There are three transitional leadership lessons necessary to place high on your agenda when joining or leaving an organization. As someone serially assessing culture (as HR Consultant and many Senior HR positions), how leaders allow employees to enter or leave (much stronger optics) an organization, may be more important than what goes on in the middle. For this reason, be mindful of the people working for you who continually get away with bad behavior and the tagline – “that’s just who they are” – no one, not even the President/CEO, should get away with bad behavior.
These employees (every organization has them), if allowed to fester, will sour new employees and anger long-term employees because of a different set of standards you’ve allowed. Although seemingly simple in theory, consistency is difficult and skill set often trumps the acceptance of bad behavior. The “why” an employee joins or leaves an organization should be at the forefront of conversations, not as an afterthought as in an exit interview. So, whether at the beginning, middle or end of your leadership career, place these lessons at the forefront throughout:
- Be overtly kind to new employees joining your organization. Although it is important to be kind to all employees as a leader, it is especially important to those new employees. Get to know them, participate in new employee orientation, speak to them at 30, 60, 90 days (even if by zoom). Ask, “what can I or the organization do better?” Listen more, speak less and ask questions that merit and solicit more than a “yes” or “no” answer. The enculturation of any new position (no matter how seasoned or senior a person may be), is difficult and holds its own drama – don’t be the person adding to that drama!
- Leave grateful – for the good and bad memorable moments. You will learn from them both. How you leave, whether voluntarily or involuntarily determines who you are, your credibility and your values – not the ones doing the letting go. If you are the one letting go (termination/layoff), be thoughtful and kind, especially since you are already delivering bad news. Also, allow employees the loss of a leader (these are meaningful rituals that allow for healthy transitions) – there are lessons learned from those coming in and leaving. Few have mastered the art of how to say transitional “hellos” or “good-byes”, and instead stay silent. If you are a mentor of leaders be sure to review this lesson – it is an important growth opportunity that is often overlooked. This is especially true of lay-offs – once a person is let go, there is a louder silence then when someone is fired for cause because most employees, and leaders as well, are not comfortable to say something as simple as, “I am sorry to hear about your job loss, please let me know if there is anything, I can do for you” – even though in most cases, when there is nothing you can do, the acknowledgement of loss and concern is the beginning of grieving the loss and healing for the laid-off or separated employee.
- Have honest conversations with employees, sooner than later, no matter at what level the employee resides. If you focus on potential problems/concerns rather than the person-early on, the employee will respect and appreciate you for your truth. Dependent on the level of employee, measure the intensity of your honesty in content and always avoid personal and hurtful verbiage. Hard conversations will be less hard if less time has transpired. An initial and/or ongoing conversations may influence perception and/or increase skill, and when framed properly will be appreciated. If you cannot have such conversations, ask someone who can – again early on – like a senior HR person, leader over the department/program or a 3rd party consultant. Time that passes will not bode well for the employee’s rehabilitation, perception of other employees, or liability of future actions.
Michelle is Principal of Stiletto Management, a Consulting Company providing HR business thought and practices. Write her at www.stilettomanagement.com or [email protected].