Manager Catch 22s

Doyle Slayton | Dec 02, 2009 | Comments 22

It humors me to think about how many “no win” situations mangers can get sucked into. We’ve all been there. For example…

Employees often complain about how their manager didn’t train them on “something.” Yet when the manger schedules a formal training, those same employees complain about losing valuable selling time.

Another example revolves around the idea of micromanagement. The employee who at first complains about needing space, will later turn around and accuse the manager of “spending time with everyone else but me.”

Although some managers may take an aggressive, “I’m the boss,” type of approach… I suggest the manager tackle these issues in three simple steps.

Listen – Listen closely and let the employee clearly explain their point of view. As the manager, it doesn’t matter whether you agree with the issue or not. Control your emotions and resist the urge to fight back.

Clarify – Request specific examples and ask genuine clarifying questions. If the employee provides examples, you now have something to work from.

On the other hand, if the employee says, “Well, I can’t really think of any examples,” then ask the employee to think about it and come back later with some specifics.

Move Forward – This is where the conversation comes to a head. The manager brings everything full circle. It’s a very simple question that will put everything in perspective for both parties. Ask the employee…

“What would you like to see happen?”

The employee will either have a suggestion, or they won’t. If they provide a reasonable request, go with it! If it is unreasonable, have them come up with a solution that fits the mutually desired outcome.

This process allows the manager to maintain their leadership position, while giving the employee an opportunity to to be heard. Over time, you build a culture of trust, understanding, and clear expectations. You don’t have to dominate your employees, you just have to talk to them!