Avoiding Tough Management Actions – layoffs, discipline, terminations

We all put things off; some have minor consequences such as de-cluttering the garage or picking clothes up at the cleaners. Others have far greater consequences such as those we have responsibility for as a manager. It’s no surprise then when I write that this issue always comes up in my coaching sessions with managers.

We avoid what we’re uncomfortable doing. And this was brought home to me this weekend when I committed to rearranging the shelves in my living room. I tried putting on some favorite Jazz CD’s, decided I better catch up on the news, then went surfing the net, baked banana bread, did laundry… Well, you get the idea. I did anything to avoid what I was uncomfortable doing. Now please see if this is relevant to your situation: You’ve had to do it before; You did it fairly well; and the stress of avoidance was almost as bad as the task.

The emotional attachment we have to the outcome is what causes all our anxiety. One of my clients had to layoff three people in his department before the end of the year. Realizing the holidays added an additional consideration, he put it off until the last minute. By that time, everyone in the office was stressed wondering about their jobs, he didn’t give himself sufficient time to plan a gracious exit for his laid-off employees and it left the employees who are staying resentful and distrustful.

I’ll write some more about layoffs, discipline and terminations in future blogs. Suffice it to say now that no matter the decision, no matter the action that must be taken, remember, your mom was right. If you pull that bandage off quickly, it will hurt less in the long run.

BLOG RX: Are you thinking emotionally or strategically? Tough decisions and their required actions are less stressful and have much better outcomes when you prepare for the outcome you want. The next time you find yourself avoiding something, ask yourself these three questions:

1. What am I really avoiding – is it a decision or its related action?
2. What am I really afraid of?
3. What’s the worst thing that can happen and how can I strategically avoid it?

While flying to New York City to teach Employee Relations at the NYC Cornell extension site, I sat next to Jim, a VP of Operations at a manufacturing company.* We struck up a conversation and when he found out that I was an Executive Coach, he shared his experience with a coach he had worked with.

As we got deeper into his experience, and I shared some of my clients’ experiences, anonymously, of course, we talked about the theme that seemed to haunt every executive. Often, these executives are fearless when it comes to getting the job done; fearless when they have to tell people what to do and how to do it; fearless when it comes to process, task or result. What is it, then, that often keeps them up at night and can impede their advancement and/or their success? It’s almost always some kind of fear and it’s often the fear of failure.

Jim is a bright, energetic, articulate and strong manager. He understands what needs to be done and how to get the results he wants. And, like many executives, that aspect of his job is considered to be the part that’s all-important. But what some fail to see is that the strategic relationships they build are equally important to their results, their success and probably their career. Being a bully, impatient, judgmental, sarcastic and demanding may “get the job done” but not done well. Under those circumstances, the manager creates a group of individual performers watching their backs rather than a team that’s holding out a hand to help others. They create an atmosphere of puppetry rather than purpose; a group of drones instead of creative problem solvers.

If managers assess themselves only on task completion and not on building coaching and collaborative relationships, then they are failing, and fooling themselves, in the long run. No management position, no matter the level, is responsible for only half the job; no manager was hired to do only half the job description. If you want to be a success, then you must measure yourself on the task AND your relationships; your process and your communication; your system strategy and your strategic alliances. If you’re really afraid of failing, take another look at your job and see if “completing the task” is the only way you can be successful!

* Name and circumstances are changed to protect the identity of my traveling companion.

BLOG RX: Are you working under the delusion that task completion is the only measure of success? Think again and take an honest assessment of your professional criteria. You can look like a success for getting the job done but still fail in the important areas of communication and team building. To avoid failure, and its fear, take the focus off yourself, help others to flourish and you can’t help but be successful yourself.

So much for a weekly blog! Getting caught up in the holiday and my travels are behind me now so I’m primed and ready to start a Monday Morning blog, helping you start each work week with new ideas and perspectives!

But there’s no ignoring it - the holidays are upon us and they can and do distract from work and focus. As a manager, the question is, “How can I use this time to help my team?”

Depending on your industry, work may either slow down or be busier than ever. Each situation poses its own unique challenges but in either case, it’s an excellent time to foster a sense of teamwork and collaboration.

People at work love to rally around a “cause” or goal. And because there’s no avoiding the impact of the economy at this time, why not support a group effort to collect food for a local food bank or a needy family? Maybe buy a large jar and ask your team to fill it with loose change. You’ll be surprised how they get involved with watching it fill up and guessing how much they will be able to send to a designated charity. You may even want to offer a “prize” for the person who guesses closest to the exact amount.

And in these challenging times, it’s even more important that we don’t eliminate our team rituals. They’re more important than ever! If you previously had a large dinner for your team or company but find that’s not practical this year, then perhaps a lunch or a potluck would serve the same socializing outcome. One organization I know of closed the office down at 4 PM on a Friday and had a huge Ben & Gerry’s ice cream sundae party. Everyone had a great time, costs were minimal, and all were grateful for the holiday party time on a Friday afternoon.

I realize that some of these ideas may not work in your organization but don’t let that stop you! Think out of the box and use this holiday time to create a feeling of “team” with your team.

BLOG RX: What will your employees need to feel and work more like a team? Ask them!
Pull some of your employees together and brainstorm about what they would like to do this holiday season. If it’s a social event, you may even want to give them a budget figure to work within and watch how creative and involved they can be. If it’s a group project, such as a charity event, make it easy, make it fun and show total support. This is your opportunity to take a leadership position to strengthen your team and have fun, too!

Ahh, the blog! A way to connect; a way to communicate; a way to share and learn and reflect and yes, maybe even laugh. So bear with me – here’s my first entry.

Because of the economic times, many businesses are caught in this recession,  and managers, business owners and executives are looking for ways to be more efficient, more effective and simply work smarter. They’re having to make tough financial, staffing and resource decisions. But these decisions are made even harder because they are often based on an incorrect premise. (more…)