Five Questions Your Direct Reports Have (But May Not Ask)

By Susan Battley

Overview

With the economy in recession, many companies, businesses and nonprofits are in survival mode.  Consequently, change is being forced on everyone in the workplace from top management, to labor unions, to customers and taxpayers.  And there's sure to be further industry consolidation in the financial and automotive sectors, and very likely in the pharmaceutical, news media and telecommmunications as well.

Too often, in the course of managing through turbulent, uncertain times, leaders and managers can lose sight of the fact that they have to establish a new psychological contract with their people. (The term “psychological contract” refers to expectations of the employment relationship, such as mutual obligations, values, aspirations, etc., that operate over and above any formal contract.)

In the vortex of change, leaders can make erroneous assumptions.  They can overlook - or minimize - the emotional impact that layoffs have on the survivors.  Sadness and anxiety are common reactions.

Leaders can assume that the messages they send are precisely the messages that are received. They can assume that stating key messages once is enough for motivated people to reconnect and re-engage. They can forget that people one and two levels below them may also be one and two stages behind them in the change process.

They may also overlook - or minimize - the emotional impact that layoffs have on employee "survivors."  Sadness and anxiety are common reactions, as well as a decline in overall morale.

Here are five “P’s” leaders can use to address questions their direct reports - and everyone else - will have, but may not always ask:

#1 Performance.   How will I be evaluated?

• Action Step: Describe as specifically as possible what success now looks like for the business, the boss, the team, and the individual employee. Review these metrics frequently to reinforce priorities and targets.

#2 Partnership.  How can I survive (and thrive) during these tough times?

• Action Step: Leaders must demonstrate strong team and culture-building skills. When leaders are accessible, consistent, transparent, and fair, less second-guessing and in-fighting occur behind office doors. Trust, the essential building block of peak execution, is established or re-established quickly.

#3 Priorities:  How do I choose between competing options?

• Action Step: Let team members and staff know which activities or relationships have the greatest value now. Even loyal, hard-working contributors will make subpar decisions if they don’t have all the facts.

#4 Politics.  Who can make things happen for me, either positively or negatively?

• Action Step: Help your key people understand the new power structure, both formal and informal. Brief them on protocol and any sensitive issues that could compromise their success. They will be more comfortable with the demands on them once they have the lay of the land.

#5 Promotion.  How can I gain recognition?

• Action Step: Model norms for appropriate self-promotion in these tough times. (Yes, they do want to know.)  Given the very real concerns with job security, your best people want guidance on how outstanding work will be recognized. Otherwise, they may have little impetus to take calculated risks or put in extra effort.

Summary

Robust, updated psychological contracts with employees are the invisible engines that supercharges organizational performance in turbulent times .

Keeping these five "P's" in mind will get at the issues that those responsible for day-to-day oversight and implementation want -and need - to know.

Copyright © Susan Battley, PsyD, PhD. All rights reserved.