When Expectations are Not Met Within a Company

Companies spend a lot of time trying to understand why certain goals or expectations are not met within the organisation. There are individuals who fail to get their work done in a timely manner. There are managers overseeing departments that never seem to be capable of meeting a deadline or are always turning in late reports. There is also the project team which seems to spend more time trying to decide what needs to be done rather than actually producing results.
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Interviewing Techniques for Organisational Success

Within any organisation there are many different kinds of interviews occurring at any time. They include interviews to hire new people, supplier interviews, internal promotion interviews, and project team selection interviews. A healthy organisation is always in a state of flux and that presents important challenges to be met in order to remain competitive.
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Dealing With Differences Within the Organisation

There are always going to be differences within an organisation to just about anything related to the workplace. People will object to their work schedules, job assignments, goals, supervisor instructions, and team positions. They will also come into conflict with fellow workers or bring conflict into the workplace that really started at home due to family problems.

Of course, there is a difference between true conflict and a difference of opinion objection. A difference comes about when a person disapproves of an action, statement, or behaviour but is usually willing to seek resolution. A conflict is opposition that borders on irreconcilability without intervention. The difference can seem unimportant though when a manager, supervisor, or team leader is trying to overcome differences of opinion or what seem to be irreconcilable conflict between staff members.

Reacting to the Reaction

The first step in dealing with differences is to admit they will occur wherever people are found and that overreacting is a sure formula for escalating the issue. Reacting too quickly or too negatively to such a difference usually serves to make the objector defend their position more vehemently simply because no one wants their opinion to be minimised or treated as ridiculous.

Yet this is one of the most common reactions found in the workplace because managers have the same problems as departmental workers. They are too busy, have too much work to accomplish, are short on time, or are simply weary of hearing about such differences.

Yet these differences of opinion will arise regularly in any organisation so it’s important to be prepared to deal with them in a thoughtful and productive manner. This makes it sound like a simple process, but anyone who has had to overcome the disagreements of another person understands that such differences can escalate into conflict if not handled delicately.

Dealing with differences in the workplace is much easier when a true team has been built. Creating a strong team attitude means personnel have common goals which serve the unified good of the organisation. In other words, everyone is working toward achieving the same results, and discussions about rules, procedures, and projects are intended to improve the process.

When there is not a spirit of teamwork, objections may be more related to egoism and overcoming them can become more challenging. In an organisation which operates like a team, personal values mesh with the corporate culture and the success of the company is seen as individual success. When a company operates with disjointed staff, objections tend to be more personal.

Getting to the Source of the Objection

Dealing with differences requires a lot of sensitivity and care in understanding the true source of the difference. The first rule of thumb is to not make assumptions the objection you are hearing is the real issue at hand. The real issue may be a completely unrelated need that is not being met and the objection is being used as a form of communication.

Overcoming differences is a matter of effective communication that addresses the problem in a thoughtful and reasonable manner.

• Gain an understanding of the other person’s perspective by asking questions
• Develop listening skills in order to extract important information from responses to questions
• Use listening skills to identify the true needs or issues the person is trying to address
• Find common ground as a starting point for resolution
• Give thoughtful answers which make sense and are not abrupt or dismissive
• Give some ground to the objector even if it is small so the person is not left powerless
• Always be honest even if the objector does not like the answer but support your responses with facts
• Do not play the “blame game” because it is counter-productive
• If unable to respond to the difference due to lack of information, make arrangements to meet again instead of responding off-the-cuff

It takes a lot of level-headed common sense when dealing with differences in the workplace. Resolution of conflict at any level requires the development of effective communication skills including both listening and speaking. Often, the biggest mistake managers make is responding too quickly to staff differences without fully understanding the real issue.

Creating A Motivating Environment

No one likes working for a company where they don’t feel motivated to succeed. And there is no doubt that the best, most active and successful companies are those where the workforce is inspired to do great things.

Motivation can come from the individual of course, but it can and should also come from those in positions of power. While some individuals can enter a business and shine no matter what they do, it is far more often the case that they will need to be inspired by another source.

And in this case, a motivating working environment is the best way to make sure this happens.

So how do you create such an environment?

Team building is one sure way to do it. If people feel as if they are no more than individuals in an organisation, and there is no interconnectivity there, then performances will not be as good. But imagine what could be achieved when everyone sees themselves as part of a network. The strength of that network will cause employees to look around for sources of support and advice when they come across a problem.

What this means is that instead of feeling isolated and unable to ask for help, they will be more likely to be motivated to solve the problem. This will occur simply because they know the strength and co-operation that is so much a part of the business.

If your business isn’t currently doing well in the motivation stakes, don’t worry. You can gradually improve things if you are in a leadership role, and the best way to start is by letting everyone know you are there to support them. You need to be seen as someone who is accessible and able to help in any situation.

Team goals are another good way to motivate a team towards better things. And there is no doubt that arranging extra-curricular team activities – such as activity days for example – can have a profound effect on what goes on in the office as well.

Many people also do far better if they are given a goal or task which is uniquely designed for them. Regular meetings with all members of staff can make all the difference to the productivity of the entire business. If the leader is seen to encourage and support each individual worker, then the results that are gained will be far more successful. Developing and supporting the team as a whole is of course just as important.

Every business works differently. But when it comes to motivating people to do the best that they can, you will always see that the most successful businesses in this realm are also the most successful ones in general. They can always get the best from their teams, and this is because they know how to motivate people both individually and collectively.

If you can mirror this technique with your own team, then you will certainly see positive changes in the weeks and months ahead. The time to start is now. And remember – people don’t leave companies, they leave managers.

Management vs Leadership

Some people dislike the word ‘manager’ or ‘management’, simply because it seems too harsh for what it is. There is certainly an essential place for managers in business, but if you are a manager yourself then you should be aware of what leadership is all about too.

Take the employees who work for you, for example. If you asked them whether they wanted you to be a good manager or a good leader, many of them would probably choose the latter. This is because leaders are more pro-active rather than reactive. And they are also more capable of changing and driving a business forward towards more success, rather than trying to keep up with it and react as it changes in front of them.

Leadership can have profound effects on a workforce. Few people who would count themselves as merely employees will go into work with a pro-active attitude. Many of them will turn up, do their hours and then go home again.

But if you want your employees to consider themselves members of a team and to do the best they are capable of, and be a strong part of that team who can think on their feet, you need to be a leader.

So does this mean that management is dead as we know it?

Clearly it isn’t, otherwise we wouldn’t have as many managers as we do. It is merely a case of redefining that role, so that we can get the best out of it and inspire team members to do more each day than they may at present.

And in truth, it is usually a combination of effective management skills and effective leadership skills that are found in each and every successful business. So while the two skill sets are very different in many ways, they are also capable of being combined in the one role to enable the business to move forward and develop in the future.

The real question is perhaps where your strengths lie. To be a good leader you need to be able to think ahead and focus on what needs to be achieved further down the road. And you also need to be able to inspire everyone else in your team to help you get there. Leadership could never be defined as a solo role – it relies on ensuring that everyone else is with you.

And while it may be an obvious statement, it is essential to remember that if you wish to be a good manager you need to be able to manage all of the available resources effectively – whether they are human resources, financial resources or whatever.
But no matter how you see yourself, or which role comes most naturally to you, you should keep one eye firmly on your own development. By doing this you can be assured that you will be better able to nurture the people in your organisation that you are responsible for. And by doing this you will also get the results you desire in your own role.