Dealing with Workplace Negativity

Dale Carnegie Training®

Question:

Recently I’ve noticed that one of my employees is slacking off.  She’s pushing off her duties to other coworkers and she’s making careless mistakes with things she was normally good at.  She has always worked hard and approached work with enthusiasm.  I don’t know how to approach her about this change in behavior without being too harsh.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Response:

This type of change in an employee’s behavior often reflects deeper issues, other than simple sluggishness.  To find out what may be causing this undesirable behavior follow the below steps:

1)       Begin in a friendly way.  Show respect for the employee’s opinion and honestly try to put yourself in her situation.  There may be something personal bothering her or she may feel overwhelmed with her responsibilities at work.  Maybe she just can’t seem to organize her time. 

2)       Conduct the discussion in private.  You don’t want the person to feel embarrassed or lose face in front of others.

3)       Ask questions instead of making assumptions.  Maybe you’re overlooking other duties that this employee is responsible for and it just may seem as though she’s not working hard.  If you are wrong, admit it.  Remember to stay open to the responses.

4)       Focus on the problem, not the person.  Challenge your employee to get one of her duties completed and ask when you can expect it.  If it does not get done on time, follow up and ask about the status of the project.  This will keep your employee on her toes and she may feel the urge to complete the task quicker.  This may also be a good time to ask why the task has not been completed.

5)       Don’t try to “fix her problem”.  When you empower your employees, they will be more likely to realize and fix their own mistakes.  Genuinely make your employee feel that her job is important and closely related to the success of the organization.   

-Michael Crom, Executive Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training®

If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at http://www.bc.dalecarnegie.com/ or email me at paul.sinkevich@dalecarnegie.com.

How to get your managers to stand up and lead

Dale Carnegie Training®

Question:

I’ve been a mid level manager for many years and I’ve never had difficulty leading my employees.  Recently, I accepted a promotion where I’ve become a regional manager. Since then I have struggled to find a way to inspire the managers to lead effectively. I’m not sure what I’m missing; can you please help me?

Answer:

It is not easy to instill such work ethic and leadership abilities in others.  It’s very important to also understand that some people do not share the same goals and aspirations as you might.  Keep and open mind and learn to use different techniques to inspire different people.  Here are few ways that you can inspire your managers to stand up and lead.

1)       Challenge– Issue a challenge.  Some people need a specific challenge to motivate them. By laying down a challenge you also create a very clear and measurable goals for the manager to achieve.

2)       Appeal to more noble motives – Many employees can think that their work does not make a difference. By appealing to a noble motive you can increase morale while also setting higher standards for your managers. 

3)       Be sympathetic – Never tell a person they are wrong. Rather listen and be empathetic to the other person ideas and desires.

4)      Evidence– Back up your ideas with proof.  By providing evidence you can give instant credibility to your ideas.  If you have evidence even the most hard to reach managers will take notice.

5)      Listen – Listen to what your managers have to say.  Some employees may not have aspirations to reach top corporate positions, rather they are content if their opinions and ideas are valued.

Michael Crom, Executive Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training®

If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at www.bc.dalecarnegie.com or mailto:paul.sinkevich@dalecarnegie.com

Building Trust with Coworkers

Dale Carnegie Training®

Question:

I have recently started working at a new firm.  I have been learning so much over the past few weeks and everyone is very nice, except for one coworker.  This coworker has been working for the firm for many years and knows pretty much everything there is to know about my position, many times I find myself asking her simple questions and she responds with “I don’t know”, even though I know she knows the information.  I know that we will be working together on many projects and duties.  How can I get her to open up and work with me?

Answer:

It is very good that you are taking a proactive approach to this situation.  There could be 1000 reasons to why your coworker is uncooperative.  However, many people view new employees with skepticism.  Since you are a new employee you might need to gain her trust.  Here are a few tips that help you build trust with your coworker:

1)       Involve - Involve her in decisions, display an open and accepting attitude and be receptive.  Your coworker might view you as competition. Set her mind at ease by including her on your different project.

2)       Be confident – Speak confidently, decisively, and with authority, and evidence.  If you are confident and have evidence she will take notice and recognize that you know what you are talking about and you mean business.

3)       Share the glory – If she helps you out even a little bit, include her in your email or report to your boss.  She will know that you are appreciative and won’t hog all the recognition. 

4)       Defer to Expertise – Be modest and be willing to defer to another’s expertise.  If the situation comes up where you realize that your coworker knows more about a certain subject than you do, let her answer and take recognition for her answer.

5)       Be a stellar role model – Act professional and always walk the talk.  Even if your coworker is unprofessional and uncooperative, if you maintain a professional demeanor it will rub off on others.

-Michael Crom, Executive Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training®

If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at www.bc.dalecarnegie.com or email me at paul.sinkevich@dalecarnegie.com.

Connecting With Your Team

Dale Carnegie Training®

Question:

I am a team leader in a large marketing firm, overseeing the work of four other employees.  My problem is that as I grow older, I feel a growing disparity between me and the other members of my team.  I feel like it has become increasingly difficult to really connect with my employees because our interests are very different, based heavily on age difference.  I am married with two children, while one of my team members is fresh out of college.  I need to find a way to maintain my authority but also find a level of understanding despite these differences, as it is important for me to remain in the same frame of mind as the rest of my team.  Please help!

Answer:

It seems that you really care about maintaining a positive work environment and wish to stay connected with your team, regardless of your differing lifestyles and interests.  This is the first step in the process of creating a positive relationship with a team: having the desire and will to do so.  Now, all that it will take is some special consideration on your part in order to find some common ground with your team and promote these connections you are trying to build.  Here are a couple of important points to remember as you begin this process:

1. Listen and communicate.  This is key to keep things running smoothly.  Keeping the lines of communication open keeps information flowing.  This develops a sense of trust and teamwork among team members.  Also, encourage others to talk about themselves.  This will give you insight into your colleagues.  Speak of their interests as well.  People will often open up quickly on this topic – and who knows, you may have more in common with them than you may have previously thought.

2. Be an active and empathetic listener to show others that you are genuinely interested.  There are two major components of listening: active and empathetic.  Encourage those around you to express their thoughts, and be an active listener.  Ask questions, listen carefully, and really attempt to understand what is being said.  In addition, being an empathetic listener means placing yourself in a team member’s shoes.  Imagine what the other person is experiencing, and how you would handle it.  Remember that these individuals are sharing parts of their lives with you, be it professional or personal information.  Being sincere in your approach gives the other person a sense of ease when communicating with you because they know you are truly attentive, despite supposed differences.

3. Show team members that they have valuable opinions.  Communication reminds the team that you are including them in projects, and that their input really does matter.  Your team members are a great source of ideas and information.  If you can give them the sense that their suggestions are having a positive impact on the team, they will feel a stronger connection to you as the team leader for taking them into account.

It all comes down to your team knowing that you are sincerely interested in them - not only their work, but also their lives. By keeping this in mind, you’ll be able to help build some bridges over those gaps and form strong bonds that will only serve to assist in the overall productivity of your team. 

-Michael Crom, Executive Vice President of Dale Carnegie Training®

If you have any business related questions or would like advice on other workplace issues, visit our web site at http://www.bc.dalecarnegie.com/ or mailto:paul.sinkevich@dalecarnegie.com