A reader asks:
Two years in the past, I started managing Craig, who had been doing the identical duties day in and time out for a decade. He hadn’t tailored to new know-how, finest practices, or trade tendencies. My first order of enterprise was to coach him and problem him to develop and be taught. For greater than a 12 months, we constructed up an amazing trajectory. Individuals noticed how a lot his work improved and commented on it continuously, and mentioned he appeared revitalized in some ways. His progress gave me numerous hope that he may turn out to be good on the fashionable calls for of his position.
Then about six months in the past, Craig instantly reverted to his outdated patterns. It was as if the prior 12 months of progress received fully worn out. Solely this time round, he hasn’t been capable of step up the way in which he did final 12 months — although we each know he’s totally succesful, having finished this all earlier than.
Not too long ago, he has began calling in sick the day after receiving even the mildest negative feedback. If a challenge goes off the rails or needs to be delayed, we work on the issue till it’s solved and later debrief about what went mistaken. In the course of the debriefs, I let Craig take the lead and I ask open-ended questions. I’m cautious to maintain it factual and targeted on studying for subsequent time. He assesses his work actually and takes acceptable duty for missteps. Then the very subsequent morning, he calls in sick. When he does return to work, he’s quiet and withdrawn for a few days. This has occurred 3 times up to now two months.
I ought to be clear that the missteps are usually not disasters. There’s no drama. No person is offended and no one factors fingers. I’ve let numerous these items go that I might have in any other case corrected. The issues I do elevate are things with an impact on other teams: missed deadlines, not finishing one thing he had dedicated to, and many others.
He says all the appropriate issues about wanting to enhance, however not like final 12 months, it simply hasn’t occurred. And now I’m at a loss as to how one can assist him if he’s going to be incapable of coming to work after errors. It’s attending to the purpose the place I’m afraid to say something to him in any respect. How do I assist Craig out of the tailspin or time vortex that has consumed him?
Inexperienced responds:
This is without doubt one of the largest issues with individuals who don’t handle feedback well: Individuals cease giving it to them. And that’s dangerous for his or her staff (which isn’t getting the efficiency it wants) and dangerous for the supervisor (who isn’t doing their job) and dangerous for the particular person themself, as a result of they’re not listening to what they should do to enhance — and if the issues are critical sufficient that they may ultimately lose their job, they’re not getting clear messages that issues may attain that time.
So that you’ve received to speak to him about what’s occurring. In doing that, your measure of success shouldn’t be “Craig will get out of his tailspin, begins taking suggestions effectively, and resumes his earlier stage of efficiency.” If that occurs, good! Nevertheless it won’t occur, and that received’t imply you failed; you don’t have that quantity of management over one other particular person. As an alternative, your measure of success ought to be “I clearly articulate to Craig what I’m seeing, clarify what wants to vary, and provide the help that’s inside my potential to supply.” From there, it’s as much as him.
Once you speak to him, simply title what you’re seeing. For instance: “Final 12 months, you labored onerous to boost your stage of efficiency and actually impressed me and others. About six months in the past, that appeared to vary. I’m not seeing these enhancements anymore, and also you’ve been lacking deadlines and letting tasks fall by means of the cracks. I do know you are able to do this work effectively as a result of I’ve seen you do it, and we’re on the level the place my considerations are critical ones. What do you assume is happening?”
After which see what he says. Possibly you’ll discover out he’s coping with one thing in his private life that’s consuming his focus, or perhaps the extent of focus required for these enhancements wasn’t sustainable, or who is aware of what. However give him the prospect to listen to your considerations and share his perspective.
As a part of that dialog, there’s room to say, “Please inform me if I’m misinterpreting, however I get the sense that critical feedback in your work has been troublesome for you. You’ve usually referred to as in sick the following day and appeared withdrawn for a couple of days after that. I understand that sample could possibly be a coincidence, however am I proper in pondering you’re having a troublesome time with it?” … and likewise, “I do want to have the ability to speak with you about your work with out it that means you possibly can’t come within the subsequent day. Is there one thing I can do otherwise on my aspect that can make these conversations go extra simply?”
However finally, you’re going to have to determine what efficiency requirements you want Craig to fulfill as a way to keep in his job. And the kindest factor you are able to do for him is to spell these out for him very clearly.
—Jeff Haden
This text initially appeared on Quick Firm‘s sister publication, Inc.
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