Improve Employee Performance by Focusing on Working Relationships

By Barbara Brown

Sometimes the way to encourage employees to do something you want is to focus on WHO they will be working with. In other words, people like to work with people they like, admire, respect, etc. So the next time you encounter a situation where someone is resisting doing something, explain how doing what you want will allow them to work with someone they want. Consider these five examples:

1. A Friend: Maybe there is a possibility of working with someone who is (or was) a friend or valued associate. Highlight this relationship when talking to employees. Explain how doing something you want might offer opportunities for working with someone they want.

2. An Intelligent Colleague: Some employees value working with people whom they view as intelligent or smart. If that's the case, focus on this possible connection when you talk about workloads or contributions.

3. A Powerful Colleague: Some employees are sensitive to situations that offer a chance to work with powerful people. Explain how the assignment or a change in performance might offer a chance to network with influential people.

4. A Well-Respected Colleague: Certain employees command a high level of respect from others. Some employees will leap at the opportunity to work with that person. Highlight this interaction during your discussion about tasks or performance.

5. A Nice Employee: People like to work with nice people. Think about what you want employees to do and the personalities of the employees who they will be interacting with. Link positive performance to opportunities to work with friendly people.

Remember, People Work With People
People represent a constant in work environments. As such, they influence the performance and behaviors of others. Many times that influence is negative, with employees saying, "I don't want to work on that project because John (or Jane) will be participating." But sometimes it's positive, with employees feeling excited about who they will be working with. Your role is to be proactive and use this information as a strategy to encourage greater cooperation and contributions. Start with these five working relationships.

Barbara Brown, PhD shows managers how to improve employee performance by linking performance to results. Her E-Books contain phrases and examples for discussing performance, improving performance, and reinforcing performance. Her E-Courses provide strategies for motivating employees to cooperate and contribute.

Click on "FREE STUFF" at her website to download tools to manage performance discussions.

Website: http://www.LinkToResults.net
Email: Barbara@LinkToResults.net