Comments on JDM Marketing Blog: Learning the Most from Your Worst

Anonymous 1 here again; Thanks Justin. I agree wi...

2010-08-29T21:35:52.914-05:00

Anonymous 1 here again;

Thanks Justin. I agree with your comments - although I think *treat* your employees how you would like to be treated (respect, trust, etc) is self explanatory. In order to reward them the best way for them, asking is of course important. I have had staff who wanted a simple "thanks for XYZ" from me (and my bosses) through to people who want a gift voucher and no public announcement, and even one who wanted to do a departmental morning tea with an acknowledgement of why it was happening.

There's also (IMHO) a pradigm that "Employee Reviews" (by any other name) are the be-all and end-all of employee/employer relationships. The "best" (again, IMO) managers I have had have made employee feedback part of the everyday job - where I am now, we have annual reviews and that's all. Essentially you can be doing the job (or an aspect of it) poorly for nearly 12 months before you're told anything. Then you're hit with a blindside.

I've always tried to have constant feedback going both ways with my staff. I find it assists with the culture of the workplace (which I consider *so* important, but so many others ignore it, or only consider it in passing). As you say, the "coalface" is where the best ideas for improvement are going to come from - and even the best feedback for why an idea from upper management is unworkable.

Along the lines of what Mr. Downey said, the worst...

2010-08-20T09:59:23.954-05:00

Along the lines of what Mr. Downey said, the worst managers I've had refuse to offer feedback of any sort beyond "Good Job" when their actions say differently, then they refuse to hear feedback from you, in turn getting violent abou tit, or "counting paper clips" as the analogy you've used.

If you're not willing to listen or work with your employees how are you supposed to get things done?

Great question about Employee Reviews. To clarify...

2010-08-15T17:24:22.336-05:00

Great question about Employee Reviews.

To clarify, the key to Employee Reviews is conducting them as a two-way conversation--titles be damned.

It's an opportunity for management to provide performance feedback to employees, BUT also for employees to provide feedback to management. This is a two-way conversation that should be had on mutual ground at a mutually agreed upon time. It's not detention. It's parent-teacher conference.

In my several managerial roles, the very best, most actionable and most important ideas came right from the mouths of the boots on the ground during these meetings. Not from a white-board during a corporate "retreat."

At JDM, re-named them "Improvement Meetings" and they are some of my most valuable meetings.

I totally agree with your "Golden Rule" reference, but what's more important than treating people as YOU would be treated is treating people as THEY want to be treated. To do that, you have to ask.

Great Post - as I read through the items, visions ...

2010-08-15T17:09:30.413-05:00

Great Post - as I read through the items, visions of the terrible "managers" (term applied loosely) I've has sprung up.

One question though, you can Employee Reviews should never be done in the office or on office time - doesn't doing it after hours smack a little of detention ("Jones, see me after class")? I'm not saying you're wrong, but if an employee has commitments (picking up children, etc), then having them stay late seems a little punitive..

As for the best lesson I've learnt from bad management, it's amost biblical - "Treat others the way you would want to be treated". Simple, but beautifully effective.