What makes them stay? Part V

OK, Mr. Manager, it's the busiest time on the busiest day for you.

Everyone is rushed--but smiling, everyone seems to be doing a good job; the customers seem to be happy, all the employees showed up for work today on time, in proper attire, and all of a sudden---WHAM!

That was the sound of the back door slamming as an employee walked off the job.

Let's think about this real world experience for a few minutes, now, because when it happens, you instinctively react. Generally, with a negative, knee jerk response. What just happened?

Was the employee stressed because he/she was not properly trained or seasoned to handle an extended service/order fulfillment period?

Or were the signs there, all along, that you were cruising for a problem—and that the problem could occur at any time?

We've talked about key critical competencies to be identified during the interview process. We know you've invested time, effort, and energy in attracting great job candidates. We're hoping that you know what you want in employees---aside from simply warm bodies--to fill the slots. After all, if you don't know what you need, who will? If you don't know the mix of talents and personalities you're seeking, and hire to those standards, how can you honestly expect your employees to feel comfortable in the working environment?

We're assuming your training program follows a more or less standard pattern—bringing core competencies to the mix of behaviors trained, along with some OJT, coaching, and performance demonstration. You've surely remembered the old adage, "Telling me what you do is great, but showing me is better."

We're assuming that your management and leadership qualities stand scrutiny and would be classified as above average.

What could have happened here? Let's define what created the experience. In 90% of the cases where this happens, someone had a "fly-by." Both of you talked "at" each other, instead of "with" each other. What the employee said to you, or others, was not what was heard. Worse still in this situation; what was heard, was not what they said. Active communication was not practiced.

We were so involved in the working process, we didn't see some need that existed. We didn't address a challenge faced. We didn't take that deep breath and the time to think through what we heard or saw, and realize it needed to be addressed, or think about how best to address it.

Let's face it—so often, in our attempts to maintain a professional, arm's-length distance from our employees, we inadvertently alienate them. What they say is not what we hear. The frame of reference is not clear.

Sometimes, the burdens of being an effective manager tend to overwhelm us.

It's critical, of course, that a professional approach be taken to subordinates, but the old days of simply talking an employee into a position, briefing them on the specials and/or enthusiastically telling them about the latest promotion—and then focusing on "managing" a variety of ever-changing situations around you--as opposed to creating the ambiance and environment designed to compete for and exceed the customer's expectations and to guarantee their satisfaction--are fading quickly.

Business in our industry, as in so many others, is continuously evolving and is becoming more and more customer-driven. If you are not working to move your business from that of a traditional business to a World-Class Business —and the performance of your management team and subordinates to that of World-Class Performers, you need to address this immediately.

Of course, we all want to think that our business is World-Class. But is it?

Are the decisions that you make about subordinate direction and training designed to empower your subordinates and make them think proactively about finding ways to build your sales and profits?

Do your subordinates feel like they are part of the team, or do they honestly, feel like they may be part of the problem?

 Do you seek out and reward team-spirited and customer-oriented actions, or are you personally concerned—and maybe a bit threatened-- because you aren't sure what it will be like to manage a team of "blue ribbon" performers?

As an industry, we must make it a goal that every location across the country sets standards on quality and service orientation at all levels.

Your alternative is having your employees become alienated and exit your workforce. Human nature being what it is, they will exit your workforce at the worst possible time.

As we identified in an earlier segment of this Column, your current employees should be your best advertising for additional staff. If they leave your employment unhappy and unfulfilled, you've wasted an extraordinary opportunity. We've had some great feedback from readers as we've outlined the principles and concepts of Comparative Interviewing in this segment. Several groups have let us know that they have integrated Comparative Interviewing throughout their interview process, and we're pleased to know the concept is benefiting the industry.

The key to successful interaction—beginning at the initial interview process and continuing through hiring, training, positional placement, and attainment of a mutually-fulfilling work relationship-- is honest, open, and ongoing communication.

Open communication builds trust. Trust builds confidence. Confidence in actions and performance leads management to embrace empowerment. As lower level subordinates demonstrate those abilities we train and groom them to perform, our role in management becomes one of planning and measuring results versus plans, as opposed to controlling.

As an industry, let's train subordinates we plan to empower them to fulfill responsibilities not based on arbitrary decisions, but when they demonstrate the personal and professional ability to assume those responsibilities.

Begin at the interview, hire the right candidates, then work to develop a culture of trust and empowerment.