The other day, a manager asked me, how long do we have to keep being compassionate and understanding? When can we go back to the way it used to be? I laughed and said, “We may never go back to the way it used to be.” Even though the pandemic shows the first signs of waning, uncertainty still abounds. Leaders and employees across all levels of the hierarchy tell me they are worn out and burned out. McKinsey, HBR, Kron Ferry: the experts are telling us that compassionate accountability is here to stay. Some managers and leaders fear that compassionate accountability means not getting results—that it means giving in and weakening standards and deadlines. It doesn’t have to.
We have learned a great deal from the experience of the past year and a half. Most people have a much stronger sense of what they want from work and how they are capable of working. 2020 and 2021 have taught us that micromanaging is out, we can build a culture from anywhere, that results-oriented leaders do not have to be control oriented. The leaders who did not learn these things saw their businesses and people struggle and may now be experiencing high turnover.
A recent blog outlined three foundational aspects of balancing accountability and compassion. It discussed setting clear expectations, transparent measurement, and coaching for results. Those three factors help build a foundation for trust: all parties have agreed to certain expectations and to possible consequences. This blog picks up where the other blog left off and digs deeper into coaching for results—holding people accountable. It also answers the question: what does compassionate accountability look like on a day to day basis?
1. Start with the basics
Leaders need to demonstrate civility and the fact that they care about others. Do you set the stage for positive interactions and a welcoming environment at work, whether virtual, hybrid or in-office? Do you try to get acquainted, to talk one-on-one with each employee that reports to you to understand their situations? One client actually puts reminders in her calendar to check in with each employee at least every other week, not as a discipline or performance measure, just checking in on a personal level.
Planning positive interaction is important, especially now as burnout is high and employees are experiencing continuing uncertainty. In helping hundreds of clients implement culture change, I have advised them to make sure that at least 2/3 of interactions with employees be positive or neutral. If we don’t do this, they assume it’s trouble whenever they see us coming! Employees are more likely to listen to us during constructive criticism if they hear mostly positive or neutral input from us most of the time.
2. Show appreciation
Provide recognition and positive feedback when you can. I know a leader who welcomes and thanks people when they come to work each day. I remember thinking, “really?” Now I am sold on the idea. The reality is many people over the past year and a half have not necessarily “come to work” even when in essential roles, and we should really appreciate those who stuck with us.
Take time to recognize any progress or success. A location manager recently gave all his employees a tee shirt for sticking with him through the pandemic. Showing this appreciation made a huge impression and bolstered morale.
3. Use a collaborative problem solving approach when dealing with performance issues.
Let’s face it, the work still needs to be done with excellence and on time. You may worry that compassionate leadership means frequently giving or lowering your standards; it’s more related to how you communicate. Furthermore, postponing discussion on low performance is never a good idea. The employee or team cannot improve without feedback, and other high performing employees or teams become very dissatisfied in light of others’ poor performance.
As mentioned earlier, this blog assumes you have collaborated with your employees in developing clear expectations and measurements. Once agreed upon, these measures become guidelines for coaching and employee development. So when teams miss deadlines or otherwise underperform, they probably already know it. Meet with the team and use a systematic process to identify and address the causes. Perhaps there are process issues, workflow challenges, manpower issues, technology problems, etc. causing the missed targets. Through open discussion, facilitate open discussion with the team to develop a plan with targets, timelines, and measures to solve the challenge. Conduct check-ins and track progress, recognizing and celebrating successes and making mid-course corrections as needed.
Likewise, when an individual employees’ performance is sub-standard, use a collaborative approach to uncover causes and contributing factors. One leader recently discovered how a remote employee’s work and family situation at home was undermining her performance. They collaborated to create some “work arounds” for her and juggled her hours. Her performance improved immediately.
Most people want to be successful and want to have a good day “at work” every day, regardless of where work is; and when we uncover and address obstacles, we achieve better performance. Identify what’s standing in the way of good performance. Draw up development or coaching plans based on the discussions. If the employee still underperforms, you may need to re-position the employee or let him or her go.
During this time of “The Great Resignation” compassionate accountability can be well worth it. One e-commerce client had significant performance issues with an employee. The manager tried coaching, cajoling, creating a performance improvement plan. Finally, in a candid discussion with the employee the manager found out the employee really wanted to go back to his prior position at a lower level in the hierarchy, and that’s what they did. His performance in that role was excellent, and a new person was identified for the now-empty position. It was a win for everyone, including the company.
For more information or for a complimentary 60-minute strategy session for preparing your managers to be more compassionate leaders, please set a meeting, email me, and/or follow or message me in LinkedIn.
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