Some of my clients are already in leadership roles, they are tenured or new leaders who want to become better leaders or to improve their team environment. Some are not yet leaders, but they want to develop leadership skills in preparation for advancement.
One of my more memorable encounters was with a person in the latter category. This person had recently had a bad experience with a supervisor, and I thought I’d share it with you, because I firmly believe that it provides a powerful leadership lesson.
Feedback has the power to encourage—and corrupt
The person I coached worked hard and devoted extra time and energy to making a positive contribution to the organization. Like most people, this up-and-coming leader wasn’t perfect and admits to one negative behavior trait, one that the person was already working to improve.
The very first time the supervisor addressed the problem behavior, he chose to do so as a formal reprimand with disciplinary action. He didn’t offer an informal warning or coach the employee to improve prior to the formal discussion. On the contrary, when he had mentioned positive contributions, he did so casually, informally and infrequently. In other words, he barely acknowledged the good effort, but made a big deal out of missteps and weaknesses.
The result? The person I was training felt devalued. This employee, who had enjoyed contributing new ideas and looking for opportunities to help, decided to act more cautiously and put in less effort. In this case, the supervisor had “motivated” the employee to invest only enough effort to avoid trouble and confrontation. The employee’s desire to make a major positive contribution was, at least temporarily, softened and muted.
Positive versus negative reinforcement
Aubrey Daniels, a highly respected behavioral analyst and author, states that high-level team and individual performance only comes as the result of positive reinforcement (e.g., praise, rewards, time-off). Anything negative (e.g., punishment, penalty, criticism, correction) will only create “minimal effort.”
For that reason, he recommends the 4:1 Rule. Simply put, the rule states that people need to receive at least four positive inputs on their behavior for every one negative input, if they’re going to respond to the positive and give “maximal effort.”
Few, if any, leaders will move through their careers without discussing negative performance issues with team members. Unfortunately, leaders often fail when they confront negative issues in a formal and threatening manner, and do nothing meaningful to recognize employees’ positive contributions. I see it in many places: parents with children, teachers with students, and supervisors with employees. The problem takes on different forms in different organizations. Regardless of the environment, though, it still comes down to the same root problem: Most of us find it easier to notice what people do wrong than what they do right. Don’t fall into that trap.
The right way to confront negative behavior
I recognize the necessity of formal disciplinary processes. However, I do not recommend, except in extreme situations, that you implement them at the first sign of a problem. If you resort to a formal approach too soon, you will have to work doubly hard to overcome employees’ negative feelings to keep the work relationship on stable ground. Instead, start with an informal discussion to help employees understand the problem and offer coaching to help the employee improve. If the behavior is extreme, or if coaching efforts fail to improve performance, take a more formal approach.
No doubt, you must confront negative behaviors quickly, but don’t forget to also create hope by praising and rewarding positive behaviors. Make sure that you are offering at least four positive comments for every negative one you offer.
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Great article. I worked with a younger Technologist who thought she was a “HOT SHOT” and criticized everything I did. She ran to the laboratory director,with any little complaint. I gave her the advice that she should not be so bossy or she will never get ahead. I left that job because I could not deal with either of them. There were 2 great techs there that were a pleasure to work with. I am sure they will not find anyone with a resume like mine and almost 50 years of experience.
I treated my staff with dignity and respect, and received appreciation in return. !
Thank you for this good, down to earth, article. I supervise 12 employees and agree that it’s sometimes easier to see the negative and overlook the positive. Your points are valid and easy to implement! Thanks again!