Communication Frontier: The Staff Meeting

If you were to take all the employee relations problems experienced over the years, the chances are that you can boil them down into one of two big buckets: lack of communication or lack of recognition.

Believe it or not, both can be handled through that much-maligned staff meeting – but only if it is done right. It can create the perfect vehicle for constant communication with and among staff members and can give the manager the opportunity to recognise their efforts in front of others.

Having said that, we all know motivation is internal; employees must be held accountable for motivating themselves. The responsibility as a manager, however, is to create an environment in which their subordinates can motivate themselves. And a structured weekly staff meeting is a good place to open the lines of communication while increasing the amount of recognition for a job well done.

Steps To An Effective Staff Meeting

Step 1
The first step to a successful staff meeting is to invite all of your subordinates to discuss what's going on in their worlds. Specifically ask, "What have you accomplished in the past week and what have been your challenges?" For example, a staff of recruiters may share how many positions they have filled that week, which deals are being delayed because of a line manager's indecisiveness or counteroffer deal breakers that may leave a position unfilled.

It's not only important for individuals to talk about themselves; it's also critical that all members of the staff hear what their peers are doing. Too many times employees dig foxholes for themselves and develop an entitlement mentality where they believe they are doing all the work. Once they hear what everyone else is working on, however, they tend to develop a greater appreciation for their peers' contributions.

Of course, that information sharing also keeps you in the know. One of the most common frustrations shared by supervisors is that their subordinates leave them "flying blind." After all, it's one thing to have a problem on your hands, it's another to learn about that problem from your boss rather than from your staff. Regular meetings give everyone the most up-to-date information possible, but the key is to allow your associates to share their information first. Such meetings are not "top-down" messages from you to them. They're "bottom-up" approaches to gathering data and demonstrating respect for people's contributions in the workplace by allowing them the opportunity to talk.

Step 2
The second part of the meeting introduces constructive criticism into the decision-making process. Specifically ask, "What do we need to do differently to reinvent the workflow in our area?" The best ideas will always come from the people in the trenches. The frustration that many employees share with HR during exit interviews is that they didn't feel like their ideas mattered. They went through the motions day-in and day-out but had no real impact or influence over their working environment. This simple invitation to make suggestions satisfies the basic need to be heard and to make a positive difference.

Inviting staff members to voice their suggestions and concerns may feel somewhat discomforting to you at first. After all, what are you going to do if they complain about things that you can't control? New computer systems, sluggish Internet access and problems outside of your department - those limitations exist for all of us. Keep in mind that you're not conducting a gripe session here.

Your goal is to help workers focus on what can be done with existing resources. As such, you should give ownership of a suggestion to the individual who raised it. Really encourage your people to look at your existing way of doing business and to redefine the critical points where inefficiencies, delays or outright breakdowns occur. Define a bite-sized plan of action that can be easily implemented and measured that week, and ask for a volunteer to spearhead the new activity. That's empowerment--the freedom to suggest a better way of doing things and the authority to put your personal imprint on the revisions.

Step 3
The third element of the staff meeting focuses on what you, as a group, could have done differently in the past week to make the company a better place. This sounds lofty, but that's what work is all about. Employees are hired to increase revenues, decrease expenses and save time. Any lost opportunities to impact the company's bottom line in one of those three ways should be discussed, studied and revisited in the future.

"What could we have done differently?" is a natural counterpoint to the opening question because it mirrors what's going on in your group at any given time. It also allows for shared case studies so that similar situations can be handled more effectively on a go-forward basis.

Every now and then, try focusing this third question on your own particular effectiveness as the supervisor: “What can I do differently to give you all more structure, direction and feedback, and help act as a career mentor and coach?” That's the classic olive branch, and yes, it may make you feel vulnerable at first. However, you can't know what your individual subordinates need unless you ask.

The truth is, everyone is so busy that they barely have the time to get through their work by the day's end. Still, building camaraderie and minimising turnover can come only from enlightened leadership and trust. The best advice? Take time to get to know your people's needs in terms of career development, continuing education and increased responsibilities. Your investment of time and concern will be well rewarded.

What if a lack of trust exists in your working relationship with your staff already? If you believe that they perceive you as distant, out of touch or otherwise ineffective, then this olive-branch approach to staff meetings may seem insincere at best and risky for your career, at worst.

In such cases, don't introduce this touchy question to the group as a whole. Individual meetings with group members would make more sense to gain their buy-in. Once those one-on-one meetings are completed, though, it should be safe to introduce this concept of mentoring and coaching on a more consistent basis.

Remember, if distrust exists in your group and you've all been working together for the past 10 months, it will probably take at least that long to get back to ground zero. You have to start somewhere, though, and it's your responsibility as supervisor to create an environment where people can motivate themselves and feel encouraged to make a positive difference. Asking for constructive input regarding your supervisory style will let people know it's okay to come out of their holes and make themselves vulnerable as well.

 

Copyright 2006 Great Lakes HR Now and CBS Radio Inc.  Used by permission.  All Rights Reserved.