Comments on Great Leadership: Are You Managing or Just Nagging?

Mark - You're welcome, and thanks for comment...

2012-02-23T08:35:17.148-05:00

Mark -
You're welcome, and thanks for commenting. I see your point about "culture". On the other hand, it's also good to take a step back and question the validity of cultural norms to make sure they are still serving a purpose. This comes from personal experience - I worked at a company that put the "cult" in culture, and I often thought some of the norms the old timers clung to were just plain silly.

Thank you. You provided a very good method to cat...

2012-02-22T12:46:27.118-05:00

Thank you. You provided a very good method to categorize one’s view of an employee’s performance/work habits.
While some manager complaints of employees may be perceived as pet peeves (I know I am guilty of this), it may be that a manager is attempting to reinforce company culture, which has its purpose.

Greg - Thanks. It's never easy, but having th...

2012-01-27T09:40:57.304-05:00

Greg -
Thanks. It's never easy, but having these discussions is a BIG part of a manager's job. The tricky part is finding the right balance between avoidance and riding herd. Hmmm, could be the topic of a future post. (-:

Dan, This discussion is a reminder that managers ...

2012-01-26T21:10:56.828-05:00

Dan,

This discussion is a reminder that managers earn their pay! It is indeed difficult to navigate through all of these human relations issues.

As with all relationships, I think you just have to let some things go. Pet peeves that don't really matter in most work environments (e.g. messy desks) should be on this list.

Furthermore, if the employee is getting the results that are needed (and still being ethical, following the company's values, etc.), then I think managers should be flexible about the path the employee takes to accomplish the objective.

But I definitely believe that chronic performance issues need to be properly addressed. Like you mentioned, be "firm but fair."

Mary - Thanks, I agree, tolerating bad behaviours...

2012-01-26T16:40:05.676-05:00

Mary -
Thanks, I agree, tolerating bad behaviours is a recipe for failure. It will catch up to you sooner or later.

Well said! These are great examples and very relev...

2012-01-26T15:54:39.083-05:00

Well said! These are great examples and very relevant to today's managers. In particular I often come across the situation of managers who tolerate behaviours that are inconsistent with the organization's values simply because they come from high producers of the higher priority corporate objectives... namely, Revenue. The question becomes: what is a manager willing to sacrifice in the interest of money?

Aaron - Thanks. Good for you that you can tell th...

2012-01-23T08:14:48.249-05:00

Aaron -
Thanks. Good for you that you can tell the difference, a lot of managers can't.

Great article! I particularly like the discussion ...

2012-01-22T20:43:22.036-05:00

Great article! I particularly like the discussion on pet peeves and nagging. When there is an issue I want to address, I ask myself if changing this behavior will produce the measurable results that I want or just make me feel better. Most of the time it will just make me feel better.

Stephanie - Thanks, glad it's going to help y...

2012-01-19T16:32:24.233-05:00

Stephanie -
Thanks, glad it's going to help you!

Mike -
Thanks!
I once had a manager tell me that I reminded her of an old boyfriend....and it ended in a realy nasty break-out, that he was abusive to her, etc.... needless to say, we struggled with building rapport. (-:

Dan, The first acid test is a good one "Can...

2012-01-19T16:19:19.373-05:00

Dan,

The first acid test is a good one "Can I make a clear connection between the behavior (or lack of) and the performance output?"

Many times, managers get caught up in ego - and forget what the end goal is... yes - there needs to be a culture of respect, but sometimes I see managers just not like someone... It can be because they rub them the wrong way or remind them of a 7th grade math teacher... Whatever the reason - we need to remember that everyone is not going to be like us - and we need to respect that...

It is a good grounding question to challenge ourselves about the performance output...

Mike

Dan, This is a really good article that has given...

2012-01-19T16:04:38.243-05:00

Dan,

This is a really good article that has given me a lot to think about when I coach my employees. It is really going to help me improve the way I handle tough conversations around the topics you covered in your article.

Thanks!
Stephanie

Brent- Thanks. Seems a bit rushed to me, but I sup...

2012-01-18T07:05:48.163-05:00

Brent-
Thanks. Seems a bit rushed to me, but I suppose it depends on the context and individual. And it's much better than NO regular meetings, which unfornunately can be common.

I like the acid test. It's hard enough for mos...

2012-01-17T17:13:10.482-05:00

I like the acid test. It's hard enough for most managers to have these discussions, throw in some 'dislikes' and it can really go downhill quick.

I like the 5-5-5 approach to performance discussions. A 15 min talk every quarter discussing what's working and what's not working. 5 minutes on performance wrt core values, 5 min wrt their role/responsibilities, and 5 wrt their rocks (90 day objectives).

It's short, covers all the bases and is grounded around the "seat" not the person. thx.

Jennifer - Try the toilet seat analogy, that one ...

2012-01-15T10:00:39.097-05:00

Jennifer -
Try the toilet seat analogy, that one ususally works. (-:
Thanks, I agree, it's often a power/comtrol issue.

Rebecca -
you're welcome, and thanks for the comment!

Dan, Thank you! This was a great blog and has real...

2012-01-15T01:39:38.144-05:00

Dan,
Thank you! This was a great blog and has really helped me to distinguish between the different distinctions. It will greatly help me in developing my management style and finding the right balance in managing my employees!

Dan, These are very helpful distinctions. One thi...

2012-01-14T09:30:26.136-05:00

Dan,

These are very helpful distinctions. One thing to keep in mind when we coach people about "pet peeves"-- some of those folks won't see it as such. They'll try to fit it into one of your previous categories. In fact, what you've really got going on with a "pet peeve" is a struggle for power. That's a very tough issue to help a manager work through, but if you can help them see that there is no apparent downside to the Pet Peeve, then they may relinquish a bit of control.