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Issue #8: October 23, 2001
To our readers:
Last month we introduced six guidelines that stack the odds in your favor when giving a reprimand. To review those six tips, click here. Brief Tips
As we noted last month, reprimanding an employee is difficult and can easily become unpleasant, creating hurt feelings and resentment. Unfortunately, it doesn't help to avoid the reprimand either, because unproductive or negative behavior left uncorrected almost always festers and worsens.
Think of the reprimand as your friend. Handled appropriately, a reprimand can lead to an employee's improved performance and more positive perspective on work. A bonus: it usually sets the stage for a better relationship between the manager and the reprimanded employee. The keys are honesty, respect, fairness, and positive expectations. These Tips will help you translate those "keys" into specific behaviors.
The first rule is always to follow your organization's policies and procedures. Make sure you know what they are!
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Seven More Tips for Turning Reprimands into Recommendations for Change:
7. Create a comfortable setting (which includes appropriate body language).
Reduce the awkwardness of the encounter by seeing to the comfort of the person you are reprimanding. Offer him or her a soft drink or glass of water. Don't sit down behind your desk while your employee stands uncomfortably in front of you. Ideally you should sit facing one another in chairs that are of similar size and on the same level. Watch your body language: if your arms are crossed in front of you it can indicate intractability. If you are leaning way back in your chair, it can make it difficult for your employee to "reach" you with his or her explanations. Conversely, leaning slightly forward indicates you are tuned in and receptive to what your employee has to say, and your employee is likely to feel drawn to speak openly and honestly.
8. Don't discriminate or act unfairly.
Reprimands must be firm, fair, and consistent for all employees and managers. If you accept one employee's returning late from lunch because you know she works very hard, you will have a hard time reprimanding other employees for the same infraction. If you are willing to reward certain behaviors with longer lunch times or other freedoms, make that clear. And be sure to make crystal clear which specific behaviors qualify for which specific rewards!
9. Restate or paraphrase emotional comments.
Be sure to acknowledge any emotions an employee expresses. To ignore those feelings is to invite the employee to believe you don't care about him or her, which can lead to cynicism and more troublesome behavior on the job. You can even project emotional states, which may alleviate or diminish the need the employee has to act out negative emotions. For example you might say, "I know how angry you must have felt when . . ." or "I can understand how you might have felt disappointed when . . ." You can also indicate your understanding of what your employee has said by reflecting it back to her, for example, "Then you feel that you did not have enough support to finish the project on time." For tips on how to listen well, click here Brief Tips and click here Brief Tips.
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10. Provide coaching and counseling.
An effective reprimand doesn't end when you have outlined precisely what the employee did wrong. You must also clearly describe what the employee should do differently. If he or she has failed to turn in reports on time, make clear exactly when the reports should be handed in. It is not enough to say they should be turned in "in a timely fashion." A more specific instruction is "by 5:00 on the day after the reporting period ends." If the employee has been rude to customers, you must describe which of his behaviors qualify as "rude." Then you must describe appropriate behaviors. For example, "Most customers believe it is rude for a person to keep looking down at his papers when they come to his desk." On the other hand, "most customers believe you are being helpful when you look them in the eye and smile, and ask them how you can help them." Better yet, ask your employee how he likes to be treated when he walks up to someone's desk or counter. Throughout this process it is important that you communicate optimism that he or she can improve her work and/or behavior.
11. Ask for feedback for yourself
Ask your employee, "What could I do differently to assist you in doing a better job?" This is one of the quickest ways to demonstrate your sincere interest in helping the employee improve. It is also a sure-fire way to get excellent information about your own shortcomings and your style of leadership. If you disagree with the employee's assessment, don't defend yourself. Thank him for sharing his thoughts with you. And then reflect on his assessment, just in case there is more truth in it than you first thought. This serves the added purpose of modeling the behavior you would like to see in your employees.
12. Conclude with a clear understanding by both parties.
Go over the facts together: What happened? Why did it happen? What will change? How will we know it has changed appropriately (what are the specific behaviors we are looking for)? When will it change? What will be the consequences of not changing? Make sure both of you agree on the answers to these questions. If your company policy requires it, or if you believe it is desirable, write down the results of this session and have both of you sign it.
13. Follow up!
Watch for opportunities to commend the employee on his or her new, positive behavior, and then do it!
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