You have heard your team member say that. Then he quickly adds, “I will try my VERY best,” referring to your request to make improvements on his work deliverables. You believe him, it sounds good.
But six months down the road, you are disappointed that nothing has changed, despite his promise to “do the best.” What happened? It could be many things, but it is very likely that you are also at fault, at least partially.
Who? Me? How can that be?
Is the mistake identified?
When a team member makes mistakes, it is their manager’s responsibility to point that out and bring it to his attention. It doesn’t stop there, though. Simply telling somebody that he has made a mistake doesn’t necessarily make that person understand what the mistake is. After all, he thought he got it right in the first place, didn’t he?
Refrain yourself from stating vague arguments such as “Why don’t you use common sense!” What’s common sense for you, may not be common sense for him. So, the best way to make him understand his mistake is by explaining what you have in mind. Check again and again that he understands what you are saying. Use illustrations, scribble it on the whiteboard or ask him to explain it back to you.
This is the first step of handling mistakes by team members.
Are your expectations clear?
When the mistake is clear, the next step is to clearly explain your expectations of him. Don’t brush it off by simply asking him to try again. Provide guidance on what the right outcome would be and, if necessary, on what the wrong outcome looks like. Suggest resources for references: books with background theories, videos for step-by-step visual guides and experts to ask advice from.
The more specific we are on our expectations, the more he knows where to focus his effort to improve. It will narrow down possible detours. No more guessing games. He understands you, you understand him.
Now, move on to the next step.
Is his improvement plan clear?
The last step is to help him take ownership of his improvement. That can be accomplished by asking him to outline his plan to improve. Simply saying that he would “try” his “best” doesn’t say much. He has to break his improvement goals into smaller chunks which are more manageable and make the effort to solve them. Having a plan also makes it easier to track the progress.
We could be supportive in this journey of improvement by conducting regular checks at major milestones and providing relevant input. Getting constructive feedback would help increase somebody’s chances to succeed. Growth is only possible in a collaborative environment.
When a team member knows how to systematically address his mistakes, he would take more ownership of his professional development. Instead of waiting for the boss to tell him what to do, he would proactively plan his own improvement, or better, his career path.
No, this is not the last step. In fact, there is no last step. Personal improvement is not a one-track road with a definite end. Instead, it is a constant loop of learning, unlearning and relearning where one aims to be a better version of himself.
Celebrate success!
Helping team members to improve is not only the leaders’ responsibility but also their pathway to succeed. Nobody can be successful alone. Behind every successful leader, there is always a strong team that runs with him. While helping team members to improve sounds like a lot of work, the reward at the end is what makes the journey worthwhile.
Success is teamwork!
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