This article first appeared in the November, 2004 edition of the Jacksonville Business Journal
The relationship between managers and the employees who report to them is based on a few cardinal principles. When these principles are followed, healthy and productive relationships are formed. If violated, the results can be disastrous. The following recent story is true and the consequences speak for themselves. However, the solutions that were put in place, however, are already having a positive effect in reversing the situation.
The Situation
For the past two years the contribution of a small group of engineers in a larger engineering organization fairly had steadily deteriorated. They were under-performing as a group and not valued by the rest of the company. Finally, the vice president of engineering removed the manager of the group and decided to take over as the interim manager until he could find a suitable replacement.
After the manager was removed, the vice president met with the group. He was shocked by their reaction. They were furious with him for removing their manager. They had repeatedly been told by their former manager what a wonderful job they were doing. Their previous manager had buffered them completely from the rest of the company. The engineers reacted to the removal of their manager, but even more strongly to the feedback that they under-performed as a group. They even denied the hard facts put in front of them.
The vice president realized he had several problems. Replacing the previous manager would be the easiest task. He also knew that he needed to work with this group, help them acknowledge the reality of the situation, and begin the path forward to improved performance. He could not hire a new manager until the group was on the right course.
The Solution
The solution included a five step approach. First, this group needed real data and real feedback from others to help them get past the denial stage. Second, they needed to be re-assured that their own jobs were not in jeopardy. They simply needed to "raise the performance bar" - both individually and collectively. Third, the vice president worked with the group to establish their common vision, responsibilities, accountabilities, and measurable performance standards. Fifth, the vice president remained as the interim manager until the group was moving in the right direction. Then he began the search for a replacement manager.
The Four Cardinal Management Principles
The prior manager violated the four cardinal management principles. He genuinely thought he was serving the group by buffering them from the rest of the company. He thought his job was to "take care of his people." He demanded little of them, and received little in return. It was the formula that led to his professional disaster.
Every manager owes the following principles to those he manages.
Principle 1 - "I promise you the truth.as best I know it." Purposefully hiding or withholding information creates mistrust and destroys the basic integrity of the relationship.
Principle 2 - "I promise you honest feedback." Employees want to know where they stand. They like to be told when they have done well. And they want to know when they haven't met expectations, because it is the only way they can improve. Sometimes they react badly to feedback. But if managers withhold feedback to spare feelings or because they are afraid of the reaction, they have failed their employees. A manager does not help employees if he spares their feelings today only to have their actions cost them their jobs tomorrow.
Principle 3 - "I promise you my willingness to listen and consider what you say." Managers must ask for input and listen. They do not have to accept or implement the response. But they must listen to it, and consider it.
Principle 4 - "I promise you my best efforts for our mutual success." Employees must believe that their manager is working for their collective best interests. When employees believe their managers are only promoting themselves, presenting employee's work as their own, or sacrificing employees to serve their own interests, the result is an unhealthy environment that leads to high turnover, low performance and low morale.
The Employees' Responsibility
Each principle has a corresponding expectation from employees. Managers have the right to expect the truth from employees; the right to receive honest feedback; employees who listen; and employees who work with each other and their manager for collective success.
The manager in this article did not tell his employees the truth or provide honest feedback. As a consequence, their relationship was flawed and their performance showed it. Applying these four principles can set the standard for healthy work relationships.
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