Straight Talk Tips are produced monthly, highlighting aspects of the Straight Talk approach to effective communication. They serve as reminders of the process for those who have been through the Straight Talk training. They are also an introduction to the concepts on which Straight Talk is based.
Sometimes all it takes is one conversation to completely alter the
course of a career, a relationship, and even history. Day by day, our
lives proceed one conversation at a time. Sometimes they fail one
conversation at a time too.
It is not possible to behave with integrity and exert personal authority if you do not hold others to account for their behaviour. Strange then, that we have so many ways of not holding people properly to account!
The best designed performance appraisal processes mean nothing when there is no consequence for poor performance. The best laid plans are worthless when people are not held to account for the outputs and behaviours required to achieve them.
We often overlook the fact that getting the best from people can be as easy as catching them doing something that you value, and doing it well. You must be sincere, and it helps if you can be specific in describing exactly what you are complimenting. Other than that, it is really hard to go wrong.
Ask managers which part of their role they find most troublesome and they are likely to talk about managing the performance of people. There is general agreement that managing poor performers is the hardest part.
