Managers want to believe all or most of their staffers are giving their best effort.
The truth? Don’t kid yourself.
According to one poll, 44% of U.S. workers say they put in just enough effort to avoid getting fired.
And guess what? It’s not the employees’ fault.
Tough questions to ask yourself
Reason: Nearly half of all working adults do the bare minimum because their bosses let them.
Unless you confront staffers about performance problems – such as safety lapses, tardiness, low customer satisfaction ratings, low productivity, etc. – they won’t change.
Are you prepared to initiate the crucial conversations you need to have?
Take this quiz to find out. Answer Yes or No to these six statements, then add up your Yes replies at the end:
1. I put off some discussions rather than get into an argument.
2. I can bring up problems in a way that makes people defensive.
3. Some people just can’t be motivated to do a better job.
4. When someone can’t do something, I jump in with advice, even though the person may just want someone to listen.
5. When people start bringing up other issues, I can get sidetracked and veer away from the original problem.
6. Sometimes I work through a problem, but don’t clarify who’s supposed to do what by when.
What’s your score?
After adding up your Yes answers, here’s how to evaluate yourself:
0-1: You don’t shy away from crucial confrontations!
2-3: Do you “remind” staffers about the same problems? Example: tardiness. You need to address why they don’t take your warnings seriously and whether they want their jobs, because they don’t fear the consequences right now.
4-6: You are likely bringing personal feelings into work-related issues. Example: You may like a staffer or co-worker who takes advantage of it. Focus on the behavior that needs correcting, not the other person and how you feel about him.
