Page 260 - An Indispensible Resource for Being a Credible Activist

managers understand the impact of their words, their tone, their EI, their goals, their
expectations, and how clearly they communicate.
The HR Tool entitled “Sample Performance Management Procedures: Your Map for
Coaching and Discipline shows a training review, recommended for all managers and espe-
cially for new managers, of what and when to document, how to document, and when to
consult with HR.
There may be times when disciplining an employee is necessary. If managers and HR
are collaborating sufficiently to recruit and select the best-qualified people for their posi-
tions; if all employees have sufficient tools, time, and training to succeed in their jobs; and
if the corporate culture is one with a solidly and consistently enforced code of conduct and
an open system that solicits employee feedback regularly and is positively responsive to this
feedback, discipline should be a rare event. However, the HR Tool entitled “Checklist of Six
Questions to Ask Yourself before Disciplining an Employee,” on pages 250, shows some
guidelines to follow before you determine whether to move forward with discipline.
It is also very important to solicit feedback from those who attend any training. The
form in the HR Tool entitled “Sample Feedback Sheets,” on pages 250–251, can be cus-
tomized and used to invite feedback on any training programs you design and present.
The HR Tool entitled “Sample Managerial Record-Keeping for Employee Job Performance
Tracking,” on page 252, is only one example of a tool that can be used when this is needed,
after NVC problem-solving and effective feedback delivery.
Hopefully, the appropriate people in the company have control over determining who
has the required skills, knowledge, and abilities, as well as corporate cultural attributes
required for success during the selection process. (For those who don’t have these require-
ments, there is a simple postcard text, shown in the HR Tool entitled “Sample Postcard to
Send to Applicants You Will Not Be Interviewing,” on page 265, in Chapter 16.) It is recom-
mended that you have several hundred or thousand of these printed up so you can have
your assistant or intern send them out to those candidates who are not scheduled for any
interviews.
The HR Tool entitled “Sample Manager’s Self-Assessment Tool,” on pages 253–254, can
teach all managers about giving effective feedback to employees when communicating pri-
vately with the goal of discussing job performance goals, perceptions, and any gaps between
those two.
Review the HR Tool entitled “Checklist of 2008 General Mills Awards,” on pages
254–255, and ask yourself the following questions: How many would your company win?
What does this list tell you about General Mills and its internal governance? Clearly, they
have all the crucial linchpins in place and are functioning optimally. They are also having
an incredibly positive effect on the communities in which they operate.
In contrast, consider some of the other companies we’ve looked at throughout this
book. Consider other companies in the headlines now. Ask yourself how your company’s
internal corporate governance might be rated if each of your stakeholders were able to rate
you—employees, customers, community, investors, board members, and so on. Now, do all
you can to influence your leadership to fully support you in collaboratively installing these
crucial linchpins so your corporate governance is competitive governance.

CHAPTER 15 • F ostering F eedback, Training, and Improved P er formance 243