Do you want to improve the performance of your employees? Do you want the people you manage to feel like you really care about them? If you do, read on. I am going to reveal a very simple and powerful process you can use to show you care and get higher levels of performance from your employees as a result.
Remember when you were growing up? When your parents or guardians called you aside to talk to you, what was about to happen? That's right. If you answered like most people, you said you were in big trouble.
Remember when you went to school? When they called you to the principal's office, what did it mean? Unless you were on the honor roll, it probably meant you were in big trouble.
Now you are at work. Your boss calls you into her office. What does it mean?
Point made. You think there's a problem because most bosses only call us "into their offices" when we've messed up big time.
The Problem
There is a problem with this process. Most managers call people to “the office” to discipline or criticize, but never to praise. What we are saying, without forming a word, is that discipline is more important than praise. This leads to lowered morale and, to say the least, an avoidance of the office.
The Solution
The next time you see an employee doing something above-and-beyond, call them into your office to give them praise. Ask them to sit down. Tell them exactly what they have done that warrants this praise session. By doing this, you are placing the same level of importance on praise as you do on discipline.
Try to have these praise sessions 3-4 times more often than you have to discipline. I realize you cannot accomplish this with all employees; however, you can with the majority. When you begin to do this, you will see the moral of your employees rise and the performance increase. I guarantee it!
