The sound makes the music

The sound makes the music

Employees arrive late in the morning, do not follow instructions or work too slowly or not carefully - there are always reasons for criticism in everyday working life. However, dealing with this is not that easy; after all, the situation is usually not pleasant for both sides. Those who have to accept criticism often find it hurtful, superiors, on the other hand, sometimes feel overwhelmed and some even use a different tone. 

That doesn't have to be the case: you can learn to criticize. It is important to proceed consciously and act prudently and not out of emotion. Basically, it is always advisable to remain objective and constructive and to communicate criticism in private. 

But the appropriate formulation of criticism itself also needs to be learned and can have a big impact: with different formulations you can wonderfully control the effectiveness of the criticism. 

Conversation: yellow card

There is a clear difference between the I and the you message. The “you” message seems personal and accusatory: “You’re too slow…, you have to hurry up…, you did… wrong, you forgot… again.” The I-message seems free of reproach and is more likely to be accepted: “I noticed…, I noticed…, I just saw…”. The expectations of the person being criticized can also be formulated constructively in the I-message: “I wish…, I expect that…, I urge you…”. And they are more effective than “You finally have to…, you mustn’t…, you have… again.” 

The different formulations can be used to increase or decrease the effectiveness of the criticism. First, you formulate the criticism in stage 1 and do without “must” and “must not”. Formulations such as “I recommend you…, I ask that…, please pay attention to… in the future” are typical in conversation. Typical conversation for level 4 is: “You absolutely have to…”. If there are further errors or violations of instructions, there is no way around a warning. The cooperative leadership style also includes being consistent; the team expects that. Anyone who has lost the courage to go up a level due to a lack of staff will no longer be able to assert themselves with other employees. 

Google has created the following principles for its employees in the USA: "Mistakes are not a catastrophe as long as they do not cost a lot. Mistakes must be identified quickly and must never be repeated. Mistakes must be made transparent so that they can be eliminated immediately." Younger, less experienced employees are not left alone to do difficult work; someone with experience monitors them and immediately identifies possible errors.

At the end of a critical discussion, confidence and trust should be expressed that the mistake will not be repeated. This creates a moral obligation for the person being criticized to perform better, and the motivated employee even becomes ambitious. After a successful critical discussion, the person addressed will make a special effort. This improvement in performance should be expressly recognized; employees who have previously been criticized expect this - rightly so. Because anyone who improves after a critical discussion needs feedback. This spurs you on and motivates you to maintain your good performance. The success of a critical discussion is measured by the extent to which those affected change their behavior and improve their performance. For some time now, criticism has also been referred to as feedback, feedback on the level of performance. However, the term feedback obscures the seriousness of the assessment; many people do not understand feedback as criticism, but rather as an expression of opinion, and take the conversation lightly. 

Warning: red card 

There are many reasons for a warning: violation of instructions, refusal to work overtime, smoking at work, alcohol consumption, violation of safety regulations, constant use of a cell phone, unpunctuality, unauthorized part-time work, unexcused absence.
If an employee repeatedly violates instructions despite the boss's criticism, a warning or a disciplinary meeting is the last resort to avoid termination. The warning has a warning function and must relate to one or more specific violations. Contrary to popular belief, a warning can also be given verbally; written form is not required. 

Cell phone use can be warned, but usually leads to a comparison of tolerated cell phone use in other companies. In practice, proportionality matters. If the employer tolerates occasional use, the employee will be more willing to do extra work without compensation. This means that accommodation does not become a one-way street. 

A warning is not necessary if there are serious breaches of contract, e.g. B. Embezzlement or theft. It can be assumed that the employee is aware that in such cases they will be terminated without notice. If the relationship of trust between the parties is shaken, it cannot be restored by a warning. 

Formulations:

Stage 1:The request: “Please pay attention in the future…”
Stage 2:The wish: “I want you to pay attention to….”
Stage 3:The expectation: “I expect that from now on you…”
Stage 4:The appeal: “You absolutely have to…” 
Level 5:The warning: “I urge you…, this is a warning.”

The critical discussion is not successful if...

 … the same mistake is made again, so there is no improvement.
 ... performance only improves for a short time and then declines again.
 ... employees are of good will, but cannot deliver the expected performance.
 ... employees withdraw in frustration and their commitment deteriorates.
 ... there is a discussion about the facts of the case.
 … superiors themselves are resentful or suspicious.
 … superiors lack discretion and others, possibly uninvolved, find out about the criticism.
 ... superiors wait to criticize, meaning the facts occurred a long time ago. 
 ... superiors criticize something for which the employee is not responsible.