The Frontline Supervisor
Welcome to the archive pages of the Frontline Supervisor.
December 2007
How To Deal With a Disturbed or Agitated EmployeeManagers Should Be Supportive, Not Involved
Chronically Tardy With A Note
Valued Employee Has Morale Problems
How To Be A Great Supervisor
Q. Referring an employee to the EAP because of severe conduct problems is straightforward. My concern is how I approach an employee who appears disturbed or agitated on the job.
A. Many supervisors share your concern, but planning the steps you would take in a situation where an employee appears upset or agitated can help you feel better prepared if it happens. Your organization does not want you to place yourself at risk, so consider if you need help from another manager, or even the police in an unusual situation. Some troubled employees may exhibit unusual behaviors that are not threatening, such as talking strangely, appearing confused or disoriented, or crying. Enlisting another manager to help you approach an employee can be helpful. This reduces defensiveness, and you gain the benefit of having a reliable witness in case one is needed later. Guiding the employee to a private office or work space away from others or an unsafe environment is a good first step. Gently encourage the employee to accompany you and your colleague; don’t grab the person’s hand or otherwise risk antagonizing him or her. Know your organization’s fitness-for-duty policy; don’t read it only after a crisis ensues!
Q. I think supervisors are sometimes too worried about getting involved with the personal problems of employees. As a result, they appear impersonal and employees recognize it. This compounds problems because employees think the supervisor does not care about them. Am I right?
A. There is a difference between getting involved in an employee’s personal problems and being supportive. A supervisor does not have to behave in a detached and aloof manner to keep from getting involved with the employee’s issues. The challenge comes when a personal problem appears simple or understandable to the supervisor. It is then tempting to offer advice, despite unknown dimensions to the problem that might exist. The other part of this challenge comes from employees who want the supervisor involved in their problems. These employees want a different type of relationship with their supervisor—one that meets their personal needs. Supervisors should resist, as it is important for them to understand that meeting personal needs and going beyond their normal role will almost always interfere with managing productivity later.
Q. My employee was referred to the EAP because of chronic tardiness. A few days later, he came to work with a doctor’s note saying that he will be unpredictably late to work because of his medical condition. A release is signed, but the EAP is not aware of the note. Now what?
A. Discuss this note with your manager or human resources advisor. It is important to determine, or inquire, whether this is a note from the doctor explaining his unpredictable lateness to work, or if it represents a request to accommodate his illness by permitting unpredictable lateness to work. You may decide that it is not possible to accommodate unpredictable lateness because it is an essential function of his position to be on time. In this case, the EAP will need to work with him further, if possible. If you ultimately decide that it is permissible for him to come unpredictably late to work (unusual but possible), then the EAP’s work may be done. This situation represents a good example of why it can be important to consult with management resources so you can respond properly to medical issues interfering with attendance and performance.
Q. My employee does not like her job, but she is good at it. I don’t have another position for her, and she doesn’t want to quit. Her morale is not very good. Sometimes her attitude is poor. Is there a way to help her feel more joy in her position?
A. There are several things that you can do that might help your employee. Try helping her set goals during the coming year so she can look forward to some meaningful accomplishments. Find ways of rewarding her for steps along the way. Come up with different things that she can do voluntarily on her breaks, if she likes, that will allow her to gain new skills and abilities. Think in terms of giving her more responsibility in the office, not necessarily more work. More responsibility is a powerful reward for employees, sometimes better than a raise because it influences how people feel about themselves. Don’t rule out a referral to the EAP if her attitude gets worse, and you may wish to suggest self-referral now. There could be a personal issue contributing to her attitude problems.
Q. I want to be a good role model to my employees. What are some ways of doing this that will help them be better employees and also make them more valuable to the organization?
A. Be a role model to your employees in the following ways, which are typically overlooked by many supervisors, and you will be applauded at the top of your organization:
1) Demonstrate that you have an understanding of the economics of your industry and the key issues of concern faced by your organization in the marketplace.
2) Make decisions consistent with these issues.
3) Follow the organization’s policies, never accept mediocrity, and be creative.
4) Don’t let your ego get in the way of being open-minded, ask for help, and seek advice from others who have a different perspective on problems.
5) Don’t be afraid to surround yourself with people smarter than you, and show that you focus on overcoming obstacles to success, not whining about them.
November 2007
Should Employer's Socialize With Their Employees?How To Motivate Employees
Helpful Tips For New Supervisors
My Employee Is Not Fit For Duty
What To Do With Employees Who Argue With Each Other
Q. Last year our office held a holiday party at a hotel. A lot of employees, including me, drank quite a bit. No one drove home, but I worried the next day whether this kind of socializing harmed my image as a manager. Is it okay to socialize with employees in this manner?
A. It is important to set a good example for your employees and to have effective relationships with them that can positively influence their productivity. Overdrinking at a holiday party is not consistent with these goals beyond the other potential risks of such an event. Socializing with employees can be risky. A debate still rages among experts about how familiar supervisors should be with their employees. Some argue for avoiding any outside social interaction. Others say just the opposite. Would hosting a baby shower or a fishing trip for your work group be a problem? It might if your position of influence is damaged as a result. This can happen more easily than you might think. The necessary elevation of your position is reduced when employees possess knowledge about your personal life, which is more easily discovered or shared in social settings outside work. Before socializing with employees outside work, ask whether you risk damaging the perception employees have of you as a manager they respect. That perception is certainly what your employer wants.
Q. I struggle to motivate some of my employees. I just can’t seem to find the right combination of incentives. On the other hand, most of my employees are enthusiastic and produce well. As for the few employees who struggle, can you offer any tips on motivating them?
A. Much has been written about motivation and how to get employees excited about their work. All this has been to the benefit of employees and work organizations. But there has been a downside: the mistaken belief by managers that all employees can be motivated and incentive-induced to become top performers, and if they can’t, the manager is to blame. Once you have taken all reasonable steps to provide an effective and productive work environment, the rest is up to your employees. Your organization is in partnership with employees, who must ultimately take the ball you hand them and run with it. Some will perform well and others will not. Many supervisors are too hard on themselves as they struggle to find the secret to motivating all employees all the time. The best type of motivation is self-motivation.
Q. I am a new supervisor. Can you advise me on what behaviors to avoid that upset employees most, but which they are not likely to complain about until they have grown angry and resentful?
A. Help your employees by avoiding the following classic behaviors that will upset them, but which you are not likely to hear many complaints about until employees are completely fed up:
1) Asking employees to involve themselves with a project or task and then suddenly asking them to stop it and jump to another.
2) Proclaiming the tasks that you ask employees to take on as emergencies that need to be addressed immediately.
3) Correcting employees in front of their peers.
4) Promising anything you’re not certain of to employees in order to boost their morale, then later apologizing that you “couldn’t get it approved.”
5) Accepting credit from top management for projects completed by your staff, and then explaining to your staff that you had accepted thanks on their behalf.
6) Making inappropriate jokes, remarks, or innuendos. Most of these behaviors have one prevention technique: being aware of how you use the power naturally afforded by your position.
Q. My employee does not remember what I ask her to do. She responds to questions with weird answers unrelated to the topic. She drives our vehicles, so I am worried about safety. Our company has a fitness-for-duty procedure, but should I consult with the EAP before I act on it?
A. Fitness-for-duty policies include information and steps to guide supervisors in acting on them. Use these to decide whether to act. Consult with your HR advisor, if needed, so you are completely clear on the necessary steps and can document that you acted responsibly. If the EAP is part of your fitness-for-duty evaluation and return-to-work process, the formal EAP referral and fitness-for-duty referral may be one step. If not, you could make a separate supervisor referral to the EAP using documentation to support it. The EAP will make an assessment and, depending on its outcome, choose appropriate resources to further evaluate your employee’s needs and/or coordinate its efforts with the fitness-for-duty process.
Q. Three of my employees argue and bicker with each other, and I am interested in having the EAP help resolve this conflict. I have identified one of the employees as the “troublemaker.” Should I refer them individually, as a group, or just the one employee mentioned?
A. There are no hard-and-fast rules about a supervisor referral of the type you describe, but experience shows that referring each of these employees separately based upon the performance issues you have documented can produce good results. Supervisor referrals should be based on individual employees’ issues, not the group’s issues, because each employee reacts differently to this conflict and each has a different story to tell. Also, this approach better conforms to EAP standards. Each of your employees has a role to play in the resolution of the conflict, even if one employee is more provocative. After an initial assessment, the EAP may choose to work with your employees as a group, individually, or both. Consult with the EAP before making the referral.
October 2007
Doctor's Release of a Hospitalized EmployeeHow To Be A Good Listener
Employee Drinks Alcohol at Lunch Each Day
Can EAP Help An Employee Who Refuses To Wear Safety Equipment?
Early EAP Referrals Can Benefit Employees and Employers
Q. My employee’s physician left a message on my voice mail that the employee has been cleared to come back to work. She is currently in a hospital. She was a supervisor referral to the EAP prior to the admission. I am glad she is doing well, but I am confused. Will the EAP also call? A release has been signed.
A. Inform the EA professional working with your employee that you received a phone call from your employee’s physician. The EAP will arrange a back-to-work conference, if necessary, prior to your employee’s return. When an employee enters an inpatient treatment program, the employee assistance professional establishes reliable links of communication with key staff members at the hospital so that treatment and discharge planning issues are communicated efficiently. Hospitals are 24-hour operations, however, and this means that three shifts of workers, plus the attending physician, must all be aware of the EAP’s communication needs. Communication breakdowns, although rare, do happen, and this may explain why you received a phone call from the doctor instead of the EAP.
Q. I am a new supervisor, and employees have begun coming to me with their need to talk about emotional work issues. They require a good listener. The issues include concerns about downsizing, performance, coworker conflicts, angry customers, and more. How can I be a good listener?
A. The “active listening model” will help you demonstrate empathy with your employees in job-related discussions. Start by inviting an employee to sit down in your office. Make the person comfortable, and demonstrate that you are glad he or she came by to talk. Let the employee talk about the issues or concerns. The more you talk, the less your employee will talk, so be careful about jumping in too quickly When responding, don’t say, “I know how you feel.” Instead say, “It sounds like you were really frightened by that customer’s tone of voice.” Paraphrase what was said, so your employee feels heard. Ask questions using “who,” “what,” “where,” and “how.” These four words elicit additional information, and your employee is less likely to forget something important in his or her story. Remember, this is not psychological counseling. These are practical listening skills for improving any relationship.
Q. When my employee returns from lunch, where he usually has an alcoholic drink, he is much more outwardly friendly and pleasant. He doesn’t appear drunk. This is not a violation of our drug and alcohol policy. He is often late in the morning for work; however he never has alcohol on his breath. What should I do?
A. You should refer your employee to the EAP if you have attempted to correct his tardiness but have been unsuccessful. Do not base the referral on the alcohol use issue. The two issues could be related, but there is no way for you to know for sure. Even if they are related, the performance issue is chronic tardiness, not alcohol use affecting the workplace—at least not in a way that you can document yet. If your employee’s behavior after lunch interferes with productivity or the work environment, you have grounds for making a referral. Many who suffer from alcoholism are late for work but do not drink before coming to work. Some may drink later in the day or directly after work to ward off ensuing withdrawal symptoms.
Q. My employee does not use his safety equipment. I have asked him many times to comply with our safety and OSHA standards, but to no avail. Maybe he doesn’t care if he is fired or injured. Can the EAP possibly help? I don’t see how.
A. Your question is a good one because it shows how easy it is for a supervisor to participate in diagnostic thinking—in this case, by ruling out that an EAP referral would do any good. True, your employee may not care if he is fired for failure to comply with safety rules. But there could be other explanations, including problems with memory, training issues, communication or cultural barriers, or even a personality style that causes him to act out anger in a passive-aggressive way by refusing to use safety equipment. Could his failure to comply with safety rules be related to inconsistent use of rewards for and enforcement of those rules? This is a common reason for poor compliance. It takes a long time to build up a culture of safety in a company, but only a minute to undo it.
Q. Before I dismiss an employee for performance problems, I always make an EAP referral to give the person a chance to improve. Unfortunately, the EAP has not helped any employee whom I have referred, so everyone referred so far as been let go. Am I doing something wrong or is it the employees?
A. It might be your employees, but you may be making referrals too late. As employees slowly acquire performance, attendance, or conduct problems, underlying contributing personal problems also grow worse. Despite short-term improvements in performance that you see after corrective interviews or disciplinary actions, these personal problems do not go away. Predictably, performance problems return. When several weeks of satisfactory performance that follow a corrective interview are suddenly interrupted by performance problems, this is your signal to act and involve the EAP. Personal problems, like job performance problems, are more easily treated the earlier they are discovered, and you’re more likely to prevent the loss of your employee with an earlier EAP referral. There is an unfortunate consequence to late-stage supervisor referrals: When other employees associate supervisor referrals to the EAP only with dismissal, their interest in self-referral can diminish. These issues harm your EAP investment.
September 2007
Supervisor Cannot Reveal Alcoholism Issue to Employee's DoctorShould an Employer Micromanage?
Supervisor/Employee Roles are Spiraling Out of Control
Fraternization Between Supervisors and Employees
Employee Evaluations Are A Great Time to Remind Them About EAP
Q. My employee was hospitalized after causing an accident while driving drunk. I have learned from his family members that his doctor has not confronted him about his drinking problem or about alcoholism. Should I mention it to his doctor?
A. Speaking with your employee’s doctor about your diagnosis of his drinking practices could lead to a serious complaint against you. In other words, he has the right to be left alone and be treated by his doctor without your interference. That said, it would be a good thing if doctors played a greater role in referring patients to alcoholism treatment. Many hospitals and physician associations are pushing for greater physician involvement in substance abuse intervention in medical settings, so things are changing for the better. Unfortunately, doctors in a hospital may see 20 to 30 patients in a given day and have limited time for each patient. This is a roadblock to efficiency in confronting patients—as is a patient’s tendency to deny having a problem. Some doctors don’t have a good command of resources and treatment options, and others may be hesitant to follow up with difficult behavioral issues not directly associated with the primary injury or disease, despite the fact that these issues contribute to the problem.
Q. I do not like to micromanage my employees, but at least two of them won’t finish their work in a timely manner unless I am directly involved in what they do. I could refer them to the EAP, but frankly I think things will get worse before they get better. So now what?
A. Rather than refer your employees to the EAP now, consider visiting the EAP yourself. The employee assistance professional can help you find a way to make the changes you seek and can coach you in how to detach from these employees. Although supervisors frequently get the blame for micromanaging, some employees invite this type of relationship because they prefer it. Micromanaging forces employees to become dependent on the supervisor. In turn, the supervisor feels secure that the work is getting done the way he or she would do it. Many employees dislike being micromanaged, of course, and it is a key complaint identified in surveys and research on employee morale. Still, not all employees hate being micromanaged. Some prefer assurance that the supervisor is getting what he or she wants over having to be independent and in control of their work. These employees may feel anxious when they are not closely supervised, and they may avoid promotional opportunities that require them to be independent.
Q. I have an employee who takes notes on my mistakes and records incidents when I get angry in the office. My relationship with her is a game that includes her resistance to or refusal of my requests. I am ready to let her go. She only laughed when I referred her to the EAP. Now what?
A. Make an appointment to speak with the employee assistance professional. When supervisors reach the point of almost complete dysfunction in a relationship with a subordinate, anger, resentment, fear, and distrust can rule. This is a recipe for disaster. A tinderbox relationship with your employee puts you and your company at risk for severe problems, including violence, legal challenges or law suits, theft, injuries and benefits abuse, and even time theft (not working while being paid). Acting to suddenly discipline your employee may precipitate a larger crisis after such a long bout of unresolved conflict. So before going the discipline route, work with the EAP to see if improving the relationship is worth a try.
Q. Evaluators or supervisors are often advised not to be their employees’ friends. Does this mean we can’t go to dinner, to a baseball game, or to holiday parties at one another’s homes?
A. Avoiding close friendships with those you supervise refers to the conflict of interests that will naturally arise when loyalties are divided between two opposing positions. Your friend requires loyalty, and so does your employer. So when your employer’s needs conflict with those of your employee, who are you to support? Avoiding friendship does not necessarily mean that you cannot socialize, but you should consider the circumstances of your work culture and the implications of not conforming to the boundaries that naturally exist between you and your subordinates (e.g., military officers do not socialize with enlisted personnel). Some even argue that employers have a right to demand loyalty or fidelity to their organizations, since they are paying their supervisors for it. Regardless, maintaining boundaries helps preserve both relationships—the one with your employer and the one with your employee.
Q. I have never had an employee who needed a supervisor referral to the EAP, but I am sure many of them have personal issues in their lives and could benefit from the program. When is a good time to remind people to use the program if they need it?
A. A busy, functional office can easily forget that an EAP is available. There is one great time and place to mention the EAP to every employee individually and on a regular basis, simply to remind them that the program exists: at the annual performance evaluation or review. Make it a habit to mention the EAP to every employee as a reminder—even if an employee is a top performer with outstanding marks. Some employees just don’t think about the EAP, and your reminder may prompt them after leaving your office to make the call about a nagging personal problem. Also remind employees about the confidential nature of the EAP, and remember to note that it is free of charge.
August 2007
Communicating With a Difficult EmployeeEmployee May Have Had An Alcoholic Blackout
Supervisor Needs Assistance Dismissing A Worker
How To Encourage Your Staff To Become Independent Thinkers
Employee Is Sick, Doesn't Call In Each Day
Q. Is it appropriate for me to ask the EAP for advice on how to best communicate with my employee? Although he has no performance issues, he is not easy to approach and it is difficult to hold a conversation with him.
A. It is appropriate to use the EAP as a consultant to help you manage any relationship issues you experience with your employees. The employee assistance professional might lead you to discover not only more effective ways of communicating with your employee, but also what his behavior means. Furthermore, effective communication is the employee's responsibility as much as it is yours. If you assume that communication is solely your burden, you are eliminating a key measure of your employee's responsibility for interpersonal effectiveness. Talk to the EAP to explore whether you struggle with assertiveness and how you can help your employee be more accountable for behaviors that clearly impede the ability of others to communicate with him. The EAP will help you gain a clearer perspective along with the practical help in communication that you seek.
Q. We safely sent an employee home who had been drinking on the job. I would say he barely looked intoxicated when I saw him in my office. He reappeared two days later to face disciplinary action, but as uncanny as this sounds, he had no memory of the event! Is this possible?
A. Your employee appears to have experienced an alcohol-related blackout. A complete blackout is an amnesiac state characterized by the inability to recall an experience or event in any detail as a result of being intoxicated, even though the drinker did not pass out or fall asleep. The occurrence of blackouts–along with other signs and symptoms–is considered during the diagnosis of alcoholism. Blackouts are directly related to high tolerance to alcohol, or the ability to consume large quantities of alcohol without typical and expected effects. The individual might not appear intoxicated, but memory and recall function are impaired. Some recovering alcoholics have reported blackout periods, lasting hours, days, and even weeks, while on drinking binges. For many, what happened during these periods of time is never recalled.
Q. Next week I have to dismiss an employee who is currently an EAP client. I am very apprehensive about it. Can I use the EAP to talk about my feelings and process my concerns? If I become a client, will this put the EAP in a difficult or untenable position?
A. The EAP is available to you, as it is to any employee, to discuss your concerns about the anticipated event. Your meeting is confidential, and the EAP’s focus will be on helping you with your concerns and apprehension about the event. The EAP will not concern itself with the legitimacy of the planned action or with your employee’s issues. To do so would sabotage the EAP mission. If you go to the EAP to obtain help for yourself, the EA professional will focus on you. EA professionals are adept at detaching from the emotional concerns of other cases in the organization—many of which might be linked—so they can focus on the employee in front of them. This is a skill and an art that makes the employee assistance profession truly unique.
Q. I want to help my staff to think and act independently, but I am often a “mother hen” to them. I’m changing, but how can I best identify employees who are too dependent, and how can I more effectively “push them out of the nest?”
A. Let your employees know that you want them to think and work creatively and independently while you step back a little, and that you need their help to accomplish that goal. Clearly explain their assignments and ask them to bring their ideas and solutions to you prior to asking your opinion. This will encourage independent thinking, improve efficiency, and reduce your stress. You will soon be a manager instead of a guru. You can identify employees who need help by their inability to anticipate and think through problems, their fear of making decisions, their inability to find appropriate solutions, and their lack of initiative.
Q. My employee called in sick on Monday, saying he would be in on Tuesday. Tuesday came but not the employee. He didn’t call again until Thursday, at which time he said he would be in on Friday. He didn’t show on Friday. What causes this type of non-attendance pattern?
A. Many supervisors have experienced this type of call-in and no-show behavior pattern. Experienced EA professionals have discovered that many types of personal problems can contribute to this behavior. These problems range from legal entanglements to drug or alcohol abuse, severe marital discord, or crises with troubled teenagers. An important point to note is that despite his failure to show up for work, your employee feels an investment in his job as evidenced by his repeated contact with you. Therefore, you can use his job security as a powerful tool to motivate him to accept help through the EAP. You might feel the urge to fire such an employee outright. However, you should consider focusing on corrective action and on the EAP process, in which a supervisor referral can be very effective, especially if it has not been tried yet. It might lead to the resolution of the employee’s problem, whatever that may be.
July 2007
Employee EAP Information ReleaseEffective Staff Meetings
How to Be An Effective and Compassionate Supervisor
Supervisors Role in Drug Rehabilitation
What are Non-Monetary Incentives?
Q. I just referred an employee to the EAP but forgot to ask him to sign a release so I could confirm his follow-through. I also have not talked to the EAP about this. What will happen at the EAP interview? Will it be assumed that the employee is a self-referral?
A. The EAP will ask your employee why he decided to use the program. Your employee will likely refer to your discussion with him about using the EAP and will probably state that he is following a supervisor’s referral. Any discussion that references your involvement will precipitate further discussion about the nature of the referral, and the employee will be asked to sign a release with your name on it. Although this is voluntary, most employees want their supervisors to be aware of their cooperation and will sign such a release if they have good relationships with their supervisors. Your best move now is to phone the EAP and let them know about the referral before the employee arrives.
Q. I have an excellent relationship with each of my employees. Despite this, our workplace environment is characterized by backbiting, gossiping, cliques, and worker conflicts. We almost never meet as a group because I work better one-on-one with employees. Am I missing something?
A. Employees benefit from regular opportunities to process stress, manage communication, and identify group problems and solutions. Staff meetings are therefore important for maintaining good morale. Your one-on-one style is safe and effective for managing individual relationships but not for managing groups. If employees don’t have regular opportunities to sit across from one another and process stress in an organized manner, you will see interpersonal conflict emerge. The more stressful and demanding the work environment, the more likely there will be conflict. (Be cautious about identifying one member of the group as the one who “creates all the problems.” This is a common occurrence among supervisors in your situation. Frequently one strong personality simply gets noticed more often within a group of coworkers in conflict.) You must be willing to face your employees as a group as well as individually. Group meetings may be a bit frightening and may make you feel vulnerable, but there is no substitute for them. Seek input from the EAP on how to overcome your hesitation to use this approach.
Q. I keep the EAP’s business cards in my desk drawer. If an employee mentions a personal problem as an excuse for poor performance, I offer them a card rather than listen to excuses. I haven’t had anyone take a card yet. Is it my approach or is it employee resistance?
A. Although it is clear that correcting performance issues is your priority, it appears that you are not making effective use of the EAP as a management tool. The EAP service is not just for employees. It can also help you get from employees what you need: satisfactory performance. Employees who share their personal problems are not usually premeditating an excuse from accountability. They are looking for solutions. Try selling the solution more effectively, for their good and yours. True, it is inadvisable to discuss any employee’s personal problems, but simply listening and being supportive can help. Discussing the EAP as a good resource rather than simply handing over the business card will help employees seriously consider making the call. You’ll get what you need faster, and you may help an employee resolve a personal problem of unknown risk to the organization.
Q. I referred my employee to the EAP and she entered treatment for a drug-use problem. I think I am entitled to know more than the EAP is telling me about what’s going on with her, because I’m the one who has been helping her all along.
A. Major changes are coming for your employee, but they are also coming for you. One such change is a new relationship that does not include overseeing your employee’s life the way you have been accustomed to doing. Shifting gears requires learning to detach, unfamiliar as that may feel. Your employee will learn to take responsibility for her own life and recovery program. She will also learn to avoid having you be responsible for her. Ask yourself if you have gained meaning from your role as the responsible person. Will you feel ignored or forgotten if the employee no longer wants you to be responsible for her? Continuing such a relationship may jeopardize your employee’s recovery despite your best intentions, and treatment will include helping the employee understand this risk. The new role for you is that of a supportive supervisor who focuses on job performance.
Q. We have no financial way to provide rewards to employees as incentives. Frankly, I don’t think many employees would be motivated by money to improve their productivity anyway. What else can be used?
A. Money is a motivator for many employees initially, but it is not a powerful motivator over the long term. When considering incentives, remember that people will change their behavior when it will clearly benefit them to do so, based on what they value most. Many things are valued in the workplace, but the three predominant things are power, status, and popularity. In the workplace, power gives an employee control and influence over others. Status means prestige or elevated rank, and popularity means being liked or approved of. Your task is to figure out how to bring these values into the incentive mix with opportunities, duties, or job functions that match them. If you can provide employees with one or more of these three things, you will be providing powerful motivators to improve their productivity.
June 2007
Detect Early Signs of BurnoutEmployee May Have ADHD
Negative Attitudes Can Infect the Whole Team
Boosting Morale in Teams
How to Listen Effectively
Q. My employees are under a lot of pressure to perform, and it seems that those who put in the most hours get ahead. Burnout risk is high, but competition keeps people from complaining. How do I spot early signs of burnout if employees don’t complain?
A. Even if your employees do not complain about stress, you can still recognize behaviors that signal the adverse effects of overwork. Remember that behavioral symptoms can mean something other than burnout. You will never know for sure, so do not become a diagnostician to your employees. As you interact with employees, be on the lookout for statements or behaviors associated with being drained of emotional energy, being “snappy” and irritable, refusing to socialize with others, cynicism, appearing withdrawn and unexcited about events in the workplace that should perk them up, or possible complaints about relationships at home being troublesome. Consult with the EAP to learn about more symptoms, or for guidance on making a referral.
Q. My employee says things impulsively at meetings. He’s disorganized, forgetful, and touches people a lot when he is talking to them. Some of us know this is probably ADHD. Should I quietly educate others about ADHD to alleviate their confusion and frustration so they can be more tolerant?
A. Although you may be correct about your employee’s diagnosis of ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), it is highly improper and seriously problematic to discuss the subject with coworkers. The behavior of your employee is simply not acceptable. To intervene, you should treat him as any other employee, assemble appropriate documentation, and make a supervisor referral to the EAP based upon legitimate job performance concerns. You should not take responsibility for concluding that he has ADHD, and much less acting as if he has a disability as a result of it. You should NOT make conclusions or pronouncements about the employee’s behavior to others. Even if you're wrong, it could make supervisory or management decisions that affect him subject to provisions under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Turn to your human resources advisor to learn more about this issue, but use the EAP to help manage the behavior.
Q. I have a few employees with negative attitudes, but if I can manage to keep other employees away from them, I am willing to tolerate their behavior because they aren’t going to change. Is my approach to this problem acceptable, or am I avoiding the inevitable?
A. It would be convenient if difficult and unhelpful employees could be isolated, and then counted on not to affect the rest of the work unit. Unfortunately, even if you could isolate these employees, experience shows that attitude problems have tangible impacts on productivity that you may not see at first. Ripple effects follow. You should therefore take a proactive approach. Employees with attitude problems will display diminished commitment to their jobs and reduced loyalty to the organization, and they will not measure up to their potential. Don’t fall into the common trap of assuming everyone will get used to, or learn to accept, the attitude problem. Depend on the EAP to show you how to document and confront employees who struggle with attitude problems.
Q. I don’t think management should be responsible for a team’s morale. Morale is a team issue. So employees should monitor their own morale and take steps to deal with it. Is this an unfair expectation?
A. In the anonymously written business book, Team Secrets of the Navy SEALS (Andrews McMeel Publishing, 2003), the author captures the essence of high functioning teams and shows how the lessons learned from their success can be applied to the everyday business world. He argues that teams must nurture themselves, identify patterns of decline such as morale issues, and summon interventions to recapture their lost momentum. It is reasonable to expect that business teams can police their issues and address morale problems, but there is more to it than that. Where the SEALS are well funded and without competition, the teams you oversee may not be as well supported. Resources may be limited. And competition they face may be fierce. They need you on the outside looking in, and looking out for them. Morale problems spread like colds, and to ignore them or remain hands-off is a risky strategy for your organization. All teams, even the Navy SEALS, work within the context of a larger organization that must support them. When this happens, teams can thrive, set standards for themselves, resolve conflicts, and address morale problems.
Q. There is obviously more to listening than being available and attentive to what employees say. I received a poor rating on my annual evaluation from the company. What are the key issues supervisors miss with regard to listening to their employees?
A. A key measure of success in how well you listen to your employees is how they feel about you, and themselves, once you have finished meeting with them. Consider the common behaviors of managers who gain the trust of employees who come in search of a listener. When listening, do you show that you welcome the employee? Do you offer a smile or demonstrate a thankful attitude that your employee has come to call? Do you avoid interruptions and splitting your listening time with other tasks? Do you actively listen to employees? (Some supervisors listen to employees like a radio—hearing, nodding, but never looking up at them as they busy themselves with other tasks.) Do you validate the legitimacy of your employee's viewpoint, even if you disagree with it? Do employees leave a meeting with you feeling important and valued? To become a good listener, see this responsibility as an essential function alongside things such as budgeting or strategic planning. Doing so will produce happier employees and great returns.
May 2007
Does a New Supervisor Need Training?How to Handle a Bully
New Mission, Old Employees
Can I Teach My Employees To Respect Each Other?
Bad Breathe or Body Odor--How to Tell Someone
Q. I was promoted from among my coworkers because I had the best work record. I don’t think I need supervisory courses. I think I am “a natural.” I know how to keep a crew of people in line. It is all common sense, right?
A. A history of successful interaction with coworkers may lead you to believe that you possess the full range of skills necessary to manage them. However, an issue making you hesitate could be your fear of being vulnerable enough to admit that there is more to learn about supervision. This same issue can translate into problems in your supervision style on the job because it indicates that you may have difficulty putting your ego aside, accepting compromise, showing patience, nurturing others, managing conflict, or making decisions that will test your leadership ability. These stressors are routine for active supervisors. Once you are in a position of authority, your attitudes about supervision and leadership, beliefs on what motivates others, and other personal issues will influence your decisions. Without training you will be less self-aware about how these factors may interfere with your role, and thereby increase your risk to the organization.
Q. One of my employees has complained that a coworker of his is a bully. He cites numerous examples, but I am not so sure the complaints add up to much. Should I refer a bully to the EAP? Should I ignore these types of interpersonal issues?
A. You should listen to your employee’s complaints, keep a record of these discussions, investigate, and correct inappropriate behavior brought to your attention by others. Also, make a supervisor referral to the EAP if your documentation supports it. Just as you would handle complaints of sexual harassment, establish a record of being proactive against bullying behavior rather than ignoring or dismissing it. Bullying continues to be a workplace issue, although media attention to the problem fluctuates. One growing threat is the call by legal advocacy groups to hold employers financially responsible for bullying behavior. Some of these groups are conducting research to determine the frequency of bullying behavior and gauge the interest employees have in suing their employers. These groups argue that bullying behavior frequently falls outside normal legal protections like those for discrimination, harassment, and other employment rights violations.
Q. I am trying to get my employees to buy into the mission and the vision that I have for our work unit. I have a couple of employees who are not cooperative. Their skills are acceptable, but they act like wet blankets. Can I refer them to the EAP?
A. A wide spectrum of behaviors constitutes job performance. These entail quality of work as well as attitude and conduct on the job. If it is consistent with your performance evaluation and review process, consider incorporating measurable ways of evaluating attitude, cooperation, and enthusiasm so they are meaningful in the evaluation. Often these performance factors are not well defined on an evaluation form. Why not define what they mean before the evaluation period? You will discover that this is a powerful approach if you try it. If a positive attitude is desired, what demonstrates it? What does not? A thesaurus is helpful for finding action words for your definition. Be fair about applying these measures to everyone. You should see attitudes change because you have now properly linked attitude to performance. If behavior does not respond to your corrective approaches, then consider use of the EAP.
Q. This year I am determined to improve the level of respect employees show each other in our company. Beyond policies and work rules, what is a key strategy to positively influence change?
A. Maintaining a respectful workplace is a growing concern for businesses, but what many people do not realize is that much disrespect is not premeditated. Instead, it is reflective of a lack of self-control, education, fear, and the influence of personal biases. Supporting a work culture where employees actively discourage disrespectful behavior toward each other by pointing it out as it happens is a powerful change strategy. Beyond formal training, actively encourage and support a respectful workplace where employees can point it out. Make it a tradition because a respectful workplace is everyone’s responsibility. This approach will raise the level of awareness for preventing disrespectful behavior.
Q. Can the EAP help me consider my approach to gently confronting employees with bad breath, someone who smells bad from what they eat, or has some other bad habits or personal matters like body odor, so that I don’t offend the employee?
A. The key roadblock to discussing an annoying personal habit or behavior with an employee is imagining how horrible you would feel when confronting the employee, along with the shock on the employee’s face when the issue is raised. Fortunately, most supervisors discover that this fear is overblown, that instead of acting offended and horrified, the employee is grateful and thankful. Usually there is a business reason for requesting that an employee alter an annoying behavior or change a disagreeable habit. The key is being able to identify it, articulate it, and link it to your request. The EAP can help with this process and add some role playing if you think it may be helpful. Generally, the business rationale is a requirement that the employee cooperate with the cultural standards of the workplace or how behaviors or habits directly affect the business and productivity.
April 2007
New Supervisor Shakes Status QuoIs Marijuana Addictive?
Counseling vs. Psychotherapy
Not Worthy of Promotion
When Employees Don't Get Along
Q. We have a new supervisor who comes with a great reputation, but some employees feel she is too pushy and "on task." I wasn't hearing these complaints with the last supervisor. Maybe she is a bad fit, or perhaps it is others who need to be more like her. Should I just let her go and return to the status quo?
A. This conflict is not desirable, but it may signal the need for some employees to make changes. Instead of focusing on how to return to the status quo, recognize that this scenario may signal an opportunity that offers rewards to your organization. Discourage complainers end running to you during this adjustment period, and be aware that even a passing "hallway venting session" with you by employees could undermine motivation for them to work toward cooperating with her. Encourage your new supervisor to use the EAP—not because she is actually creating problems, but for guidance on gaining acceptance for her supervision style. The EAP will help her determine how to proceed in managing differences with her subordinates. In the end, this approach will allow the best chance for a "win-win" solution. You will be able to capitalize on your investment in hiring her and help those under her supervision make the changes needed to improve their performance and productivity.
Q. Our company's supervisors recently attended a presentation on workplace substance abuse and were told marijuana was addictive. I do not know anyone who ever became addicted to marijuana. So what is the real story on how dangerous this drug truly is (or is not)?
A. The medical professionals who are the most knowledgeable about marijuana are addiction medicine physicians who specialize in the treatment of alcoholics and drug addicts. The American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) has 4000 of these physicians as its members. Their clinical work and research support the policies and positions they publish on controversial subjects such as marijuana.
ASAM's public policy on marijuana was last updated May 2006. You can look it up at www.asam.org. ASAM states that marijuana is "a dangerous drug with harmful effects." Addiction to it is classified as "the disease of marijuana dependence." According to these experts, marijuana requires some addicts to smoke four times as much as they once did to get the desired effect. Withdrawal symptoms can last two to four weeks, and may be so severe that medical support and detoxification is required to overcome cravings. Like alcohol, not everyone becomes addicted to marijuana. Similarly, a user's past experience with the drug will influence the believability about its addictive potential.
Q. The EAP provides short-term problem solving and counseling, but it refers people to psychotherapy. What's the difference between the two?
A. Counseling is distinctly different from psychotherapy, which is why mental health licensure and appropriate certification is required to practice psychotherapy in virtually every state. Counseling is problem solving; it is often a discussion between a counselor and a client that addresses an individual's concerns or struggles associated with life's problems or issues. Psychotherapy is treatment for emotional problems where the relationship with the psychotherapist is a means (a tool) to help the client or patient make difficult changes in behavior, beliefs, and habits of thinking to improve their life functioning. Most people who go to therapy do so after experiencing much personal distress because the way they have always coped with or responded to life's problems (especially conflicts in relationships) is no longer working.
Q. I have done very well in my career, so they keep moving me up the ladder. I am happy about it, but I can't seem to relax and accept my success. Self-doubt still creeps in, and I am feeling more fear because more is expected of me, and the stakes are higher. How can I relax?
A. It is easy to fall victim to the stresses associated with success. When you earn promotions, gain responsibility, and wield more authority, your inner voice can begin to work against you. You can feel like an impostor who does not deserve such success, and your anxiety can translate into an ongoing sense that others will discover that you are ill-equipped for your role. Self-doubt can even get to the point where you are rereading positive written comments on old performance evaluations. Challenge the inner voices and scrutinize the validity of your fears. Acknowledge how they can undermine your life so that you muster the will to overcome them. The key is to eliminate defeatist self-talk by changing the wording. If your inner voice says, "I have no idea what I'm doing," replace that with, "I'm learning more every day." If it says, "People think I don't deserve to have this job," replace that with, "I am earning their respect." Don't hesitate to contact the EAP for more support.
Q. A young worker who I recently hired is energetic, inquisitive, accepts feedback, and has great ideas. Unfortunately, my office manager doesn't like her and is making comments about quitting. I am afraid of losing my office manager (who has been with me for 26 years!) because I am dependent on her. How do I resolve this personality clash?
A. There is more to this problem than a personality clash. It appears that your older worker feels threatened by the younger employee and is resorting to the threat of resignation to manipulate you into reining in the younger employee. This is not an unusual workplace conflict, but its resolution will elude you until you take charge as the senior manager. After 26 years, you have naturally grown dependent on a very competent office manager, who seems irreplaceable. Your fear of losing her represents leverage to control you, and she is taking advantage of it. This dynamic probably did not emerge overnight. Consider whether you have reinforced this behavior by your reaction to similar threats in the past. The EAP can help, and the starting point will be assistance in helping you face the uncertain outcome of reasserting your authority, helping you take back the power you have given away to your subordinate, and freeing you from living in fear of what your employee will do if don't please her. Afterwards, conflict resolution assistance can proceed.
March 2007
Concerned About EAPPromoting a Positive Attitude
Am I Too Assertive?
Prediction or Insight?
Conflict Resolution
Q. One of my concerns about seeking consultative help from the EAP is that I will be “analyzed” or that my past decisions will be scrutinized if I just want to talk about the problems I am having with an employee. Should I be concerned?
A. EAPs would quickly lose their support from supervisors if, upon visiting, the supervisors felt as though they were under a microscope. The EA professional may ask you questions about your interaction with your employee to determine what has and has not worked in your attempts to correct performance. You may feel self-conscious about sharing this information if you have struggled to turn things around without much success. However, the EAP’s focus is on what you want to accomplish—not on analyzing you. Don’t hesitate to discuss how you can become a better supervisor with the EAP. EA professionals have, as their fundamental purpose, the role of helping supervisors. In fact, in their own “core technology” (a set of officially recognized components that define the profession), consultation with supervisors and management is mentioned first.
Q. There is much pessimism in the news regarding how employees feel about their jobs and their employers. Even I feel it. I am only one supervisor, but what can I do to promote a positive attitude at work?
A. Although increasing work and economic stress, along with loss of loyalty to the employer, is often reported, the news is not all bad. Research shows that a majority of employees do feel engaged in their work, although more so in smaller companies. This sentiment may result from feeling that they have more control over their work. So, the more you can help employees feel a sense of control or ownership over their work, the better off they will be. Many companies wonder what managers or supervisors can do to improve their workers’ attitudes. Less frequently asked is what they can stop doing. A Harris Interactive poll in late 2004 showed that only 63 percent of supervisors and managers cared about the fate of their employer. Unless a supervisor cares about the employer, it will be difficult to influence morale in subordinates. Examine your speech and determine whether you periodically demonstrate an unhelpful attitude that contributes to the problem you are trying to solve. If you are exhibiting a continuous, negative attitude, you should head for the EAP; they can help you.
Q. I consider myself very assertive, and I think it has helped me get ahead. However, in a recent off-site workshop, I learned that my colleagues feel I am too assertive. I was surprised, but is there a balance?
A. “Assertiveness is like salt in a sauce,” according to researcher Daniel Ames, Ph.D., of Columbia Business School. “Nobody notices a problem with assertiveness unless there is too much or too little of it.” Aspiring leaders who are low on assertiveness can’t stand up for their interests, and they suffer by being ineffective at achieving goals and delivering results. On the other hand, people with too much assertiveness may get their way, but only by choking off the relationships around them. Over time, the social costs undermine their efforts. Effective leaders push hard enough to get their way, but not so hard they can’t get along. Awareness is your best weapon in the pursuit of control over assertiveness. Being able to ratchet it up and down as necessary is a valuable skill. Talk to the EAP about your assertiveness style. You will find an objective listener and get advice from someone who is not competing with you.
Q. In my pursuit of being the best manager I can be, my biggest challenge has been seeing problems before they happen—identifying early trouble in the decisions made by those I supervise. Is this an art or a skill?
A. As you manage employees over time, you may feel uncertain about the course of action or solution offered by an employee. You’re not predicting the future. Instead, your accumulated knowledge is working for you to create uncertainty, causing you to act. This is a skill. Unfortunately, for most managers, these sensations may be so subtle as to be dismissed; so, the challenge is spotting them and acting on them earlier. Train yourself to gauge your level of certainty or uncertainty sooner, rather than learning from costly mistakes. Ask the following: “How certain is my employee about what he or she is doing or proposing?” “What do I need to do, say, or ask in order to get past these feelings of uncertainty?” “Has this employee answered all of my questions, or are the answers incomplete or skirted. Avoid accepting solutions to problems you know aren’t viable with the idea of fixing problems later if they occur.
Q. Should I come to the EAP with my employee for conflict resolution? He and I are always at each other’s throats. I think it would be useful, because he could discover that I am right. For this reason, I don’t fear conflict resolution.
A. Although it may initially sound like a good idea to engage the EAP in conflict resolution with your employee, to do so puts you and your employee on equal footing, and it can make matters worse. Many supervisors do not like the feelings associated with power, authority, and control. They compensate by trying to negotiate, be friends, or act “equal” to their subordinates. This can have a powerful enabling effect because it gives employees choice in whether they will accept direction. Because supervisors must perform their jobs, conflict ensues. You are not equal to your employee. You are superior in your responsibilities to the organization, and you must lead. It is better to go solo to the EAP and work out how you will gain back the control your organization wants you to have so you can accomplish its goals.
February 2007
Charismatic LeadersAlcohol Abuse
Employee Refuses to Visit EAP
Employee Performance Appraisals
EAP Instead of Discipline
Q. I want to be a good leader and I admire some of the supervisors in our organization because they are charismatic. Is this a learned leadership style? Can anyone become charismatic, or is a charismatic leader “born that way”?
A. Many studies have been done on charisma, but few have been able to pin down precisely what causes someone to have it. Most of us know someone who is charismatic or we know what it feels like when we meet such a person. It is clear that charismatic individuals possess a combination of powerful and complex personality traits that produce a magnetic and uncanny ability to charm or influence others. The debate is still on about whether charisma can be taught. More important than acquiring charisma is learning to lead others. That can be taught. The easiest way to begin is to study the differences between managers who are considered “leaders” and those who are not. You will discover that good leaders have skills that many charismatic persons are thought to possess, including the ability to inspire trust, be creative, see over the horizon, be unique, think in the long term, originate ideas, and help their organizations reach the next level by constructively challenging the status quo.
Q. If an employee had an alcohol problem, I think I would know it. That is why I am so surprised that one of my employees was admitted to a detox unit over the weekend. This employee never drinks at work, and his performance is fine. I’m stumped.
A. Many employees with severe alcohol problems may not drink on the job. Instead, they drink after work, on weekends, or in the mornings prior to work, or they experience binges you will never witness. Family members do witness such events, however, and a crisis at home may have led to the admission of your employee in this case. Perhaps DUI led to the crisis. Your employee could have perfectly acceptable performance at work yet still have domestic problems caused by alcoholism. Like most people, you understand alcoholism from a limited point of view, because misconception and misinformation about the disease is pervasive. It is easy to decide that anyone who does not fit into that view is without a problem. Don’t respond to your employee with disbelief upon his return. Instead, respond with support.
Q. I referred an employee to the EAP and she seemed perfectly happy to go. However, I have learned that she never went. I didn’t ask why, because her performance is fine now, but what could I have done, if anything, to make the employee more likely to follow through on my referral?
A. Any of these steps may facilitate your employee’s following through with a supervisor’s referral to the EAP. All have been tried with various EAPs, and all have worked.
1) Speak to the EAP if you have questions about any of them.
2) Reassure the employee that the program is confidential.
3) Say you won’t discuss the referral with anyone in the work setting.
4) Assure the employee of confidentiality.
5) Mention the name of the EA professional with whom you spoke to discuss performance issues, and say that he or she is expecting a call from the employee.
6) Provide the phone number of the EAP. Have a tentative appointment you have arranged in cooperation with the EAP, and if the employee accepts the referral, offer it as one option or cancel it.
7) Allow the employee to visit the first EAP assessment on paid time.
Q. I have to confess, I have not done a performance appraisal with my employees in a couple of years. I have had no complaints, and employees are doing well. With so much to do, I just keep postponing it. It’s like exercise: I know I should do it, but I don’t. What am I risking?
A. Most supervisors know that performance appraisals are a good thing for employees and the company, but most aren’t aware of important and powerful secondary effects of doing performance appraisals. One is the ability to defuse ticking time bombs. Many employees will bring personal complaints to the performance appraisal table. You’ll learn things you may never otherwise discover. Conflicts, unfairness, resource deficiencies, discriminatory problems, harassment, reports of theft, and existing safety risks all may show up at the performance appraisal discussion. Beyond these practical matters, performance appraisals empower employees and are a good way to bond with them. Performance appraisals help create loyalty and establish direction, help employees feel like they have goals and a stake in outcome, and help them feel in control of their lives. Experience shows that employees feel ignored and hurt if they don’t get appraisals—even if they don’t anticipate a good one!
Q. It’s been said that the EAP can be an alternative to discipline but not a substitute for it. This sounds like the same thing to me. Can you explain?
A. EAPs are programs that help employees improve job performance, in many cases by resolving personal problems that can interfere with job performance. Making the EAP an alternative to discipline affords the employee an opportunity to get help instead of being given a disciplinary action warranted for subpar performance or a workplace rule infraction. EAPs lose value when they are treated as substitutes for disciplinary action. This practice uses the EAP as a disciplinary response by the supervisor, who makes a referral to provide a consequence for subpar performance or work rule violations. The latter damages the EAP’s perception by employees as a positive, safe, and constructive means to resolving personal problems that may interfere with job performance.
January 2007
Employee LayoffsEmployee-Employer Tension
Sexual Harassment
Leadership Attributes
Supervisor Stress
Q. Our organization will lose nearly 15 percent of its employees in a planned downsizing this year. Should I anticipate that productivity will be negatively affected, and if so, is there anything I can do about it? Will employees simply not care about productivity this year?
A. Anger and anxiety will play powerful roles and may affect some employees’ productivity as they seek to cope with the uncertainty of downsizing. Many supervisors assume that all employees will suffer a lack of productivity when downsizing looms and anxiety grows, but this is not necessarily the case. Productivity may increase for some employees. These will tend to be employees who have a high level of insecurity about their positions but who also have a high need to work. In other words, those who can afford to lose their jobs the least may demonstrate more productivity than usual. On the other hand, downsizing anxiety may adversely affect the productivity of employees who have a low need to work. Offering support and effectively planning communication as downsizing is implemented is important for both groups, regardless of anticipated productivity levels, because the personal reaction of each employee cannot be predicted or generalized to a larger group.
Q. The past few years have been difficult between me and my employee. The relationship is in the pits. He and I snap at each other, our voice tones are inappropriate, we do not exchange civilities, and, frankly, I will fire him the next wrong move he makes. Any advice?
A. Talk to the EAP fast. The conflict between you and your employee is a risk issue for your organization, and it is a stressor that you must manage better. Unresolved and festering anger can be a hair trigger for violence, lawsuits, theft, property damage, and unpredictable productivity problems. Many supervisors treat ongoing mutual resentment between themselves and employees they supervise as personal matters, but in fact they pose risks for the organization. Between you and the EA professional, decide on a course of mediation that will improve the relationship. You may feel it’s too late, but if you are willing to try, your employee may also participate. A meeting with the EAP will likely be attractive to your employee so he can vent and explain his side of the story. You will predictably notice an immediate improvement in the interaction between you and your employee after these initial steps. But that won’t last long if you don’t pursue the opportunity for resolving your differences with the help of the EAP.
Q. I witnessed two employees in our warehouse making a sexually provocative comment to the secretary who works there. I gave them the evil eye and I’m sure they got the message loud and clear. It was a first-time incident. Should I have done more?
A. Yes, you should have said more just as you would to an employee smoking beside a fuel pump. A facial gesture will not prove that you corrected the behavior and it won’t demonstrate adequately your disapproval of it. You can decide on the corrective response, but the goal is to protect the victim, act so that the incident is not repeated, and document it. You will then be on solid ground if you are ever officially asked about it. This is probably not the first incident. Let the victimized employee know that you heard the comment and addressed it, and encourage this employee to come to you with any concerns relative to coworkers’ inappropriate behavior. State that you will not tolerate disrespect in the workplace or harassment of any type. Make note of this meeting. This is not overreacting. Employers are now in the hot seat when it comes to issues of sexual harassment and must act to protect employees and the employer.
Q. What is the key issue in leadership often overlooked by supervisors that can undermine their attempt to achieve workplace goals and build a cohesive team?
A. A key leadership skill is identifying the skills and talents of employees and motivating them to use those skills in the pursuit of organizational goals. Effective leaders invest in developing constructive working relationships with their employees, and they help them apply their talents in the pursuit of those goals. Behaviors that demonstrate effective leadership skills are both learned and naturally part of some supervisors’ personalities, but the investment by the leader in authentically meeting the needs of the team is what promotes loyalty and motivates followers (employees). The payoff for effective leadership is acquiring influence. Many supervisors reverse this process or miss part of it in their pursuit of becoming a leader. They focus more, or too much on, achieving goals, while neglecting the needs of employees on whom they rely. Leaders will not generate loyalty without also developing meaningful relationships with the employees they supervise.
Q. I am very stressed out in my supervisor role. I would like to relax and physically work off my stress, but I have never noticed any benefit when I hop on the treadmill as I attempt to relieve stress. As a result, I don’t keep up with it.
A. Physical activity is one of the best ways to relieve stress, but don’t expect much if you only begin to exercise when you’re already stressed out. For real benefits, you must make a commitment to a regular program of it, say 20-30 minutes a day consistently, with your doctor’s approval. (Be sure to warm up before putting exercise stress on your heart.) If you keep up with your exercise program, you will experience better capability and resilience when you are under stress in the future. This is called stress immunization.
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