow down and make an informed decision. Take some time to give serious consideration to each of the following questions. It will help you to ensure you are considering all factors prior to making this critically important hiring decision.

ASSESSING THE INTERVIEW

• How was the initial greeting? Did the candidate exude an appropriate level of confidence and/or enthusiasm?
• Did the candidate maintain eye contact and appropriate body language throughout the interview?
• Did the candidate’s answers demonstrate a strong level of knowledge and expertise that you are looking for?
• Did you feel the candidate was upfront and forthcoming in their answers?
• Could the candidate easily cite examples of how they were able to make a difference in their previous environment? Be aware of the professional interviewee. They are all around you waiting to sell you a bill of goods on how amazing they are. Although they can tell you all the jobs they have had, rarely can they give you details and share success stories. 
• Did the candidate talk about ‘we’ or ‘I’?  Too much “I” and not enough “We” can be a warning sign, especially when you are hiring a team member as opposed to an individual contributor. Remember….it is all about the success of the team.
• Does the candidate have aspirations for advancement? This is fabulous news if this person wants to be successful and climb the corporate ladder. Let’s just make sure they don’t want to move into the executive suite before the year is out. Beware of those who have lofty and unrealistic goals. It could be a sign that the candidate lacks self awareness. It can also be a warning sign of impending turnover when the employee does not rise to fame and fortune in the timeframe they think is appropriate. All that training down the tubes with no return on your investment is not where you want to be heading.
• Was the candidate able to articulate a previous employment history or skill set that is a strong match for your open position? 
• Do you think the candidate’s personality will complement your current team? It is very important to consider when there are already existing personality conflicts within the team. Don’t make matters worse by hiring someone who will add to the drama.
• How do you think you would interact with the candidate on a daily basis? 
• Did you find the entire interaction to be a pleasant one? 
• Was there anything about their personality or communication style that may be hard for you to deal with? 
• Is the candidate overqualified? Might they become bored too quickly? Often times these candidates seem like a dream come true. If you plan on hiring an overqualified candidate, you better be ready to challenge and motivate them or they will fly the coop as soon as they find their next exciting opportunity.
• Did the candidate ask appropriate, reasonable and/or relevant questions?

BUT MY GUT IS TELLING ME SOMETHING DIFFERENT
Most leaders will tell you that any time they had reservations about making an offer, but did so in spite of it; they ended up being sorry they did not listen to their gut. If anything makes you feel uncomfortable, or if you strongly question a candidate’s credibility, you must probe a bit deeper.

There are times where the candidate appears to be a match made in heaven...on paper. And although the candidate said all the right things, you just have a nagging feeling that something is not right. In these cases, reach out to a fellow supervisor or manager and ask them to conduct a follow-up interview. Asking someone else who you trust to do a second interview is a great way to make sure you are adequately assessing all aspects of the candidate’s experience, talents and interpersonal skills. Just don’t share your specific reservations with your fellow manager. You do not want to influence their mindset prior to the interview.


OTHER PITFALLS TO CONSIDER
I have seen many leaders make some common mistakes in the interview and selection process:

• You Remind Me of Someone I Know- There will be times where a candidate’s personality, sense of humor, mannerisms strongly remind you of another employee or personal acquaintance. Beware of making assumptions that the candidate will behave or perform in the same manner…good or bad.
• The Dreaded Employee Referral- Referrals are often a great way to find solid candidates, but be careful not to assume that all referrals will perform as well as the person who referred them. A friendship or relationship has little to do with knowledge, skills, work habits or work ethic. Sometimes your boss may push referrals on you as well. Just because our manager thinks their referral is a match made in heaven, in the end, you are the one who has to manage this employee. If in doubt have another supervisor conduct a second interview.
• Administering the Fog and Mirror Test- This is a popular interview technique is commonly used by leaders who either don’t understand the importance of the process, or have poor time management skills. In a nutshell, this highly analytical test checks to see if the candidate is breathing. And as long as the candidate is indeed breathing and doesn’t say anything incredibly stupid during the interview…they are hired!! In the best of circumstances these employees usually turn out to be mediocre. Under the worst circumstances they become an attendance, performance or conduct nightmare. These employees will suck the life out of you. They will monopolize what seems to be 98% of your time. This in turn will take its toll on the morale of your team because you have little time left for them. 
• Resume Remorse- This comes into play when a leader relies too heavily on a candidates resume. They take everything listed on the document as if it was gospel and assume the candidate is proficient in every area referenced on the resume. BIG MISTAKE! I mean let’s face it, all a candidate has to do is get a copy of their job description and pay someone to whip up an impeccable resume. The candidate could be a complete fake and a fraud, and unless you know how to conduct an effective interview, you can easily be duped. 
• Beware of the Mega Personality- From time to time, even the most skilled interviewer can be WOWED by the magnetic personality of a candidate. They end up liking the candidate so much that they jump to a hasty decision without regard to whether the person can actually perform the key functions of the job. 
• Blonds Always Make Great Employees- Although this may be a bit of an exaggeration, this type of stereotyping happens. Some leaders allow things like a candidate’s physical appearance to strongly influence their hiring decisions. I have worked in environments where employees made bets on whether the boss was going to hire the ‘hot blond chick’ that was currently being interviewed. Unless you are hiring the models for this years’ Sports Illustrated Swim Suit Edition, a candidate’s physical characteristics are the absolute LAST thing a leader should be considering. 
• Resist the Rumor Mill- On rare occasions, you will be given personal or professional information from an outside source during the interview process. For example: An employee sees the candidate come in for their interview. Afterwards, they come to you and tell you that they worked with the individual in a prior job and they had huge attendance problems. Although this may be something you want to consider, the reality is that the employee most likely does not have all the facts related to the reasons for the candidate’s prior attendance. Worse yet, what if the employee is providing you with this information based on a personal dislike for the candidate? Sounds farfetched? Think again, it happens.

SUMMARY
The ultimate lesson in hiring new employees is NEVER SETTLE ! If you come to the interview with the right mindset, fully prepare to conduct a quality interview and take time to thoroughly assess all elements of your candidates, you will make the right decision for you and your team.

The Interview and Selection Process- The Interview

YOU BETTER KNOW THE LAW
I have always been a strong supporter of supervisors being allowed to either conduct or participate in the interviews being done for openings in their department. This requires the manager to ensure that the supervisor receives proper training on acceptable and illegal questions for an interview.

Many companies now provide interview guides for their leaders to follow. This minimizes the risk of the interviewer asking an illegal question during the interview. Unfortunately, illegal questions can inadvertently be asked during the casual conversation that occurs before and after the interview. Some examples include:

• I went to Smith College too, when did you graduate?
• I have two kids, a boy and a girl. Do you have any children? Do you plan on having kids?
• I just came back from a trip to New York with my husband. Are you married?
• How long have you lived in Smithville? Where were you born?
• I happened to notice your address and you live right down the street from my church. Do you go to XYZ church?
• I love your accent, where were you born?

If your company provides interview outlines, you need to follow them. Make sure any casual conversations that occur with the candidate do not touch on subjects relating to the following as any of these topics:

• Race
• Color
• Sex
• Religion
• National origin
• Birthplace
• Age
• Disability
• Marital or family status

Failure to hire a candidate based on any of these characteristics is considered discriminatory and is illegal. Even if your casual line of questioning, or idle chit chat was not used to discriminate against the candidate, you will have to prove it in the event a candidate pursues legal action. And trust me, the last thing you want is to have all of your interview practices, notes and general information scrutinized by human resources, an outside agency or an attorney.

Many human resource departments have training classes or materials prepared for training new leaders on effective (and legal) interview techniques. I would also suggest you check out the many resources on the internet. There are a number of quality sites which provide specific information about illegal interview questions. Several sites also provide you with an alternative manner for asking the question.

PUT YOURSELF IN THE CANDIDATE’S SHOES

We have all experienced an interview from the opposite side of the desk, when we were in the role of interviewee. It can be incredibly nerve racking, with many questions are running through a candidate’s mind. Candidates are sweating everything from doubting their choice of interview clothing to wondering if they have coffee breath. They will be trying to picture themselves working in the environment and reporting to someone like you. The whole sensory experience is pretty incredible when you think about it.

GET YOURSELF IN THE RIGHT MINDSET

Your job is to prepare for this interview as if it was the most important meeting you had to attend that day. You may think that is a bit silly, but you must remember that if this candidate ends up being a perfect fit for your open position, you are going to want them to have an interest in joining your team. Going into the interview late or unprepared, sends a terrible message and leads the candidate to assume that this is your typical mode of operation. After all, what else do they have to draw on? This is actually a perfect illustration of how we lead by example.

IT’S INTERVIEW TIME

Most experienced interviewers have many war stories about crazy things that have happened to them during the interview process. Whether a candidate acts out inappropriately, or says the most outrageous things, your job as a leader is to remain calm and maintain a high level of professionalism. Remember, no matter what happens, you are representing your organization.

Also keep in mind that candidates that do not make the cut could very well become a customer, contractor or vendor for your company. Being respectful at all times enhances your reputation as a leader and strengthens your relationships with everyone you come in contact with.

Introductions, please

As you initially address the candidate, be sure to introduce yourself and shake their hand. Express your appreciation for the fact that they took the time to come and meet with you. Inform the candidate of where the interview will be taking place. If there will be someone else present in the room during the interview, make sure you introduce them as well.

Once in the interview location, show the candidate to their seat. Begin by providing the candidate with a brief overview of your role and the position you are currently interviewing for. DO NOT give away too many details about the job, as professional interviewees can easily take your description and craft their answers around the description you gave. Also be sure to tell the candidate that you want them to take as much time as they need to answer your questions, and let the candidate know that you will actively be taking notes.

Question Phase

During the question phase of the interview, it is not uncommon for candidates to be extremely nervous. It is your job to make them feel as comfortable as possible. This is critical for getting the details you need regarding their skills, talents and overall personality. The more the candidate opens up, the better assessment you can make as to the fit of the candidate with the job, department and organization.

If the candidate stumbles on any of your questions or cannot give an answer, feel free to repeat the question and allow them additional time to answer. Also remind them to take as much time as they need to think of an answer. This may help to jog their memory. If the candidate completely misunderstands what you are asking, be respectful and gently redirect them back to the original question.

BEHAVIORAL BASED INTERVIEWING

Behavioral based interviewing requires candidates to provide concrete examples of when, where, why and how they have applied the skills they claim to possess. There are many ‘professional interviewees’ out there who can effectively use their personalities to dazzle even the most experienced interviewer. If you stick to behavioral based interview questions, you can quickly separate the amateurs from the experts.

When using behavioral based interview questions, your use of active listening skills will be critical. Once the question is asked, you will want to listen for an answer that includes the following: 

• A situation the candidate has been directly involved in- If the candidate can easily relate the question to an experience they have had in the workplace, you can be relatively assured that they have experience with that element of questioning
• The tasks or activities involved in the situation- If the candidate can easily go into detail about how they dealt with the situation, you have insight into how they utilize their problem solving skills in the workplace.
• The outcome of the situation- This allows you to gain an understanding of the results that were achieved through the efforts of the candidate.

Although you can never really know whether a candidate is being completely honest and forthright with you about their experience, utilizing behavioral based interviewing techniques can get you as close to the truth as possible.

NOTES OR NO NOTES….THAT IS THE QUESTION

Companies differ in their expectations on note taking during an interview. Whether your company expects you to take thorough notes, or prefers minimal note taking, the key is understanding that anything you write on a piece of paper regarding an interview is legally discoverable. Notes of any kind will either help or hurt your company’s case when it comes to an employment charge or legal action. Here are several key things to remember when it comes to documentation for interviews:

• Notes must be legible- An employment charge or legal action could occur long after you have left the position or the company. Make sure your notes can be read by others.
• Notes must be related to the question being asked of the candidate- I have seen random notes that have nothing to do with the question at hand. It is hard to know whether the candidate gave that as an answer, or whether the note was some type of a reminder for the interviewer. This can muddy the waters down the road.
• Never make side notes or comments that could be construed as discriminatory- I have seen little notes on the side of interview guides that were used to remind the interviewer of which candidate they were talking to. Things like ‘skinny blond’, ‘heavy set guy’, ‘Asian dude’, etc. are completely inappropriate on any type of employment or company document. 
• Be consistent with your note taking - If you are taking notes, then consistently take notes. Do not take a random note on one question and nothing on any other questions. Also, do not take notes on one candidate and elect not to take any notes on another.

The key to note taking is always thinking about how you could defend your selection when comparing the interview notes for all candidates that were considered for the position. Let’s face it, you are not going to hire ALL of the people you interview, and if one of them feels like they were not hired for a discriminatory reason – regardless of the truth - then you may very well be sitting in a deposition where you will have a lot of explaining to do.

CONCLUDING THE INTERVIEW
At the conclusion of the interview, make sure you ask the candidate if they have any questions. Answer as honestly as possible without getting into too much detail, especially when it comes to salary. At a supervisory level, your hands are often tied when it comes to salary negotiations anyway. I would also be careful to show too much emotion regarding how the interview went. Don’t make any promises for a follow-up interview, because things can change at a moment’s notice in every work environment. The candidate can just be pleasantly surprised when they get a call for a follow-up interview or a job offer.

SUMMARY

It has been a long road just to get to the point of facilitating the interview. The thing to remember is that you need to be as interested in the candidate as you expect the candidate to be interested in you. Being respectful of the candidate’s time, and treating them with dignity and respect are minimum expectations of all leaders. Keep in mind, the candidate that is ultimately selected for the position will incorporate their interview experience into their overall impression of you and the organization. The more pleasant the experience, the more likely the candidate is to be successful if they end up with the position.

 

Interview and Selection Process- Thoroughly Preparing for an Interview

Much like other aspects of effective front line leadership, preparation for an upcoming interview is critical for ensuring a positive outcome. Most leaders think of interview prep as things like having the interview scheduled, having an interview packet ready, having a room set aside for the interview, etc. Although these things are important, effective preparation goes way deeper than that.

Let’s look at all of the critical aspects of effective interview preparation:

BEFORE THE INTERVIEW
Many leaders approach an interview like they are preparing to choose the kind of bagel they are about to have for breakfast. Should I hire honey oat, cinnamon raison or just plain? No real forethought goes into it. They just walk in the room, ask a bunch of questions and make an offer to the person they ‘like’ the most. Leaders have a tendency of falling into this trap when they have been managing the same department or function for a long time. They think they know what they need and they continue to hire with the same cookie cutter approach. They also continue to hire the wrong people, which is why they seem to be in a perpetual state of hiring. I think, my friend, this is called the definition of insanity. If nothing else, it is definitely a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Short Timer
Although this may come as a shocker to some of you, I would spend a few minutes with the employee that gave their notice and ask them about what they think is needed for the position. As long as the employee is leaving in good standing, and was a solid performer, they can tell you about aspects of the role that you may have no idea about. It is one thing to understand the general tasks and activities required of the role, but understanding what it is like to live in that role for eight hours each day is a whole other ballgame! Departing candidates can tell you if the role is extremely mundane, takes an excessive amount of detail orientation, requires an excessive amount of patience, etc. Unless you have walked for in their shoes for eight hours a day, five days a week, you really don’t fully understand the actual scope of the role. And besides, what’s the harm in asking for their feedback?

You Want Me To Ask My Team Who To Hire??

One of the first things a leader should consider when turnover occurs is what the team thinks is needed. I mean let’s face it, if you have a well running team, your employees probably know better than anyone what is needed for the role and for the department. Based on working side-by-side with the last person, do they feel you need to look for a certain skill set or expertise? Is there a certain personality that might mesh with the team better? Unfortunately, we don’t often stop and have these types of value added conversations with our employees. Worse yet, we don’t even realize that the team works through issues each and every day and is probably in the best position to know what they need. Not only will this help you determine what type of candidate you are looking for, but it sends a powerful message that you are serious about providing your employees with the tools and resources they need to be successful. Just think, you just gained all that additional credibility by just seeking out a little feedback - now that is what I call a return on an investment!

What Does My Boss Know?

If you are a relatively new leader, or just new to the team, I suggest asking your boss for their feedback as well. If they have been around your team for a while, they most likely have some insights into the skill set or personality traits that would be the best fit for the team. They will also have an idea about any potential projects or organizational restructuring that may be on the horizon. This information could certainly position you for making a better hiring decision.

Quiet Time

Although the opinions of others should certainly be considered when making your decision, you must also spend some time soul searching about what you think you need in your department. You know better than anyone the vision you have for your team and what you are ultimately trying to create. Assessing the current team dynamic and skill set will help guide you to making the right decision. Remember to consider the experience level and tenure of the employees on your team. This will guide your decision about whether you must hire someone with experience or whether you have the luxury of being able to take someone who you can train and develop over time.

LOGISTICS MATTER

As referenced above, having all of the interview related details worked out ahead of time helps set you and the candidate up for a positive experience. Here are some key tips for effectively preparing for an interview:

• Ensure you have cleared your calendar for at least one hour on both sides of the interview time slot- This should help with any meetings that run long or last minute world crises. I am actually starting to think it should be one of Murphy’s Laws that all interviews must be negatively impacted by at least one earth shattering event.
• Have a predetermined interview space- I have seen supervisors walking their candidate from conference room to conference room trying to find a place to conduct the interview. What message does this send to a prospective employee? Maybe that you didn’t take this interview seriously or do any prep work??
• Have the application and corresponding interview paperwork prepared and readily available ahead of time- You should be embarrassed if you have to excuse yourself to go locate the paperwork. The candidate came prepared, so why aren’t you? It sends a terrible message about you as a prospective leader.
• Make sure you have familiarized yourself with the questions- It is embarrassing to sit and watch a leader stumble through the interview process. Again, it does not instill much confidence or credibility in the leader.

Although these things may not seem like a big deal to you, when you are not prepared for an interview, it sends a strong message to a perspective employee. If you are acting in the spirit of a true leader, then you should want to impress the candidate as much as they want to impress you. We already reviewed the average time it takes to fill an open position, so why would you want to scare away a potentially great candidate over something silly like failing to prepare for an interview? Would you be that disrespectful to your boss if you were meeting with them? I am going to go with a NO on that one. So treat your candidates with the same respect as you would your boss, and everyone comes out a winner.

SUMMARY

Being fully prepared for interviewing candidates clearly takes some time out of your busy schedule. That said, the time it takes isn’t even a fraction of what you will spend in the perpetual ‘hiringfest’ that will occur if you continue to make the poor hiring decisions. When it comes to the interviewing and selection, what you put into the process will certainly be returned to you in the quality of candidate you attract.

Tomorrow, some of the biases that come to play in the interview process.

The Interview and Selection Process- Finding the Right Employee for Your Team

This week, we are going to spend time talking about the interviewing and selection process. Each day we will cover new concepts and ideas relating to making great hiring decisions! Happy reading!!

IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SOLID HIRING DECISIONS
One of your defining acts as a supervisor/manager is demonstrating the ability to hire value-added members for your team. Hiring the right candidate not only makes your job easier, but it also has a significant effect on your entire work team. Hiring a new employee who is relatively low maintenance and who easily integrates into the team will make a positive impact on the morale of your department. Hiring a new employee who begins showing early signs of drama, attendance issues, and productivity problems can be an immediate morale killer. Your team is counting on you to make a selection that will enhance the work environment, not detract from it.

One other element of making a solid selection for your team is the impact it has on your credibility. The team needs to see you making solid business decisions that are consistent with their individual success and the success of the team. Bringing someone into the fold that is totally out of sync with the rest of the team sends a strong message that you are not a credible leader. With your credibility being a key element to your success, you cannot afford this type of mistake, especially in the early days.

THE HIRING PROCESS
Today you come into work, the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and the coffee is brewed to perfection. Suddenly, an employee comes to you and says the one thing that turns your perfect day into ‘panicsville’, “Please consider this my two week notice”. Holy crap, just when things seemed to be cruising on auto-pilot, someone has the audacity to ruin your life by finding a better job!!

Now is when you need to pull yourself together and declare yourself the official project manager for this incredibly crucial and life-impacting assignment. And ‘life-impacting’ is not an understatement. Choosing the right candidate will make your life a whole lot easier; choosing the wrong candidate may be a life lesson you won’t soon forget!

The rationale behind approaching turnover like a project is due to the various phases of the hiring process. If you don’t set deadlines for each, time will get away from you and months will go by before you are getting around to making a decision. This can be devastating to both the productivity and morale in your department.

Although every company does it a bit differently, the typical hiring flow is as follows:

• Approval of the job requisition- In most companies, you are required to get senior management and HR approval before adding a new position or replace an existing position. The reason for this is that the management team wants to be able to control and leverage payroll expenses. If times are tight or business is slow, they may choose to freeze job requisitions. Due to this approval process, you can easily add a few days to a few weeks onto the timeframe it will take to begin looking for a replacement.
• Sourcing candidates- Once the job requisition is approved, you or your HR team must start looking for candidates. Depending on the job market, or the skill set you are looking for, this can take anywhere from a couple days to a few weeks. Remember, the candidates need to be contacted and screened before an interview is typically scheduled. There goes a few more days.
• Scheduling the interviews- When it comes to scheduling interviews, you need to make sure you have a clear calendar. NEVER try and squeeze in an interview between meetings. Inevitably, something runs long and you end up scrambling to try and cram in a quick interview, and this is where things start to go south!   You also want to make sure you are seeing a wide variety of candidates so you have a solid pool to choose from. Although your initial reaction may be that you don’t have time to interview a bunch of people, you don’t have the luxury not to! You are short-changing yourself and your team if you only interview a couple of candidates. So accounting for the adequate time it takes to interview multiple candidates, add at least a week to your timeframe.
• The second interview- Many organizations require that supervisors pass along the final candidates to their manager for a final interview. I am actually a huge fan of this concept, because it creates a great avenue for managers to provide feedback to their supervisors on the interviewing process. This extra step, of course, adds several more days to the process.
• The selection- After interviewing a number of candidates, you are expected to pick the one most qualified individual for the position. If you have conducted thorough interviews, and taken good notes, you should have a relatively easy time selecting the best candidate for the job. Although you never really know what you are getting until the candidate is in the job for a few months, taking quality time with the process should mitigate a number of the risks that are inherent in the hiring process. If you don’t procrastinate, you should be able to make a decision within a day or two of your final interview.
• A job offer- Once the decision is made, you or your HR representative must reach out to the candidate with an offer. If the offer is immediately accepted, you often have to wait several weeks while your new hire works out their two week notice at their other job. If the candidate balks at the offer and makes a request for additional pay, vacation, etc., this can often add another few days onto the process.

When you take all aspects of the process into consideration, the timeframe for hiring a new employee in the best case scenario is three to four weeks. If any one of these elements derails, you can add another week or two onto the process. Now do you see why considering the hiring process as a formal project is so critical? So the next time you have any turnover, pull out the calendar and start mapping out the process.


SUMMARY
Spending quality time preparing for an effective interview and selection process is absolutely critical if you want to add to the talent in your team. Failing to maintain the integrity of this process will surely lead you to selecting a less than acceptable candidate. You will then spend countless weeks, months and possibly years dealing with the drama and poor performance of this employee. Don’t shortchange yourself or your team by skimping on this process. You will need every moment of the day to provide inspired leadership to your team, not babysit for an undeserving employee!!


Tune in tomorrow for more tips on effective interviewing and selection!

Thanks for reading everyone!!


Toodle from Twaddle

Recognizing Adult ADD in the Workplace

We have spent this week reviewing various aspects of the performance management process - everything from understanding your company’s culture, to setting expectations, delivering effective feedback, and writing and delivering a solid performance review.

Now that we know all of the phases and aspects of the performance management process, we need to review a common factor that affects the performance of millions of Americans in today’s workforce. Adults affected with Attention Deficit Disorder or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder often have varying degrees of difficulty functioning in their work environment.

In the early days of my management career, I was always stumped by how to deal with the employees that I perceived were ‘lazy’. These were the employees that were always up and out of their chairs, floating around talking to other employees. Many of them could not get a work assignment in on time to save their soul. Although most were very likeable individuals with high energy and great ideas, I could never count on them for much of anything.

Years later, with the onslaught of information and education regarding ADD and ADHD, I realized that those very employees that I wrote off years earlier as lazy, or the ‘performance problem children’, were most likely affected with this disorder. How sad that they have probably gone through the majority of their work lives being under-utilized and under-recognized due to this potential disability.

Leaders need to tune in to the behaviors of their employees. We need to work closely with each employee to create a unique work environment where every employee can flourish. Some employees may need more one-on-one time, while others are happy to work more independently and don’t want you hovering. Only you can forge a strong enough relationship with each employee that will help you understand what each team member needs.

SYMPTOMS OF ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER
Keep in mind that you are not a physician, psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. Your role is NOT to diagnose an employee with ADD or ADHD. Your role is to focus objectively on each employee’s workplace performance and behavior. Through active dialogue with each employee regarding their performance and/or workplace behaviors, they may begin to share information with you. This can help you better manage each team member in the workplace.

Many employees affected with ADD or ADHD are well aware of their condition. If the employee is upfront about, it makes the dialogue much easier. For those who are not aware of their condition, focusing on deficient performance or concerning behaviors can be the catalyst for an employee to seek medical treatment.

Common Symptoms of ADD

• An internal sense of anxiety
• Avoids, dislikes or is reluctant to engage in work that requires sustained mental effort
• Blurts out answers before questions have been completed
• Chronically late or always in a hurry
• Distracts easily
• Doesn't follow through on instructions and fail to finish work
• Doesn't listen when spoken to directly
• Excessive talking
• Fails to give close attention to details; makes careless mistakes at work
• Feels restless, fidgety with hands or feet or squirm in seat
• Forgetful in daily duties
• Frequent mood swings
• Frequently misplaces items
• Frequently overwhelmed by tasks of daily living
• Has difficulty organizing tasks and activities
• Has difficulty sustaining attention in tasks or fun activities
• Has difficulty waiting turn (impatient)
• Makes impulsive job changes
• Inconsistent work performance
• Interrupts others
• Leaves seat in situations where sitting is expected
• Loses things necessary for tasks and activities
• Sense of underachievement
• Significant procrastination
• Spends excessive time at work due to inefficiencies
• Tendency to worry needlessly and endlessly
• Tendency toward being argumentative
• Tendency toward exaggerated outbursts
• Transposes numbers, letters, words
• Trouble following the proper channels or chain of commands
• Trouble maintaining an organized work environment

HOW TO MANAGE AN EMPLOYEE WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

Although our role is not to diagnose anything related to our employees, reading the list should help you clearly see if you have employees who possess many of these characteristics. If this is the case, there are several simple things that you can do to help the employee with their performance:

• Discuss your observations- It is NEVER acceptable to come right out and ask an employee if they have any type of medical or mental health issue. What you should talk about are the behaviors the employee is exhibiting that are concerning to you. Clearly explain what you are seeing and how it is affecting the work environment. For example: “I have noticed that you seem to be jumping between projects and failed to meet the deadline for your last two assignments. Talk to me about what might be contributing to this and how I can help you”.
• Assign tasks in segments- If possible, try to break tasks or assignments down into more manageable pieces. That can help the employee not get so overwhelmed. 
• Set deadlines- Setting deadlines is important to keep all of your employees on the right performance track. It is absolutely critical for employees with Attention Deficit Disorder. Setting a clear deadline helps the employee stay focused on a specific goal.
• Frequent status updates- Although you should be getting in the habit of checking in with each of your employees on a daily basis anyway, it is especially important when managing an employee with ADD. Getting into a routine, where you stop by and check in at a certain point each day, gives the employee something to work towards. They may be able to stay more focused knowing they will need to update you on their progress. Just make sure the interaction is upbeat and social. This makes your impending daily visit not a daunting one for the employee.
• Weekly meetings- Employees with Attention Deficit Disorder need to have a significant amount of structure in their work environment. Scheduling a weekly meeting to discuss the priorities for the week, can be very helpful to the employee.

DEALING WITH ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER IN THE WORKPLACE

Dealing with an employee who struggles with ADD can be difficult for any leader. The ‘boss’ in you has a need to get the work done and expects all employees to perform their duties in a timely and accurate manner. The human side of you recognizes that this is a neurobehavioral developmental disorder that the employee has limited control over. Nonetheless, as a leader, you have a responsibility to hold all of your employees to a defined standard of performance. If an employee’s condition is manifesting itself in a way that is causing significant performance issues, you need to address it. Here are some tips for handling the situation:

• Continue to hold the employee accountable for their performance- As a leader, you have a responsibility to maintain a consistent performance expectation for your entire team. Cutting the employee some slack, and allowing them to perform at a substandard level, in essence creates an accommodation that front line supervisors/managers are not typically authorized to make. Although it may sound unkind or uncaring to expect you to hold the employee to the same standard as other employees, by doing so, you may also be able to get the employee the help they need to better live and work with this disorder. Address any performance issues that may occur, and throughout the process, continue asking the employee how you can help them. That level of empathy and support helps the employee, while meeting your responsibilities as a leader.
• Stay in-tune with any requests for an accommodation- In some cases, ADD or ADHD could qualify for a formal workplace accommodation. If the employee makes any special requests for a change in seating, specific work hours, special work assignments, etc., you will need to immediately partner with a senior manager and HR representative.
• Referral to the Employee Assistance Program- If the disorder becomes so disruptive that it is putting the employee at risk for losing their job, or the employee expresses concerns about how the condition is negatively affecting their life in general, it is wise to refer them to your company’s employee assistance program. If you do not have an EAP program, strongly urge the employee to seek assistance from their medical provider.

SUMMARY
Every employee has unique characteristics to their personalities, work styles and behaviors. Your job as their supervisor is to learn what it takes to influence each employee and tap into their unique skills and talents. Although this is not always the easiest of tasks, it is the foundation for building a strong work team and helping each of your employees flourish in the workplace.

That’s all for this week. If you find these blog postings interesting or helpful, please consider becoming an official “follower”. You can click on ‘Follower’ on the right hand side of the page and sign up for daily updates. Thanks for reading!!

Have a fabulous weekend everyone!!

Toodle from Twaddle.

The Moment of Truth- Performance Review Time!

I don’t think I can adequately express how much you have riding on the performance review process. In my opinion, your professional reputation can either be enhanced by it or take a significant hit. The relationships that have taken a year or more to build can either be enriched or negatively impacted in the time it takes you to meet with the employee and discuss their performance.

I have seen it time and time again over the years: performance review time rolls around and leaders are scrambling at the last minute to put some crapola on a piece of paper and pass it off to their employee as a well thought out depiction of their previous year’s performance. It’s an absolute insult! Think about it, many of your employees have worked their butts off all year trying to and help you, support you and impress you. Many have missed their kids’ soccer games and ballet recitals because they stayed late to complete a project for you. They literally give a part of themselves each and every day, and have even risked exposing their weaknesses through the stretch assignments you have given them. And how do some leaders recognize this? By typing some random drivel on a piece of paper. In my opinion, that is not only completely disrespectful, it is professionally negligent. You read that right….negligent!

On the bright side, you can be one of the leaders in your workplace that sets the tone for what the performance review process should be about. If you have been a good leader for your team, stayed engaged with your employees on a daily basis, given frequent formal and informal feedback and documented those discussions, then writing the performance review should be a piece of cake. If you have not done these things then you better prepare yourself to start digging for some objective criteria to base the review on. Good luck with that. It can be extremely time-consuming.

Regardless of what you have done prior to getting to this point, you will have to make the best of it. Let’s review a number of tools that leaders should use as they prepare to write a performance review.

TOOLS OF THE REVIEW WRITING TRADE
There are a number of key elements that leaders should begin gathering in preparation for use in the performance review writing process. These elements include:

• Performance reporting from the performance review period- This should include objective measurements such as statistics related to the employee’s quality of work or productivity.
• Job description(s)- Be sure to have the job description handy to ensure that you can easily address key elements of the role in the employee’s review
• Documentation from the employee’s personnel file- This should include any feedback that was given to the employee since the last review period. Positive or corrective performance discussions, letters from customers or members of the management team, awards, etc.
• Self Evaluation- A self evaluation is the employee’s self assessment of their performance since the last review period. Not all organizations require self reviews but I highly recommend their use. If your organization does not use a self evaluation process, I recommend seeking approval to use it in your department.

ONE MOMENT WHILE I STEP UP ONTO THE SELF-ASSESSMENT BANDWAGON

Anyone who has worked with me over the years may recall my absolute obsession with the concept of having employees complete self evaluations in advance of their upcoming performance review. It just seems so incredibly illogical to me to create a performance review without first taking a look at the employee’s perception of their own performance. Here is my rationale:

1. The employee is more in tune with the things they have accomplished over the past year than you could ever hope to be. Asking an employee to list the things they have accomplished over the previous year allows you to compare the information to your documentation. If you forgot something, their list just saved your butt!
2. The employee has an opportunity to communicate the areas of their performance where they feel they have made the most progress. Compare their list to yours. Any consistent improvement in an employee’s performance should be noteworthy in a performance review.
3. Most employees are far more critical about their performance than you could ever be. This is yet another way to compare the employee’s perception of their performance with your evaluation. Perhaps they are struggling in an area and you have not even realized it.
4. In some cases, you will have an employee who rates themselves exceptional in every category. I am actually fascinated by this behavior because inevitably, it occurs with employees who are either completely out of touch with reality, or just digging their heels in because they have decided they are not going to make the review process easier on you. Either way, it gives you valuable insight and allows you to better prepare yourself for that impending review.
5. Last but certainly not least, if you are trying to create a collaborative work environment, then doesn’t it make sense to include the employee in the process??

If you are currently in an environment that does not utilize self assessments, I recommend that you seek approval before implementing them. Once you gain approval, decide how you want to collect the feedback. You have several options:

• Use of the company’s review form- Depending on the layout and usefulness of your company’s performance review form, you can have the employees complete the standard form. You will probably need to provide specific instructions to ensure you get the kind of feedback you are looking for.
• Create your own self review form- This allows you to collect specific information related to areas of performance the employees are most proud of, areas of performance where they may need additional development, special projects they have worked on, etc.

You should also meet with your team and explain why you are implementing this new process. Explain the following:

• In an effort to ensure accurate and thorough performance reviews, you want to get each of their feedback regarding their performance over the last year.
• Ask your employees to take some quality time with their self assessments as you are committing to take quality time when writing their reviews as well.
• Encourage them to be open and honest about their strengths and development opportunities.
• Set a deadline for the self assessments to be completed. If you have an entire department’s worth of reviews to write, I suggest getting this process rolling at least a month ahead of the due date for completed reviews.
• If an employee refuses to participate, sit down with them and discuss it. Although you are asking them to participate, it is really an expectation. Help them with any apprehensions they may have with the process. It is very rare that an employee flat out refuses.

WRITING THE ACTUAL PERFORMANCE REVIEW
Once you have all the key elements gathered, it is time to begin writing the review. The key to being able to write an effective review is finding a quiet place to work where you can spread out your documentation and have few distractions or interruptions. If you are self-conscious about your writing skills, reach out to a fellow supervisor or manager for help. There are always other leaders in the workplace that are more than happy to share their talents. You write down what you are trying to convey and they can transform it into a virtual sonnet.

WHERE IS ALL THE GOOD STUFF?

A common pitfall for many new leaders is focusing on the negatives in a performance review. Let’s face it, it seems like the bad stuff is the most memorable. It is important to ensure that you are considering the full scope of an employee’s performance.

HONESTY IS THE ONLY POLICY

We continue to discuss the need for honesty in the workplace. This is also true when it comes to performance reviews. You need to shout out the employee’s strengths and clearly articulate their development needs. Just make sure you can put your money where your mouth is when it comes to any corrective feedback you document in the review. The best rule of thumb is this: if you can’t specifically put your finger on a document supporting your corrective comments, then you better think twice about including it. In other words, if you want to write a comment about an employee’s inability to consistently complete their work assignments in a timely manner, but you do not have any documentation of any discussions you have had regarding the issue, you are treading on thin ice. If the employee calls you on it in the review session, what are you going to refer to in support of the comment? YIKES!

I have had the dubious honor of playing referee in more performance review sessions than I care to remember. In fact, going forward, I should just go in wearing one of those black and white striped shirts carrying a whistle. It certainly would have come in handy on multiple occasions. Inevitably, the scene played out the same way each time. The employee disagreed with a specific comment made in the review, or worse yet disagreed with the overall rating. As the employee read off their mountain of evidence supporting their perspective, the supervisor sat virtually speechless. Often times, the supervisor ended up getting defensive because they were utterly unprepared for the meeting. Now I have to admit, I typically let the employee get it all out, and, after the supervisor took a sufficient verbal pummeling, I’d call the meeting to a close by asking the employee to let the supervisor take their feedback into consideration. I then committed to meeting again in the following week.

My rational for allowing the employee to speak their piece was twofold:

1. If the supervisor is truly committed to a collaborative work environment, then they need to listen to all that the employee has to say, good and bad. I never allowed the meeting to unravel to the point of allowing disrespectful interactions, but I let the employee assert their position in a passionate manner.
2. The lessons most of us remember are the ones that were either extremely joyful or somewhat painful. Sitting across from an employee and feeling completely vulnerable because you didn’t take the time to deliver an accurate review of their performance is a lesson very few leaders will forget.

DID YOU CHISEL THE REVIEW INTO STONE?
An effective performance review session should consist of dialogue between the leader and the employee. As the leader, if you find yourself doing all the talking, you are going down the wrong road. Immediately begin asking open ended questions to try to engage the employee in the conversation. One of your goals is to solicit feedback from the employee regarding their assessment of the review you have prepared. Therefore, it is not uncommon for an employee to make a suggestion or request for something to be added or changed in the review. Now, considering the enormous advances in technology, I wouldn’t think many of today’s performance reviews are chiseled in stone. That’s a good thing, considering that if you are truly committed to a collaborative work environment, you should be prepared to make minor adjustments to an employee’s performance review.

WHAT TO DO WITH THE EMPLOYEE WHO IS COMPLETELY UNREASONABLE
Although I have seen many cases where the supervisor does not have sufficient information to back up their comments or ratings, I have also seen employees come to a performance review session just looking for a battle. Interestingly enough, these employees often have enough self awareness to know they don’t deserve the review rating they want, but attempt to kick and scream their way through the review session in hopes of bullying you into giving them what they want. Fascinating…really!

These situations can be tough to handle because you are dealing with someone who is not making a rational argument. You need to anticipate the employee’s approach and argument to the best of your ability, and come armed with facts. Although the employee will take you over the river and through the woods, no one at grandma’s house is interested in giving in to their whining either. Just keep bringing the employee back to the facts and to your rationale for the comment or the rating. If they continue to beat the drum, and you are not making any progress, you need to explain to the employee that you will take their feedback into consideration. Then schedule a follow-up meeting for the following week.

I highly recommend bringing a credible back-up with you to the follow up meeting. Odds are that the employee will not have seen the light in the week since the previous meeting. Whether it is your manager or an HR manager, having someone attempt to be the calm sense of reasoning may help to diffuse any extreme emotional outbreaks. In the end, these meetings often end with the manager telling the employee that although their feedback was certainly taken into consideration, the overall review rating stands. Agreeing to disagree may be the only way to move forward.

TO DISTRIBUTE OR NOT DISTRIBUTE….THAT IS THE QUESTION

In my training classes over the last 20 years, I always trained supervisors to provide their employees with a copy of the performance review at the beginning of the meeting. Recently, I was co-training a performance management class with a manager and he advised the supervisors to refrain from handing out a copy until they had sufficiently reviewed the information with the employee. At first I freaked out. What?? Why would you not want to allow the employee to read along with the review as it is given? The manager then went on to explain that it was his experience that employees typically skim down to see their ratings in each performance category and then proceed to their overall rating. If the information is now what they expected, they are likely to tune out most of what you are telling them. Great observation! So after listening to his rational, my new official recommendation is to provide the employee with a copy of the review, but without the actual review rating listed. Once the discussion is concluded, you can share the overall review rating with the employee

THE PERFORMANCE REVIEW MEETING
If you are relatively new to delivering performance reviews, come prepared with some type of meeting outline to keep the sessions on track. I recommend you follow this outline for facilitating your performance review meetings:

• Thank the employee for joining you.
• Communicate your appreciation for the employee taking the time to complete a self assessment.
• Explain that you want the performance review process to be a collaborative one, and ask the employee to actively participate in the review session.
• Encourage the employee to ask any questions they have as you go through the review.
• Begin reading the review categories and summarize your assessment of their performance in each area.
• Resist the temptation to just read from the review. It is supposed to be a discussion….you are not reading to a kindergartener.
• Often times, employees ask what it will take for them to achieve a superior rating in a specific category or the overall performance rating. You need to be prepared to give a clear and concise response.
• Discuss your ideas for specific development plans related to any development opportunities that exist.
• Ask the employee if those development plan ideas would help them to grow in that area.
• Ask the employee if they have any additional ideas for their development areas.
• As long as the employee is rated proficient or better, ask if they are interested in learning any new things or gaining additional exposure to other aspects of the business.
• Ask the employee if they have anything else they want to discuss.
• Close the meeting by expressing your sincere appreciation for the contributions the employee has made over the past year.
• Ask the employee to sign the performance review and provide them with a copy of the signed document.

And that how it’s done…in utopia anyway. Although you can never fully anticipate the reaction of your employees, you can count on the majority of discussions to occur without too much drama. Occasionally, a performance review meeting can deteriorate to the point where you will think you just took to the ring in a WWF event. In those cases, you need to remain calm, and, if needed, either go and get your boss or reschedule the meeting until a time when your manager can join you.

SUMMARY
Well, that is the performance review process in a nut shell. As with all of the other aspects of frontline leadership, there is an incredible amount of work that goes into performance management as a whole. Keep in mind that the integrity of the performance review process will either increase the credibility you have with your team or breed mistrust. What you put into the process will be returned to you tenfold, one way or another.

Assessing Employee Performance and Delivering Effective Feedback

If you did your homework and fully understand the expectations of the roles you are managing, and met with your team to lay a strong foundation for performance expectations, then you are in a great position to start assessing performance and giving feedback.

ASSESSING EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE

PERFORMANCE CRITERIA

Although every company has different performance management forms, tools and criteria, a supervisor/manager should always be tuned in to the following basic elements of employee performance:

• The quality of the work produced
• The quantity of the work produced
• The timeliness of the work produced
• Ability to work effectively with a team
• Ability to handle multiple tasks
• Ability to provide excellent customer service (internal and external customers)
• Ability to follow directions
• Professionalism
• Commitment to self development

ASSESSING EACH EMPLOYEES LEVEL OF PERFORMANCE
In order to accurately assess the performance of each employee, I suggest looking at the documentation you used to establish performance expectations for your team (job description, review form, etc). That documentation, coupled with the categories listed above, should be sufficient for assessing your employees’ current level of performance. Make a list of the names of each of your employee’s, and begin rating them on a scale of 1-10 for each of the categories.

Once you have completed the exercise, you will most likely be able to see patterns emerging. It might surprise you that an employee you have come to rely upon does an exceptional job with the quality of their work, but cannot seem to turn in an assignment on time to save their soul. This type of information is critical as you prepare to start giving feedback.

PERFORMANCE LEVELS
Throughout my years in the business world, employee performance has consistently been categorized into three main groups. Although there is a wide range of performance that exists within each group, performance review forms also typically follow this criteria:

Strong Performer- Common characteristics of this employee include:

• Highly proficient in all aspects of the role
• Consistently excel in their ability to get their work done in a timely and accurate manner.
• Commonly go above and beyond what is normally expected of them in the role.
• The "go to people" within the department as well as outside of your department
• Enjoy taking on additional assignments and challenges
• Are often the trainers for new employees
• Are extremely dependable
• Are often your right hand

Effective Performer -Common characteristics of this employee include:

• Proficient in the majority of the aspects of their role
• Typically get their work done in a timely and accurate manner
• Do what is asked of them but don’t often reach out for additional responsibility
• Can be relied upon to ask questions as issues arise
• Are relatively dependable

Employee with Performance Deficiencies- Common characteristics of this employee include:

• Inconsistent performance
• Failing to grasp or retain concepts or routines
• Work is not consistently completed in a timely or accurate manner
• Does not reach out for assistance when issues arise
• Is not consistently reliable or dependable
• Tends to make a lot of excuses

Now that you have a solid idea of the strengths and development needs of each of you team members, it is time to prepare for giving performance feedback.

FEEDBACK

WHY IS PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK SO IMPORTANT?

The dynamics a leader has with their team is very similar to some of the elements that exist between a parent and child. The role of the parent is to create an environment for their children to flourish. Most parents create experiences for their children to grow and learn from. Then we slowly push them out of the nest so they can test their wings. Ask any child and they will tell you: their parents are ALWAYS giving feedback. Now if you ask my kids, they would probably characterize it as nagging, preaching or just flat out driving them crazy. I prefer to call it constructive feedback. ; )

If you think about the parent/child dynamic, you can see that leaders also need to create scenarios for their employee’s to grow and flourish. As I have said before, how do can you expect our employees to know what to change, if you don’t tell them. In many cases, employees operate under the assumption that if nobody says anything, then things must be going OK. In other cases, employee’s take advantage of a leader they know is incapable of giving honest feedback. They will continue to push the envelope to see how far they can go. I have seen environments that spiral completely out of control because an overly amiable leader can’t muster up the courage to lay the law down and give honest feedback.

CONQUERING THE FEAR OF GIVING FEEDBACK
The first key to getting over the fear of providing feedback is to banish the notion that it is a negative or critical thing. My dad always used to say “what is the big deal; you are just having a conversation”? The more I thought about it I realized he was right. Performance discussions are not about ME talking AT my employee. The discussion is about my sharing my perspective, and then asking the employee for feedback. There is NOTHING negative about that.

WHAT SPECIFICALLY CAN PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK INFLUENCE?

• Improvement in an employee’s timeliness or accuracy of their daily work responsibilities
• Preparing an employee for future promotional opportunities
• Raising the collective performance of your entire team
• Addressing significant performance deficiencies of a specific employee

TYPES OF FEEDBACK
Feedback should become a fluid part of how you manage each and every day. Feedback typically comes in two forms:

Informal Feedback- This type of feedback should occur naturally throughout the normal course of the leader’s day. Characteristics include:

• Occurs on a daily basis- Feedback should occur as a regular course of conversation throughout the day. As you are chit-chatting with your employees, be sure to compliment them on a job well done. If discussing a problem, ask for feedback on the issue along with their recommendations for mitigating the risk of future issues.
• Is typically done in a casual setting- Be a prominent presence in the work area. Stop by and chat with your employees. Ask about what they are working on, or the status of an issue that had previously been discussed. Include others in the discussion if needed. This makes the group feel as if they are a true team and are working toward a common goal.
• Can be positive or corrective in nature- Complimenting an employee about an accomplishment in front of their peers is the right thing to do. I highly encourage public displays of recognition whenever possible. But don’t necessarily shy away from having open discussions about issues or problems in the work area. As long as you keep it positive and make it a learning experience for the team, forge ahead.
• Encourages open dialogue with the employee- The more your employees see that they can l participate in discussions related to both positive and negative situations, without fear of humiliation or retribution, the more of a cohesive team you will create. They will start to trust and rely on each other for guidance and this has the potential to head off a number of potential issues.

Formal Feedback- This type of feedback typically results from a significant performance issue, an ongoing performance issue. Characteristics include:

• Feedback session is scheduled- A specific meeting time is scheduled and the supervisor/manager should come with a formal agenda of what they wish to speak about.
• Is typically done in a private setting- the meeting should occur in a private office or conference room. Interruptions should be kept to a minimum.
• Can be positive or corrective in nature- Regardless of the reasons behind the meeting, remember that a mixture of positive and corrective feedback should be used if at all possible. If not handled appropriately, a barrage of negative feedback will cause most employees to shut down. Even the worst performing employee typically has some redeeming qualities.
• Encourages open dialogue- Although you should always try to ensure open dialogue with your employee’s, there are times when a discussion needs to be designed to send a strong message. When an employee is struggling with their performance, it is critical that you ask good questions in an attempt to find out what is contributing to the problem. Let’s face it, as the leader, you are the one responsible to try and help assist the employee in overcoming their issues. After you have sufficiently discussed the issues, it is time to clearly state the expectations going forward and the consequences for failing to meet those expectations.

GENERAL PERFORMANCE FEEDBACK

Feedback required for strong performers:
Strong performers need reinforcement from their leaders. They need to see that the leader recognizes their top notch performance. They want more challenging work assignments and exposure to other people and process throughout the organization. Many want your help getting to the next level. They are typically great collaborators and enjoy projects that allow them to create efficiencies for the work environment. They are talented individuals who have earned your respect and your loyalty.

Your job in developing a strong performer is to get to know their aspirations, and then continue to give the projects to increase their exposure to new skills and to the people that may want to promote them into a new role. Frequent meetings with a strong performer are necessary to keep their professional growth moving forward.

Finally, keep in mind that these employees are the ones who help make you look like a hero to your boss. Senior managers love to see work teams comprised of many of these strong performers; it helps them sleep much better at night….trust me! So make sure your high performers know how much you value their performance and commitment.

Feedback Required for Effective Performers:
First let’s recognize that there is absolutely nothing wrong with an effectively rated performer. As one of my old bosses used to say, “They make good foot soldiers”. While this is true, I would not necessarily be comfortable with having an entire department of foot soldiers. The average performer is typically dependable and reliable. They come in every day, do their work and go home. They often have no desire to move up in the ranks and balk about taking on significant additional responsibilities.

Be careful not to judge these employees. Remember, not everyone is meant to climb the corporate ladder. The employee may just be working as a second source of income and work is not their top priority. They may be the primary caretaker for their children or a parent, or they may be at a point in their life where their job is more about WHAT THEY DO, not WHO THEY ARE.

What you should expect from the average performer is that they continue to produce solid work. They must also keep up with the pace of organizational change and demonstrate a reasonable willingness to go above and beyond when asked. Continue to challenge them with little projects to see what they are capable of, but be reasonable with your expectations.

Your job is to manage the employee based on where they are in their life. Keep in mind that things can change in a heartbeat and the once average employee could suddenly become ready to take the world by storm. The lesson here is to never write an employee off. Keep the lines of communication open and always continue to champion their growth and development.

Feedback Required for Employees Exhibiting "Initial" Performance Deficiencies:
Regardless of what situation you are dealing with, you will need to make a conscious effort to increase the level of feedback you are providing the employee. Initially, this should be a combination of formal and informal feedback. If the performance is not improving, you will want to lean toward more formal meetings to review the issues and discuss your concerns. Make sure to document each of your discussions.

The thing to remember about employee’s experiencing performance issues is that you may never know what is contributing to the issue. I have seen cases where very bright employees with promising futures absolutely implode. Although you will want to lines of communication open at all times, you can only go so far in helping an employee with an issue. Remember, you are not the employee’s parent, social worker, psychiatrist or clergy. Your role in addressing performance issues includes:

• Being open and honest about the specifics of the performance deficiency- You need to be able to clearly and concisely explain what specifically is unacceptable about the performance
• Being supportive, encouraging and non-judgmental.
• Creating a plan WITH the employee to address any re-training opportunities that may exist
• Establish a plan for weekly meetings where you and the employee can review the progress they are making on their performance goals

If the performance issue appears to be influenced by outside factors (family issues, substance abuse, and medical or mental health issues) it is your responsibility to reach out and identify any resources that may be available to assist the employee.

Feedback Required for Employees Who Are Struggling with "Ongoing" Performance Issues
Be sure to thoroughly prepare for the conversation by having specific examples ready to share with the employee. The meeting should proceed as follows:

• Thank the employee for taking time to meet with you
• Tell the employee that you took some time to review some issues that have surfaced regarding their performance
• Explain the things that are impacted by their performance issues (customer service, financial loss, etc)
• Share specific examples with the employee
• Give the employee an opportunity to discuss the issue(s) and provide any feedback they may have
• Ask the employee what you can do to help them improve their performance in these areas
• If the request is reasonable, make a plan with the employee about when and how to address their request
• If the request is unreasonable, be honest with the employee and tell them why
• Explain to the employee that you will assist them in improving their performance by arranging additional training and providing them with additional feedback to ensure the two of you are able to gauge their process
• Reaffirm your commitment to helping them and ask that they keep you informed of any issues or problems they may encounter.

How to Effectively Deliver a Performance Improvement Plan
If you have had previous discussions with the employee regarding their performance, and have not seen significant improvement, it is time to get more formal with the process and corresponding feedback. Most companies have some type of performance improvement plan that should be implemented at this point. Be sure to come to the meeting with a fully documented performance plan. The meeting should flow as follows:

• Thank the employee for joining you
• Explain that you wanted to get together and discuss some of the ongoing performance issues the employee continues to experience
• Recap the performance discussions you have had recently with the employee
• Explain that you feel it is time to place the employee on a performance plan
• Describe the performance plan process as required by your company
• Review the details of the performance plan with the employee
• Review the time frame the plan will be in effect
• Review the schedule of follow-up meetings that will occur between you and the employee
• Be very clear about the expectations for improvement and the consequences for failing to show immediate and sustained improvement in their performance
• Reassure the employee that you are committed to supporting them with the plan
• Ask the employee for their feedback
• Conclude the meeting by asking the employee to keep you informed of any issues or problems that arise

Leadership Commitments for a Successful Performance Improvement Plan
There are several things required of the leader if you want to have success with a performance plan:

• Increase the level of communication with the employee
• Maintain solid documentation of performance related issues
• Stick to the meeting schedule you agreed upon with the employee
• Ensure all follow-up training takes place as planned
• Follow-up with the employee to ensure the training was effective

With this level of oversight, most employees are able to turn their performance around. If the employee continues to struggle throughout the performance plan, you will most likely be looking at a possible demotion, transfer or even termination. Partner with your manager/HR representative for next steps.

SUMMARY
Daily communication with your team members is absolutely critical for success. Not only are you creating an environment that ensures accurate and timely completion of the work that is done in your department, but you are creating a culture that supports professional development.  Assessing employee performance and providing timely feedback on that assessment is a minimum expectation of a leader's job.