Employee Satisfaction Surveys Stink!
It’s an easy fix for organizations to churn out the annual or even bi-annual (’to show we really care’) survey to their people, to assess ‘employee satisfaction’.
It is a great tactic for the Annual Report. Yet in my opinion, in most cases, it stinks!
Once the results are in, they get analyzed at Corporate, Divisional and Area level. Any improvements result in back-slapping ceremonies. Individual teams may get feedback on how they did.
Yet for many organizations that’s where it stops.
Sure, they may have a briefing and belief they are going forward, but no-one gets into the deep-seated behavioral issues that need to shift - because it’s tricky, time-consuming and indeed they may have no clue as to how to take this element forward (but they did their survey OK!)!
Whilst the big-picture organization things are important, they usually fit at the bottom of Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
The upper levels of fulfilment and self esteem cannot be delivered at arms length.
The only delivery-boy for the behaviors that really make a difference to your employees’ engagement is the direct environment where they work.
And that’s where each and every manager needs to get into close one-to-one relationships with each of their people.
To truly listen, to understand what they can really do to maximize engagement/retention/attendance as the minimum (and extremely good indicators in themselves, rather than the wheeled-out “to show we care ’survey’”).
Big-time pro-active contribution from a whole team of employees (or is it ‘colleagues’?), the bigger reward.
One-on-one coaching for a manager in this area, by someone who knows what they are doing. really can add positive numbers on the bottom line. I know, I’ve worked with clients who have seen number spiral, for the want of a pretty small investment in relative terms
And once behaviors shift, they shift for a lifetime of value!
This article may be only used with the following acknowledgment:-
(c) 2009 Coach Train Learn! Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach and Trainer. For more information about First Class Coaching, Training and Learning - simple as that, checkout http://www.coachtrainlearn.com
Delegation for Business Leaders - How Letting Go Works
To create the time for the specific role of a leader, as much as possible of the day to day delivery must be handed over.
This level of delegation is very important, not only to create the space for the leader to develop visions and longer terms strategic goals, but also in encouragement of key individuals who will both be challenged by new activities, but will also be developed for the future benefit of the organization.
A leader’s role is to focus on those areas of operation where he or she can deliver the greatest value and this requires huge shifts in perspective of the role. Leaders differ from managers in terms of accountability.
Whilst a leader is accountable for the strategic growth of the organisation and the delivery of results, a manager is more responsible of delivery of shorter-term results through people.
These are, of course, generalisations and roles vary.
Developing others through delegation is a great way to grow skills and confidence in your workforce. Through utilising the viewpoints of others, you create the variety of solutions which might well escape you, from your own experienced, though single perspective.
As well as radically improving the quality of your workforce, the leader who works in this way also does much more for their own focus. If a job can be done at the lowest possible cost level, true with some training and on the job coaching, then that frees you up for the role you’re being paid for too.
Your Q2 time (see ‘The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People’ - Stephen Covey) multiplies and you can start to use your own creative skills in the bigger framework.
To grow and develop your business or organisation. Safe in the knowledge that you have great people around you and they are realising their own potential too.
An exercise to consider!
1. Make a list of those things you currently do, yet someone else could do.
2. Decide to give up 20% of your role to others within your organisation within a defined timescale (1 - 3 months). 50% within a year. Value your time for what your strengths can uniquely provide.
3. Check out your own, personal ‘nice-to-do’s’ rather than ‘need-to-do’s’. I.e. is it something you are choosing to do because you like doing it ahead of it being important enough?
4. Review how the extra time can be best used to deliver the more challenging parts of your role – especially regarding future goals and visions.
5. Spot check that you are also enabling others to develop and remember that they may well require clarity and coaching in new activities to start with.
Dumping the stuff you do, rather than achieving your true worth, is escapism - it is finding things to ‘do’ rather than thinking, creating, challenging and firing yourself up.
So it’s time to step up.
This article may be only used with the following acknowledgment:-
(c) 2009 Coach Train Learn! Martin Haworth is a Business and Management Coach and Trainer. For more information about First Class Coaching, Training and Learning - simple as that, checkout http://www.coachtrainlearn.com
