Submitted by Dysprosium on
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I have been doing O3 for over 2 years with my team. Recently a couple of my team members have bypassed me and gone straight to HR to say that they want O3 discontinued and that they do not want to develop. I have been having my team listen to some of the career tools podcasts about peer feedback, prioritizing work, how to make development plans etc.... and discussing with them because I have seen these areas as development gaps with my team for many years now and no one has done anything to make changes based on performance reviews so I have taken matters to my own hands.
Anyway they didn't like the podcasts and disagree with most of the content. I did make some change based on this and put some TEDTalks into mix as well.
They have gone to HR saying that they don't want to have one on one's and that they find them a waste of time, and they don't want to develop.
HR asked if they had come to me to discuss this, they said they had not. And he had left off the discussion with this was something they should be bringing up with me. This was a couple weeks ago now and no one has come to me about it.
Should I go to them to follow up even though they haven't approached me?
Also would like to be prepared on what to say to them. I like to take time to think about things before I speak.
Suggestions appreciated.
Managerial Courage - this "is" part of the job
Dude, my suggestion is to _not_ bring it up with them unless they do. For a While.
Why ? Because it shows that you are concerned about your position. This, at the moment, is an issue of role power.
And you have it. Be calm. Be secure in your role.
Notice what HR did ? They didn't agree with them. They referred your directs back to you.
The Organization hired you to "be the company". They pay you to be a good manager.
When I have gotten push-back. These are the kind of thing I say to them:
Try to be emotionless and matter-of-fact with them. This is _not_ personal - the basic message is this -- You have a job to do and so do they.
"This is my job, my role here as manager "is" to push you a little. To get you to grow, to change, to expand in your role here. Please understand that building a relationship with you, setting goals with you, asking you to grow _is_ my job here as a manager. AND it _is_ part of your job to work with me on that."
"You, [direct], might disagree with my methods, but they are not illegal, they are not unethical, they are not demeaning, and not dehumanizing to you. They are the methods by which I have chosen to do my job."
"Please integrate this idea into your mind... YES ... building a relationship with me and your co-workers IS part of the job here. Setting Goals and growing and developing in your position here IS part of the job. AND you will be evaluated on this during annual appraisals."
BTW - I have shown my directs _my_ Annual Appraisal Criteria - it does specifically evaluate 50% of on managing my directs, doing relationship and goal setting and developing them. I show them this to prove that it IS part of my job and I have the backing of he Organization.
1.
OK - here is my first advice to back off a little bit.
At my org we do Goal Setting every year after Annual appraisals.
I require each of my directs to create - on their own - to set
One Task related Goal
One Relationship related Goal
Let them set it up . Let them come up with it.
Don't force this particular goal upon them.
They have to take ownership of the Goal.
Don't make them watch a video you choose. Let them choose the area of growth.
2.
Yes, there will be other Goals that you set for them.
I don't know how your workplace does Annual Appraisals.
I can actually set Goals for them.
Here is how a couple of goals read.
=========
Goal 1 : Participate in the Annual Appraisal process by (1) completing annual self appraisals, (2) tracking and (3) reporting goal progress each year.
--- Yes - you will get a rating on this goal at the end of the year - Excellent | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory
======
Goal 2 : Create and complete at least one annual goal to create, maintain, or improve an existing relationship in the organization.
Due by the end of the year (see Goal #1 to track and report progress of this goal)
+ Please Write the Goal and explanation here :
--- Yes - you will get a rating on this goal at the end of the year - Excellent | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory
==========
Goal 3 : Create and complete at least one annual goal to improve an existing job task or successfully take on a new job task (delegation)
Due by the end of the year (see Goal #1 to track and report progress of this goal)
--- Yes - you will get a rating on this goal at the end of the year - Excellent | Satisfactory | Unsatisfactory
+ Please Write the Goal and explanation here :
==========
===========
Yes - my suggestion is to tell them, a few months ahead, that this kind of Goal setting will take place.
Then when Annual Goal setting comes they know that they have to do this.
And During annual appraisal come they will be evaluated on this.
And the Push -back ?? I tell them that these Goals are just like any other Annual goals.
"If you are OK with getting an "unsatisfactory" rating on your annual appraisal, then I am OK in giving it."
"I'm not going to get mad, I'm not going to take it personally. This is "my" job and it is "your" job. I get rated on this by my supervisor - and you will get rated on your behavior and performance as well."
*** This actually gives them a choice. A grown up, take personal responsibility choice.
They may choose to be fantastic at every other aspect of the job. And that is OK.
AND
They may chose _not_ to do well in this category.
You can give them an "unsatisfactory" rating on their performance in this area. And that is OK, too.
Bottom Line
- Consider it as part of your job. Consider it as part of their job. Give evaluations and rating accordingly.
Just some thoughts.
Remember your job is not for them to like you.
You are paid by the organization because they trust you to do your job as a manager. In the best interest of the organization.
Over time, hopefully your relationships will improve.
Good Luck
TJPuccio