Page 143 - Becoming a Successful Manager

134 ESTABLISHING A SOLID DEPARTMENTAL FOUNDATION

Example: Remember that criticisms are helpful gifts. Let’s say an
employee promised to submit a report. The due date arrives, and no
report is forthcoming. When you go to your employee to request it,
she says she hasn’t got it but she’ll get it to you in a few days. You must
inform her that this behavior is unacceptable. At the same time, you
want her to know what acceptable behavior is.
This is what the criticism might sound like: “I am not sure what hap-

pened, but when I ask for something on a specific day and you promise
to deliver it, I need it on that day. Next time, if you see that you can’t
deliver what you promised, please tell me in advance so I can work
around the change. Is that a reasonable request?”
After completing this Discovery Lesson, reflect on what you learned

and record your insights in your journal.

Questions to Consider

• How can you deliver feedback as a gift versus an adverse
judgment?

• What can you request from another manager using the new
approach?

• It’s easy to confuse helpful criticism with lecturing to a person
whose behavior needs correction. What’s the difference between the
two?