1/5/1996
It is probably the most exciting time of the year. With few exceptions, we can throw out everything that happened before, erase the board and begin brand new. It’s a time for new beginnings, rosy outlooks and resolutions. All the mistakes we made last year don’t count, except to help us in our quest to become better because of them. It’s all smiles no frowns and a happy tune on the lips of us all.
With luck, the feeling will last a week.
With a sense of purpose, it can last the year.
With hard work and dedication, it can change your life.
As managers of people, it is up to us to give the New Year’s resolutions and the people who made them every opportunity to capitalize on their goals and ambitions. Luck only plays a big part in the lives of those who have planned and worked hard to recognize and use those “lucky†breaks to their advantage. As leaders, most of us realize that it took more dedication and hard work than lucks to get us where we are today. It’s important to share that work ethic and mindset with those around us.
The first week of the new year is the perfect time to begin a program of checks, balances and goals, not only for ourselves, but to others in our company or department. I’ve always used the time between Christmas and New Year to analyze the past year and plan for the next. It is important to do more than think about what has come to pass and what will happen. Careful planning combined with reachable goals will stimulate your actions and keep you on the right course.
That goes double for your employees.
To maximize your potential, you must do the same for your support staff. A group of people working together can accomplish the individual goals of each a lot quicker and easier than those working alone. I’ll share some suggestions that have helped me in the past and may prove beneficial to you.
During the first month of the year, schedule meetings with each of your employees. Set aside whatever time is necessary. The meetings shouldn’t take long. I find meetings that last longer than 20 minutes to be counterproductive. Just make sure that whatever time you designate should be quality time. Hold all your phone calls and focus all of your attention on the person you’ve scheduled. If you have a large staff, you might want to schedule the meetings over a period of days. Too many back-to-back meetings also become counterproductive. Give yourself enough of a break between meetings so you can absorb the variables that are discussed.
Before the meeting, have each employee prepare notes. Explain that the notes should be brief and not necessarily formal. The notes should include a job description, goals, ambitions and a list of the employee’s strengths and weaknesses.
In order for you to get the most out of your employees, it is important to get their input. Knowing what they want and perceive helps you make personnel decisions easier. Too often we promote or assign tasks to the wrong people. If you know what motivates each of your employees, your job will become much easier.
You should prepare notes for each individual listing the same topics you’ve asked them to provide. The comparison in the meeting will help each of you understand the other and will make working together smoother over the coming year.
The job description is all important. Although each employee should know exactly what is expected of them on a day-to-day basis, all too often, there is confusion. Sometimes a little, oftentimes a lot. Getting a descriptive job description from your employees may surprise you. You may not even be aware of the tasks they’re doing. Maybe someone else has given them assignments, or perhaps you’ve forgotten about some of the things you have assigned. The job description—yours and theirs—will clarify any ambiguities. This description should be specific and include the time they are expected in, lunch hours, breaks and time they go home. Leave nothing to the imagination. Compare your description with theirs and combine the two to come up with final blueprint for their working expectations and requirements.
Goals should be restricted to attainable aims within the company parameters. Wanting to be the company president isn’t a goal. It’s an ambition. Goals should be divided into two groups: long-term and short-term. Give your employees at least one short-term goal per quarter and set quarterly meetings to discuss those specifics. If it is possible within your organization, shorter time spans and more goals are beneficial. Whatever the time frames, make sure you schedule meetings accordingly. Long-term goals don’t need to be as specific. These need to be discussed at each quarterly meeting and in a final meeting at the end of the year.
Ambitions are important, so you’ll know where each employee wants to be in five or so years. Knowing your employees’ ambitions can help you put them in the right job when openings arise. Assigning employees tasks and titles that fit with their ultimate ambitions makes for happier and more productive people. And it makes you look like a genius.
Although you are aware of your employees’ strengths and weaknesses, it’s important that they are aware as well. You will be surprised how close your perception and theirs will be. Discuss specific ways for each employee to accentuate the strengths and improve in the weak area. Explain how you’ve reach your conclusions. Each employee needs to know what you think about their working habits and why.
Often an employee will believe he or she is doing a good job in a specific area when you don’t. This meeting and the accompanying notes will clarify and discrepancy between the perception and reality.
Follow-up meetings on these particular subjects are a must. If you have only one meeting and then forget about it, the initial meeting becomes as concrete as a New Year’s resolution. And will last about as long.
Identifying specific working habits, requirements, goals, ambitions, strengths and weaknesses of each member of your team will make each a better and more satisfied employee. And make you a better leader.
It’s sure to make you all winners.