lack of knowledge (i.e., the manager would need to teach employees better or give
them more time to practice), fatigue (i.e., the employees are overworked and new
labor arrangements are needed) or routine (i.e., the staff is not challenged and needs
a more interesting task). Perhaps the error was due to the environment: the work-
place is too loud, machines are broken, the protective gear is defective, the ventilation
is poor or the working environment is negative. As a manager, it is your job to
investigate the causes of errors. There is always a degree of responsibility on the
part of the leader. This should be kept in mind when preparing a critical conversa-
tion, so that you don’t unfairly vent your anger on an employee.
Feedback must be acceptable. Criticism should always be mentioned soon after
the disruptive behavior has taken place. Take advantage of this opportunity and do
not postpone talking about problems. Otherwise the employee could get the feeling
that mistakes can never be lived down. The criticism should always be related
to behavior and not to the person of the employee; don’t say: “You are an erratic
person,” but: “What strikes me is: recently you often come late to work.” Be specific.
Only in this way can the employee relate to your criticism. Never say “You are
always late.” or “You’re constantly making mistakes”; identify the specific situa-
tion. “Yesterday the number of errors in your production was above average.”
The following steps can help you to lead feedback sessions:
Preparation. Take the time to prepare some written notes before you start. Note
your conversation goal. Make yourself knowledgeable about the background of the
employee. Is he going through a divorce right now? Was she sick a lot lately? Has
he done a good job before this incident? Be sure to find an appropriate time at which
neither you nor the other party is under time pressure. You should not be disturbed
during the conversation. Create a relaxing atmosphere and never engage in critical
discussions “off the cuff.”
Warm-up phase. When the employee arrives, first take care to create a relaxed
atmosphere. This will not only help the employee but also you, because you
will probably also be a bit on edge. Provide the famous cup of coffee or tea at
the beginning. Look for a gentle introduction to the topic, so your conversation
partner gets the chance to get used to the situation. Recognize the employee’s
positive qualities and talk about them, too. Remember what I mentioned earlier:
praise and criticism must be in a healthy balance. Avoid using “yes, but...”
sentences. Also, if you use praise only for tactical purposes, your conversation
partner will notice it immediately.
Target/actual comparison. Mostly a critical discussion will take place when
the employee’s results differ from an expected goal. Use questions to lead
the employee to recognize this difference himself/herself. Remember that the
employee’s behavior is normally beneficial. Only in this (individual) case did that
behavior not lead to the goal. So the criticism should not be “blanketing,” but
always be related to this particular situation. If the employee retreats into stubborn
silence or launches a counter-attack, it means you weren’t sufficiently sensitive.
Develop new practices together. Allow your employee to participate in the deci-
sion-making process with regard to new behaviors. Only then will they have the
224 4 More Than Just Talking or: The Instruments of Systemic Leadership