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Volunteering as a tool for Career Advancement
Many people will tell you that networking is a good way to find a new job. However, networking often seems like a vague term. In this job searching tip, we will discuss a specific way you can put networking to use to advance in your career. The...
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An Introduction To Online Colleges
Online colleges make obtaining a degree a possibility for anyone with access to the internet. If you have always dreamt of obtaining a degree or other certificate then online colleges are a great way to make that dream come true. One of the main...
How to Give Job-Winning Answers at Interviews
Human Resources personnel, professional recruiters and various other career experts all agree: one of the best ways to prepare yourself for a job interview is to anticipate questions, develop your answers, and practice, practice, practice. There...
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What Questions Should I Ask During An Interview?
What are good questions to ask during an interview is a good
question in itself, and one that always comes up when a
conscientious person is preparing for a big job interview. The
fact that a person even wonders that sets them apart from...
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Coaching Employees - The Chronic Excuser
Most of us find coaching employees to be an effective, even enjoyable, approach to leadership and management. Coaching provides a way to help team members grow and develop, while achieving business objectives. But occasionally, we encounter a team member who has an excuse for every situation. How can we help team members like this accept responsibility and focus on solutions, rather than dwell on the reasons why things aren’t accomplished? How can we ensure that we really gain commitment and consensus on plans, assignments, and projects?
Coaching Employees and Advice
First, it’s important to remember that excuses come in two flavors. The first, called Type I excuses, usually surface when raising performance issues with a team member.
- “It’s not my fault. It’s those guys in Operations. They don’t deliver my product on time, and the customer gets upset with me.”
- “I wasn’t able to get that report in on time because my computer was down for two days. You should talk to I.S.—it’s their problem.”
As we try to help the team member accept personal responsibility, we should never let an excuse go unaddressed. However, with a “chronic excuser,” it can feel like an endless cycle.
Some excuses, called Type 2 excuses, are legitimate. These excuses are an important signal. Left unaddressed, Type 2 excuses can result in team members feeling insecure, unsupported, and frustrated. Team members may have real concerns about the plans
you’ve created, or their ability to follow through on them.
Openly addressing Type 2 excuses allows you to review the plans you’ve made, make sure they’re viable, and reinforce your confidence in the team member.
Exercising patience in listening will help you weed out the real obstacles from the smokescreens. You can demonstrate support by removing legitimate obstacles. You can also teach a powerful lesson in accountability by exposing the smokescreens.
Excuses also generally arise when establishing a plan. For team members with low confidence or little experience, it can be frightening to make commitments, and they may feel a need to “hedge their bets.” When a team member raises a concern indicating that circumstances beyond his/her control might prevent them from achieving their goal, this sends a message that they’re not sure they can carry out the plan.
As you make a pattern of confronting – in a supportive, cooperative way – the excuses made by reluctant team members, you’ll convey an important message about your commitment to accomplishing goals, helping your team members improve, and establishing a spirit of accountability in your work.
About the Author
If you would like more information about coaching employees, please contact a Regional Manger at CMOE at (801)569-3444. You can also visit CMOE's website for more information.
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