Don’t Let High Expectations Hurt Your Team’s Confidence

June 4, 2019

Don’t Let High Expectations Hurt Your Team’s Confidence

High expectations can motivate team members. But if your standards are too high, you may be doing more damage than good, possibly hurting the self-confidence of those on your team. To temper the negative effects of overly ambitious expectations, try the following three things. First, be judicious about when and how often you express dissatisfaction. In situations where people need to improve, push them to stretch, but if people sense you’re constantly discontent, they’ll be demoralized. Second, make sure every person on your team knows what you value about them. If you want them to take your critique to heart, it’s imperative they also know what you find special about them and their contributions. Third, make sure to communicate your expectations ahead of time, not just after someone has failed to meet them. And don’t forget to be self-compassionate. You will be more forgiving of others if you loosen unrealistic expectations of yourself.

Adapted from “Are Your High Expectations Hurting Your Team?,” by Ron Carucci

Train Employees to Support Each Other About Mental Health

June 25, 2019

Train Employees to Support Each Other About Mental Health

Mental health issues affect a huge number of people — one in four adults. But when a colleague or direct report confides in you about an issue, it’s hard to know the right way to respond. There are a few things companies can do to help. One is to train employees in how to support their colleagues. Trainings can teach people to recognize the signs of anxiety, depression, and other common mental health issues. They can also provide a safe space for role playing so that employees can practice what to say in different scenarios. A second way companies can help is to create and share a list of trusted, publicly available resources for information and 24/7 advice. People often worry about the stigma that accompanies mental health issues, so tools that can be used anonymously are valuable. By taking these steps, company leaders can offer another essential kind of support: signaling that mental health issues, and the employees who struggle with them, matter.

Adapted from “What Companies Can Do to Help Employees Address Mental Health Issues,” by Barbara Harvey

Give Your Departing Employees More Attention

July 31, 2019

Give Your Departing Employees More Attention

Managers know how important it is to give time and attention to new employees — but few do the same for employees who announce they’re leaving. Don’t write off a departing employee or get angry about their decision; use the departure as a learning experience. Schedule some time to sit down with the person, and ask about their plans as well as about why they’re leaving. Their answers may reveal workplace issues you weren’t aware of, which could help you retain other employees. You should also talk to them about how they contributed to your team. Highlight specific examples of good work and any talents they have that you find particularly valuable; think of your feedback as a farewell gift. It’s a good idea to maintain positive relationships with departing employees, both because they could be a networking resource later on and because it shows current employees that you value the people on your team.

Adapted from “Your Company Needs a Process for Offboarding Employees Gracefully,” by David Sturt