The Coaching Corner with Michael Riegel: Prevention or Intervention?
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Performance Assessments and Reviews
At the recent NAWIC conference, I polled the attendees of my workshop about who had received a formal performance review in the past year; about half the hands went up. The likelihood of a positive outcome from a performance discussion is reduced if you wait until there is a presenting issue. If a whole year (maybe more) goes by between those conversations, then the recovery is even more difficult. Like the batteries in the smoke detectors, semi-annual reviews will yield much better results and will prevent negative behaviors from taking root.
Interpersonal Communications
In most cases, just letting things go and hoping for a good outcome is not realistic. A colleague makes an off-hand and insulting comment. Left unaddressed you will still feel the sting and your colleague will be oblivious to the impact. I often remind my coaching clients that it is the impact of the comment that is important, not the intent. It may be hard to bring it up – I am certainly willing to help you come up with the words – but if you want to feel better about the relationship and clear the air, it will be better to do it as close as possible to the comment.
200 years later we still seem to find sage advice from Ben Franklin. Dan Heath and the rest of us are just mere imitators of his axioms for the modern age. And don’t forget to change the batteries in your smoke detectors!
Happy Fall,
