PPB June 2016

tion, whether it’s a business, a

household or a team. Everyone

needs to be responsible and

accountable, so where does it

begin?

When you hone and develop

these 12 skills, they will lay a

solid foundation for positive

growth on multiple levels.

Set expectations and be

clear.

In any given situa-

tion, it’s important to have

clear goals and expectations for all

parties involved. You have certain

expectations and so does the

other party. For example, as a

sales manager, if your expectations

are for your salespeople to fill out

their call reports, you must learn

to explain and demonstrate in

detail why you need these and

how to do them correctly.

Explain what you look for in

these reports and how their

efforts will benefit all parties

toward growing more sales,

increasing profitability and keep-

ing their sales pipelines full.

Write down your expectations

and review each point with your

team. Do not move forward to

the next step until everyone is

clear and has signed off on their

complete understanding of the

process. It’s more work but worth

it in the long term.

Get all of the facts to

avoid unfair accusations.

When there is a mistake

or a problem, before firing off

accusations on who is to blame,

take the time to gather all the

facts. This is critical. Parents

know that issues among siblings

can get tense and when a problem

arises, they need to investigate it

thoroughly and have all the facts

before making a determination

on next steps. The same holds

true in business. Years ago, a

salesperson came to me berating

a supplier. At first blush, it

appeared the supplier had indeed

dropped the ball. However, once

I took the time to gather all of

the paperwork and made the

appropriate calls to ensure I had

all the information, I found out

that the salesperson failed to do

his job on nearly eight of the 10

steps to ensure a successful tran-

sition of the order. The supplier

was proven right and we ate the

order. If our expectations are that

we want to be strategic partners

with our suppliers and hold them

accountable, then it is imperative

we do the same with ourselves.

Getting all the facts before judg-

ment is critical to being respon-

sible and accountable.

Be timely.

Nothing can

be worse than bringing

up a problem that hap-

pened weeks ago. When so much

time has passed, it’s difficult to

sift through the issues to under-

stand the problem in full.

Instead, address all issues in a

timely manner. Handling the

issues immediately shows that

you are on top of what’s going

on and you are interested in

addressing things and moving

forward. Issues that lag create

stress for everyone concerned,

but swift, positive action creates

a sense of urgency for your

organization.

Show kindness and con-

sideration: the Golden

Rule.

How do you like to

be treated? Most people want to

be dealt with in a kind and pro-

fessional manner. Sometimes we

lose sight of this. I have seen

some managers who feel a need

to be rigid and aggressive in

order to make a statement. This

approach often leads to frustra-

tion because team members are

likely to perceive them as arro-

gant and unapproachable. This is

not to say that you cannot be

firm and direct when a serious

issue arises, but think hard before

you react. Frustration often leads

us to do and say things we would

not have said if the situation

weren’t so tense. Pause before

you react; your intensity should

be consistent with the serious-

ness of the situation.

Be consistent and even-

handed; equality

counts.

Not every situa-

tion deserves a harsh reprimand.

The point of consistency is most

important in family-owned

businesses where there are also

employees who are outside of

the family. I have seen organiza-

tions where the owner is some-

times very hard on family mem-

bers and less intensive on out-

siders and vice versa. Balance

and consistency are so impor-

tant because showing favoritism

creates dissention and animosi-

ty—two things you do not need

in any organization or on any

team.

Show discretion; coach

privately.

Nothing is

more demoralizing to a

team or staff member than to be

publicly chastised. Give yourself

a few moments to think through

the situation and then take the

person aside and have the discus-

sion privately. This shows respect

for the other person and you will

gain admiration and gratitude in

return, even if the discussion is

tough.

Be gracious; commend

for good work and

habits.

More often than

not, giving praise for a job well

done and sending short notes, a

quick email or public affirmation

is better than a $50 bonus.

People like to be appreciated for

their efforts—make sure you do

your part to acknowledge good

work habits. Praising when it’s

warranted also makes it easier

when you have to discuss more

complex, problematic issues later.

JUNE 2016 •

PPB

• 53

“If our expectations

are that we want

to be strategic

partners with our

suppliers and hold

them accountable,

then it is imperative

we do the same

with ourselves.

Getting all the facts

before judgment is

critical to being

responsible and

accountable.”

MANAGE

MENT