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Line managers brushing issues under the carpet? |
When budgets are limited and business growth is needed, one of the best and yet hardest things to achieve this is having performance management conversations to tackle under performance. In a growth economy, it is easy to leave the issue of tackling poor performance because it has less of an urgency.
Failure to have those awkward but necessary conversations with employees can leak profit away, so it is an important skill to master with huge benefits. Mastering the skill also makes people feel good and done well actually engages employees. A 'win win' can be achieved.
In the past, before I knew how to tackle difficult conversations, I would do anything to avoid them, even dusting light bulbs felt more appealing! Some of the biggest highs I have had at work have been tackling difficult conversations and achieving a successful outcome. A coaching client helped shift my perception - she said: "Resolving a conflict with someone is a great opportunity to build a stronger relationship." She was right.
So what conversations are line managers avoiding?
Difficult conversations in business include: under performance by employees, inappropriate behaviour and telling employees that they are being made redundant. The longer these issues remain unaddressed, the bigger the negative impact on the organisation's performance. Equipping line managers to handle difficult conversations well and early improves performance and minimises employee disengagement as they know where they stand and what they need to change.
Research by Portsmouth Business School with 600 coaching and HR specialists and their line managers (published May 2009) shows that a key inhibitor for line managers is a lack of confidence to deal with difficult people.
Research by Lominger in 2009 shows the strongest weaknesses of managers and executives are:
- Conflict management
- Confronting direct reports
- Developing people
Read on for reasons why people find difficult conversations difficult. |
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7 Reasons why people find difficult conversations difficult |
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Tackling difficult conversations can feel like walking a tight rope. Reasons for avoidance include:
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Lack of time
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They are not enjoyable tasks and we feel better doing things we like, especially when things are tough
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It is human nature to like being liked
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Awkward atmospheres at work can be unpleasant at the best of times
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It is easier to avoid things we like than tackle them, especially if we are not measured or rewarded on them
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We don't get taught at home, school or college how to have difficult conversations
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Worry about legal implications.
Failure to tackle difficult conversations have a big negative impact on business. See the next section for these negative business impacts. |
6 Negative business impacts of failure to have difficult conversations |
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Failure to do this one activity has huge costly consequences:
- Paying a salary for an absent member of staff off sick to do nothing and add no value to the company
- Increased stress and likelihood of illness of team members
- Management time 'holding the hand' of poor performers with them having less time to spend with other members of staff or time to focus on important not urgent factors which make all the difference to success
- Employees being promoted when they don't possess the capability, blocking the prospects of demotivated talented colleagues
- Recruitment cost of replacing talent who leave disillusioned and the time and cost of them getting up to speed before they perform, plus management time recruiting and training them
- Employment tribunals from avoiding problems which end up in court with legal costs and management time to resolve
Helping people to feel comfortable about having difficult conversations is budget well spent because the opportunity cost of ignoring this issue is massive.
Rachel is an affliate member of the CIPD and committee member of CIPD Oxford. Not only does she attend regular CIPD forums and events to keep up to date with data, insights and best practice, in 2008 she spent 6 months reading the latest research from CIPD, Boston Group, Hay etc to add more value to her clients - her brain is now very full! Energise also host events on talent management, employee engagement and to support HR in their career development.
How can we help you? We are happy to meet you over a coffee, no charge/obligation, for an hour to chat through your needs and challenges.
P.S. Did you know ...One of our coaching specialisms is working with people who are displaying problem behaviour? Who do you have in your company who is disengaging colleagues? |
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Kind regards,
Rachel Brushfield, Director
Energise - liberate your talent
The Talent Liberation Company
T + 44 (0) 845 22 55 010
M +44 (0) 7973 911137
Twitter: @talentliberator
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