Early and often is so easy to remember and yet so rarely done. Why?
Late and later are the feedback norm. Why?
Why does your team have “bad hearing” when it comes to bad news about their individual performance?
Why do we believe that the best way to give someone feedback is to temper the “bad” with large doses of the good?
Why do we believe that “mixing the message” works here when most would agree that it doesn’t work most anyplace else?
Why do we WAIT to tell someone that they must improve their performance?
Why not tell them early and often? Why?
Why do you believe that your team will somehow become a “self healing system?”
We wait. We transfer the problem. We delegate the delivery. We water down the message when we finally get around to it. We lie to ourselves that there is nothing more that can be done. We convince ourselves that it is NOT our fault. Our teammate is just not cutting it. They must go.
Here’s the tragedy in waiting.
When you finally document your lack of belief in your former star associate here’s what you get. You get an associate that feels one of two things most likely. They will either “feel” like you are stabbing them in the back while smiling in their face or that you have a gun in their mouth while looking them in the eye. Either way this will usually have a lasting effect.
A negative one.
Some will respond positively and improve their performance. Some will not. Neither is considered a success for the BUILT TO LEAD leader. The BUILT TO LEAD leader gives feedback early and often. They believe in their team and when they first start to lose their belief they tell us. They give us every chance to get better. They help in any way they can. These leaders get our commited best.
Early and often, tell your team that YOU BELIEVE IN THEM. Give them evidence of your belief.
Early and often tell them when you do not. Think of Sam Phillips and Johnny Cash here…
Do not mix your message.
Do this early and often.
Why are you waiting?
BUILT TO LEAD 