My sister came into town for a visit last weekend and while driving to the airport to pick her up I ran into a nasty traffic jam. As far as I could crane my neck, cars, trucks and SUVs were stuck in hopeless grid lock. Never fear, cell phones are here. I popped up the navigation app, quickly mapped out a new route, bolted at the next exit and made my way around the entire mess. Slick! Cut my delay in half.

As a manager, no matter how well you map things out your plans may become snarled. Just as traffic may slow to a crawl on the highway, business continues to hit the brakes due to the long term recession. With this in mind, you may be posing the question: “Now what?” What should you be doing and how should you be managing your group to extend your staying power and fortify your business success until the market turns around? You should be plotting and upgrading another kind of map — your management “MAP.” This means toning and clarifying how you manage, monitor and maximize these essential management resources: Money, Assets, and People. For the next few weeks I’ll be sharing ways you can take a fresh look at your management MAP.

Maps efficiently show you how to get from one place to another. The same is true for your management MAP. Great managers are constantly taking the pulse of what’s keeping their business strong and closely watching their management MAP. Consistently well-managed Money, Assets and People will generate a well balanced balance sheet. Several months ago I was chatting with a college professor who teaches entrepreneurial business skills. A comment she made echoed this thought and stuck with me; she said: “I love recessions because businesses who survive are those who know what they’re doing verses those who’ve been relying on luck.” She likes to see businesses apply management skills and good planning to weather tough times and emerge even more successful. Building or upgrading your management MAP will help you do this; put good business practices into play and regularly check and update those practices as the market changes.

M is for Money
How’s your business bank account or team budget looking these days? Here’s where the smart manager stands tall and says: “We’re looking pretty good.” No doubt they were looking pretty good before the recession too. If you’re not able to say this about the Money portion of your management MAP you may be nervously reaching for a drink. Always staying in good fiscal shape — keeping expenses and costs low while judiciously watching inventory, payroll and general spending – is good business and essential for survival in punk markets. We all know this doesn’t happen by chance. It takes deliberate, ongoing financial discipline and planning during both robust and rocky times.

How often do you take a long term, hard look at the Money portion of your MAP beyond the cursory – “Uh, yeah, we can make payroll this month”? Grab extra time and check improvements you can make in how you manage short term and long term money, accounting practices and processes, and everything else feeding dollars into and sucking bucks out of the budget in receivables, payables, checking and savings accounts and investments. If you can’t respond to the bank account question by saying, “we’re in pretty good shape,” start plotting the course for how you’ll get there. For all managers who haven’t done it lately, rebalance and chart an updated plan for the Money in your MAP now. Play with the numbers and look for improvements staring you in the face or hidden behind a value you haven’t picked apart in a while.

In light of the soft market, what changes can you make to improve the Money portion of your management MAP? Anything other than spending less and saving more? What monthly, automated purchase can you reduce or stop making and easily live without? What can you add to the budget to make you and your team more productive? Let me know what’s unique about your money management and how you’re doing! In my next installment we’ll take on the “A” in your MAP – Assets. What’s included? We’ll talk it about it in a couple of weeks! *

*excerpted in part and reprinted from Mary Elston management column with permission from Soundings Publications, LLC.

In my most recent blog entries in this series we covered the first two thresholds thriving managers must step through: communicate and enable. Thriving managers communicate consistently, openly, honestly, accurately and regularly. Thriving managers also enable their teams with budget, resources and decision making authority. See the details for “communicate” and “enable” in the blog installments immediately listed below this one. We’re ready to cross the third threshold for thriving managers: support.

If you are managing people right now, are you actively supporting them? If you answered “yes” to this question, would your employees agree? Funny how this can be a sticking point! As a manager, what you may perceive to be supportive may not be the support your team needs or wants. Let’s take a look at what the thriving, supportive manager should be doing to support their team and – in effect – be their cheerleader.

Remember the core of management is managing people. Not telling people what to do. The distinction is significant. A great manager has authority over their team but they are not ordering them around in a dictatorial fashion. To the other extreme, they do not leave them dangling in the wind without guidance or support either. There’s the word again for our third threshold – support. Providing support as a manager includes three P’s: protect, promote, progress.

A supportive manager “protects” his or her team’s interests across the business with others who are both internal and external to the organization. Protecting team interests means buffering them from political pitfalls, making sure they have key information to maneuver around organizational minefields and smoothing the path to productivity by making connections to the right people on their behalf. A politically aware manager should provide this kind of support to employees as a given, but many managers fail to protect their team’s interest – they simply miss this task. When you support your team by protecting their interests you help make both yourself and the entire team successful; a good idea for everyone.

Next, when we discuss the supportive manager who “promotes” their employees we are talking about recognition and rewards and promoting positive team visibility. Supportive managers promote their team by assuring others below and above them hear about the team’s great work. They don’t bad mouth their team to others no matter what the issue; there is a constant supportive demeanor the manager exudes when discussing his group. He is also eager to give recognition, rewards and promotions as earned and appropriate, without being overly gushy or patronizing. In short, the supportive manager promotes the team by being their primary and ongoing advocate.

Finally, the supportive manager who “progresses” their team helps them hit high performance levels with access to training and tools. He provides coaching and other feedback needed to meet and exceed success metrics. He is willing to mentor and help his team advance their careers. This part of being a supportive manager can be challenging for some supervisors. Selected managers aren’t interested in helping others advance; they figure it takes too much time and they’ll have to find a replacement for the person who moves on. As you may have guessed, this is short sighted. If an employee is ready to progress to another role it is anti-productive to hold them back in a job where they are bored and distracted due to lack of interest.

When it comes to being supportive you can readily see how managerial actions which protect, promote and progress the team are part of becoming a thriving manager for whom employees enjoy working.

Congratulations! You have now made your way across all three thresholds which make managers thrive: communicate, enable and support. As a manager, which of these thresholds are you crossing as you guide your team? Which doorways have you yet to step through and need to begin navigating? Ask a trusted friend how they perceive your success at consistently crossing the three management thresholds. And yes – get input from your employees. Find out what they need and what’s missing. Take their feedback and slot it into what’s needed for you to pass through the three thresholds — communicate, enable, support — then make adjustments. You’ll soon be a manager who has improved your ability to thrive!

Let me know what you are doing lately to thrive as a great manager; it’s a pleasure to receive your comments. Join me again in a couple weeks for a new management secrets series. See you then ….

With my last blog entry we ventured into the first threshold that must be crossed to become and consistently behave as a thriving manager – communication. Thriving managers communicate openly, regularly, accurately. For more detail, take a look at the complete text of this archived blog posting below. With this blog entry we’re ready to cross the second threshold for thriving managers: enable. Why should you worry about being a manager who enables his or her team and what does “enable” mean? Since you are a manager who hires experienced and capable professionals, what additional enabling is needed? Simply stated, you need to provide the kind of enabling that helps people do their work. Peter Drucker, the business strategist once said: “A manager is responsible for the application and performance of knowledge.” A manager who “enables” is actively applying this concept.

Thriving managers enable their team by giving them core “enablers”; namely budget, resources and decision making authority. In other words, managers who have crossed the “enable” threshold recognize they need to empower their employees in order to help them and let them succeed. We all know what this means, don’t we? But wait a minute … are you the kind of manager who is looking the other way when enabling constraints appear? Sounds so basic you may not feel the need to keep reading – but stay with me! This is an area mediocre managers often put on auto pilot. For great managers, enabling your team must be deliberate, ongoing and well nourished with good intentions. Let’s go through each enabling piece now.

Enabling your team with budget means giving them money they need to spend to get things done …such as buying the customer dinner, spending money on advertising, producing marketing materials or updating web features. I have heard many companies complain employees aren’t producing enough new business yet high level executives have stripped manager’s sales and marketing budgets down to a nub. Providing budget must be part of enabling or expectations must be adjusted accordingly when budget is not available.

Resources and efficient processes are likewise core to enabling. Providing laptops, cell phones, ready access to office supplies and the like are part of employee enablement for the thriving manager and his thriving team. Especially in today’s virtual office environments, when processes for acquiring office materials, submitting expense accounts or other repeatable processes are difficult to execute, the clunky processes hold back employee productivity and, at the extreme, create work avoidance. The manager who has crossed the enabling threshold provides resources and helps minimize frustrating process issues; thus maximizing productive output.

A thriving manager will also enable his or her team to the fullest by providing decision making authority. Organizations with decision making bottle necks waste time and money and hinder revenue gains. I was in a local home improvement store several days ago and found a large error on my receipt. The clerk indicated he needed to call the manager to get approval to provide a refund for the error. The manager came over, provided approval and then told the clerk he could have approved the refund himself (the clerk didn’t need to ask for management approval). The manager then learned the clerk didn’t know he had the ability to make the refund decision on his own and also learned the clerk did not know how to execute the refund process. Yet another person had to be called to perform the refund transaction.

Clunky decision making and poor process were apparent on several levels causing poor customer service. This was a manager who inadvertently had not properly enabled his team by not providing proper training or, if training was provided, it had not been validated correct decision making authority was being applied. Several other gaps could have contributed to this problem as well. In this case, the manager did provide decision making authority but it wasn’t being practiced. As a manager, I’m sure you recognize this is one of many daily frustrations that may pop up and must be corrected. Managers who work to enable their employees don’t always experience a slam dunk and often face complications like this along the way!

Now you have a good handle on the second threshold for thriving as a manager, enable. Enabling includes being a manager who provides budget, resources and decision making authority. In so doing, your managerial enabling helps employees perform. I’m certain you can think of many additional specifics to slot under each of these broad categories. With my next blog installment we’ll cover the third threshold – support. What do you think is involved? You probably guessed it’s not about being a “yes” manager. You’re right — it’s much more! Check in next time to learn the details. See you then …..

I had coffee a few weeks ago with a friend who had recently landed a wonderful new job. She was delighted for familiar reasons like great pay and benefits but she was also pleased she was working for a super manager. According to Right Management, a division of Manpower, Inc., 60% of today’s workers are unhappy in their jobs. Hands down, my friend was the exception to this statistic and extolled the positive attributes of her new boss.

Have you ever been fortunate enough to work for a boss who epitomizes the manager employees love to report to? We all want to know who these managers are and try to find them with the same tenacity used when searching for hidden treasure. Yeah, you know what I mean — how do you luck your way into reporting to a terrific manager? What’s more, how did these managers become so good at what they do? During a recent management seminar I hosted, this subject produced lively interaction because everyone has been there and wants to find ways to go there more often! Over the next few weeks in this blog series, we’re going to look at characteristics of the manager people love to work for, how you can recognize this thriving manager and become one.

By the way … have you ever been a great manager? Would you realize it if you were? You can be sure employees generate ongoing buzz when they find a high quality manager! Whereas bad managers have lousy legacies known around the company and industry as leaders to avoid, great managers have wonderful reputations causing prospective employees to flock to their team. During this blog series, I’m going to frame our discussion of what thriving managers look like using three high level thresholds you need to cross on your path to achieving a great management persona: communicate, enable and support.

How Thriving Managers Communicate
The manager who cares about his or her team is the manager who communicates often in a positive, collaborative and motivating way. Employees thrive on management communication that is consistently open, honest and regular. You guessed it – the manager everyone loves to work for scores high marks in this skill set. Whether through actions or words, communication from a great manager takes place in direct and subtle ways that keeps their team feeling appreciated and informed. Crossing the communication threshold into great management means you, the manager, must provide appropriate information including business updates, brief and clear instructions and coaching when needed. This may be in the form of staff meetings, email, conference calls or face to face interactions.

The thriving manager also communicates with clarity and quality. They do not withhold information which can be shared or keep employees in the dark. The opportunity for team feedback, questions and two way dialogue is a given. Top that off with giving employees performance expectations for success and providing positive reinforcement when great work is delivered – this is the manager who cares about communicating and interacting the right way with their team. Another thing thriving managers do well as communicators; they don’t resort to extremes. They are engaged not enraged, professional yet confident and relaxed, understanding but not Pollyanna pushovers. The thriving, communicating manager must project a management demeanor while still engaging his or her team, showing they care and regularly sharing a smile. Yes – that’s right – you need to smile. This evokes confidence and openness to your group and it’s a communication nuance many managers forget to use. Don’t be a “grinning guru;” do be pleasant and approachable.

With communication being the keystone for productive interaction and positive relationships it’s easy to understand how first class, high integrity communication practices contribute to becoming a manager employees love to work for. Want to become a motivational manager employees enjoying reporting to? Cross the first threshold for thriving managers and begin practicing the management communication style I covered here!

Join me in a couple of weeks and we’ll explore the second threshold thriving managers must cross — enabling others. Do you have comments to share about great managers? Write to me! I’d love to hear your stories. See you next time …

What were the first two methods I shared in my last blog entry for turning customer email access through a business website into business success? If you said Email Derail and Email Trail you’re on the right track (okay, I gave you those two, but wait, there’s more).

Let’s review. The first method for improving your business email management is to avoid committing Email Derail. Avoid losing email-based customer opportunities by making a commitment NOT to ignore customer email! Consistent and efficient email response processes must be implemented by you, the manager. Great business email management requires being fast out of the gate with quick responses to customer email inquiries; thus turning interest into dollars. The same is true with email responses to co-workers who depend on input from others to ultimately take care of customers.

The second email management method I shared was the Email Trail. Proactively managing your business email also requires methods be in place to automatically create an Email Trail capturing and documenting contact information and preferences arriving through your website. This information trail should be aggressively used to set the stage for potential future sales. Now we’re ready to address the third point that’s required for turning email access to business success — the Email Sale.

When considering ways to use customer email to initiate deals and ultimately make an Email Sale, the “call me now” button is another powerful option for growing revenue through your business website. After typing in their phone number, customers click the “call me now” button on your website. Voila! In less than five minutes, their phone rings with you on the other end. The “call me now” button can be programmed to ring into your store, your cell phone, your manufacturing site or wherever you want it to ring and have someone immediately call back to speak with the customer.

Have your web master set this up. Post business hours by the “call me now” button and provide a “contact us” email web form for customers to fill out when you’re not available. If you don’t want to use the “call me now” button post an 800 number – or both. Now you have taken email to the next level by moving past derail, establishing a trail and moving to the potential for a sale. Yes – being email responsive truly has revenue potential.

Make it easy for your customers to act on impulse by managing their options to connect with you now, and avoid losing them later, in the online world. Customer interest or impulse online doesn’t mean the prospect is always ready to buy, but it does mean they are ready for something — more product and service information or even a purchase decision. Fast email responses are also a great way for dealers, manufacturers and partners to collaborate by sharing online sales leads. Keep your website email constantly monitored for quick response – grab them at hello. This helps give your customers the prompt attention they want and the sales you seek. Impulse – virtual or face to face — continues to be one of the best tools you can manage to help move access to success and close the deal.

A final email thought …. What if you’re a manager in a corporation where you let someone else worry about managing responses to customer email? Do you need to care about Email Derail, Email Trail or Email Sale? Yes, you do! (yes, you knew I was going to say that.) Anytime you’re working on a project or program that ultimately contributes to product and services revenue, you can derail progress by failing to respond to email in a timely manner. In addition, we all know how valuable an email trail can be when figuring out how a problem occurred or what steps are needed to move things forward. Finally, in this scenario, think of the “email sale” as completing and delivering the project successfully and on time. Whether responding to internal or external customers, efficient email management is crucial for success no matter where you sit in an organization.

How are you managing your business email today? Could it stand a good folder cleaning, some extra attention to become better organized or benefit from a new, more responsive handling process? Whatever the case, periodically scrutinize how you’re managing your business email and begin reaping the rewards it can bring to your business success.

That wraps up this Management Secrets series. I’ll be back in a couple of weeks with a new series and a management topic on which everyone — I mean everyone — has an opinion. You won’t want to miss it – see you then.*

*excerpted in part and reprinted from Mary Elston Management column with permission from Soundings Publications, LLC

Per information shared in my last blog entry, many businesses are sluggish with how efficiently they manage customer email inquiries when it comes to turning queries into revenue. Even if you don’t actively manage business email inquiries in your current management role, you can think of this information as a great reminder for managing your individual business email as well. After all, when it comes to email, everything you do at work ultimately influences revenue gains either directly or indirectly somewhere along the business cycle. There are three ways to help manage your way out of the sluggish email-handling majority – let’s get into them out right now.

Email Derail
Unfortunately, far too many managers allow internet-based business leads to become derailed or ignored because they’re poorly managing email responses and website inquiries. This is a common email management mistake many businesses make. The trend for “bricks to clicks” has grown into “clicks to bricks.” Since many potential buyers are clicking online to gather information prior to going into the store, dealer and manufacturing websites can actually serve as decision accelerators! Managers must recognize this virtual value by maintaining user-friendly and highly responsive website features. Email derail can be readily corrected. With the right website features, your well managed email responses can be used as a competitive weapon to grow buyer interest and sales.

What type of responses do virtual buyers (and your co-workers) want? A lead response management study conducted by Inside Sales.com/MIT indicates the short answer is: fast! Samples of their study results for establishing telephone contact with sales leads captured through a web form showed …
• Odds of contacting a lead if called in 5 minutes versus 30 minutes drop 100 times.
• Odds of qualifying a lead if called in 5 minutes versus 30 minutes drop 21 times.
This means for dealers, manufacturers, and all businesses, it’s time to move from derailed email to quick, high quality responses to online sales prospects.

Email Trail
Beyond being highly responsive to email inquiries, what’s the best way to connect with customers online and create an email trail? The most user-engaging “connect live” methods are instant messaging; also known as instant chat; or a “call me now” button. A live sales rep receives a request for instant chat when customers click on a button on your dealership, manufacturer’s or business website to start a conversation. Within two or three minutes your sales rep responds to the request with a chat message saying “Hello, my name is …, how may I help you today?” Now you have established an even stronger email trail with the customer and you can gain more information including an email address and buying preferences.

Another way to create an email trail? Offer a free virtual gift such as advanced product use tips or a discount coupon – email the gift after customers fill in a brief form with their product interests, preferences and contact detail. Email trails help take the lead to the next level of warmth by collecting customer specifics and providing quick responses to consumer’s online information-gathering efforts.

That takes care of two of our three ways to better handle business email. What’s the third? Tune into my next blog entry and I’ll fill the gap with the final email tip. What tricks are you using to make sure all your business email — whether internal with co-workers or external with customers and partners – is being efficiently handled? Write to me and share your ideas. I’ll be back in a couple weeks with more email access and success recommendations. See you then.*

*excerpted in part and reprinted from Mary Elston management column with permission from Soundings Publications, LLC.

Impulse. A well known discount retailer near my home carries everything from hip clothing to furniture, along with a full line of groceries. This means I can buy my cake and a seat or two all in the same place. Even better, the checkout line surrounds me with eye catching must-haves gleefully chanting “buy me now.” The last time impulse took over a pack of gum, double A batteries and a new candy bar looked good. They had me at hello. A retailing rule had played itself out again; easy access often means easy sales, particularly on low priced, commonly used products.

Selling high value products and services to businesses or consumers often falls into a different category than impulse items like batteries but a similar idea applies: quickly connect with customers when they want information or are ready to buy. Access and success – they go together like dollars and sense. This works face to face and on the internet too. In fact, research tell us over 80 percent of consumers with annual household incomes exceeding $75,000 go online to conduct research before making an in-store purchase (per Sterling Commerce and Forrester Research).

As a seller or manufacturer, are you managing your business with this in mind? Hungrily pursuing potential sales means treating email responses to online customers with the same urgency used face to face, in the store or on the phone. Do you do this now? Various studies on web response rates to email product and service inquiries tell us the honest answer is “no.” In markets where slow can be generous and sales may be stingy, the importance of the internet and email for generating and responding to sales opportunities can be huge. In essence, connect now or lose later. Let’s take a look at the impact this may be having on your business and how you, the manager, needs to proactively take an aggressive approach to this important dynamic.

If we assume you already have an engaging, well-organized website pulling in viewers with jazzy photos, sound, video and the like (you do, right?), then you have the first step covered. What’s next? When a customer sees an enticing online product and clicks on it, do they get extra product detail, an option to fill out a web-based order form or an email form for more information? Or do you let them “speak to a sales person/ call me now?” (more on this to come). All of these options must be in place if you are going to effectively collect and manage online leads. A multitude of studies have shown the average online attention span for finding results is three clicks – that’s it. After that customers often lose interest. Make it easy to reach you by providing ways to email your business in three clicks or less with online forms, live contact or similar alternatives. This applies to both sellers and manufacturers; everyone who markets anything online!

There are three ways you can manage email business responses to maximize your email business benefits. I’ll tell you how to do it and what those three ways are in my next blog installment. In the meantime, here’s a teaser: What is the easiest and most common mistake businesses make with email management? Muddle it over in your mind; send me your comments on what you think it is! Catch you next time with more details! *

*excerpted in part and reprinted from Mary Elston management column with permission from Soundings Publications, LLC.

When managing the PAE, you may be thinking – “I’m screwed – I can’t control this person!” Unfortunately, that’s exactly what PAEs want you to think. They are delighted you feel this way because it means they won. They managed to sabotage, undermine and upset authority like a nasty, bratty, immature, self-absorbed teenager or child. If you begin feeling this way as a manager — stop – stop, right now. Step back and look at the actions, authority and knowledge you can bring into play. Do not let the PAE steamroll you. Take control and actively engage your managerial role and, at the same time, insulate your team from the PAE’s bad influence.

As discussed in my first blog on this topic, PAEs enjoy being the consummate rebel. This may be tied to depression, anger or other personal issues. You may not be able to determine what personal issues exist; get expert input if you can. The PAE may also come across as vindictive and wanting to get even for unknown reasons (tied to an anger undercurrent), having an over blown sense of self importance, low self esteem and eagerness to sabotage the success of you and their peers. Okay — I’ll cut to the chase — all this ridiculous, negative game playing and undermining others comes across as insidious and evil. No matter how the PAE justifies their actions, you must hold them accountable for their poor behavior and/or non-performance in order to begin insulating your team.

A side bar on PAE non-performance. Do not be surprised if the PAE has more than one performance persona: positive toward the outside world and negative toward your team. To an outside group of people such as other departments, customers and outside sales persons PAEs may exhibit stellar behavior and build their own alliances and loyal following; actually building forces against you and the balance of the group. However to you, the manager, and their peers they are instead engaging in negative, undermining sabotage to make sure they come across as the “star” and everyone else appears inferior. Beware — the PAE often uses an outward appearance of “great performance” to mask their bad behavior and ugly tactics toward their co-workers and manager. In addition, the PAE will frequently paint an ugly picture of you, the manager and their peers to other persons outside the team; building a false projection of the PAE actually being a victim when they are quite the opposite! Amazing! You and other group members are left defending negative character accusations made by the PAE. This can be an absurd reality when a PAE is on your team.

Does it sound like insulating your team from the PAE is a tall order? Yes – it is. And there’s more. I have had several managers tell me they have managed PAEs who preyed on submissive members of the team to build a separate alliance pitted against management efforts and authority. This is common. In this regard, PAE’s make side comments to other employees such as: “the manager doesn’t understand what we have to do to get our work done”, “the manager doesn’t know what they’re doing – they don’t get it”, “stick with me (the PAE) and I’ll show you how to get ahead ,” and so on and so on. Unfortunately, weaker members of your team may buy into this initially until the PAE throws them under the bus — and rest assured – eventually the PAE will do this because their main concern is themselves. How do you insulate your team from this wide range of negative, undermining behavior propagated by the PAE? How do you repair the damage the PAE may have done? Let’s explore selected options. Remember, these aren’t the only actions you can take; there are others; but these actions are quite viable.

The short answer to how you insulate your team from PAE behavior is this — you cannot – at least not entirely. There are, however, steps you can take to lessen the long term, negative impact the PAE has on you and your group. These steps include: keeping lines of communication open, consistently monitoring productivity and performance quality, sharing what will and will not be tolerated as standards for behavior; and lastly, terminating the PAE. Let’s check out how each one of these steps should be used by you, the manager.

Keep lines of communication open – Great managers are regularly chatting with everyone on their team either through casual “walk about” conversation or consistently having a one on one meeting or cup of coffee with each group member (weekly or bi-weekly) to determine how things are going. When lines of communication are open on a regular basis, employees are more apt to become conversational and share details helping or hindering their work. As the manager, it’s important to periodically ask individuals (especially if performance issues develop) if team members are appropriately helping each other out and working well together. Keep an open mind while listening for patterns or indications that the PAE may be hindering the team.

Consistently monitor productivity and performance quality – It can be easy to get distracted with managerial tasks and assume productivity and performance are humming along well. Bad idea. Always stay in touch with productivity and performance quality by making sure customers are happy, checking in with key stakeholders and watching the production part of the business in terms of finances and other numbers. Are mistakes costing more money than usual, if so why? Are more mistakes occurring and why? Is productivity on track or sliding? Generally a PAE’s behavior will be manifested in various ways relative to performance and productivity aspects of the business. How? They often sabotage the performance of their peers or may withhold essential information, and in so doing, affect the quality of products and team output. Keep a consistent watch on what is taking place with performance to ensure your team is vigilant about doing a great job and small performance issues can be readily corrected; particularly if the PAE is involved.

Share what will and will not be tolerated as behavior standards — When a behavior problem arises with anyone on your team, address it quickly and diplomatically in a one on one session with the employee. This holds especially true if a PAE is involved. PAE’s will escalate their bad behavior the longer they get away with it. I have had every manager who has dealt with a PAE indicate this. Document poor behavior and related performance correction meetings as indicated in my last blog; even if you are a small business — always a good practice. When you hold your next team meeting, mention behavior standards to the group as a whole as a reminder and affirmation of what is needed to help make your group, and the business overall, successful for everyone.

Termination of the PAE – With a PAE, termination may be the last resort but is often necessary. If you have been consistently managing PAE issues, advising them what must be done to correct performance and achieve acceptable behavior – and they have not complied – termination is inevitable. In some organizations (and government entities) where termination is a complex and cumbersome process, the PAE may be given the option to move to another department or team. An habitual PAE will likely repeat the same behavior in their new department and may even become known for moving around to different teams due to burning their former teams. On average, the new group begins having similar problems with the PAE within a year or less. In some instances, the PAE will find the right niche in a different position and their poor behavior may diminish. If this happens – great — if it does not, the PAE often repeats the same disruptive pattern throughout their entire careers.

When is the right time to terminate a PAE? When you have documented and tried to correct the behavior pattern without success. You be the judge, but don’t wait so long you’ve allowed the PAE to deeply corrode your team effectiveness before you take this often necessary step.

As a manager, trying to prevent ever hiring or having a PAE in your group is tough. Why? They can be hard to spot at times because they usually charm almost everyone in the initial phase of their relationship, prior to beginning their rebellious and troublesome actions. Just as frustrating is to inherit a PAE as you assume management of an existing team. The situation turns equally slimy over time no matter the scenario or how much you try to manage around it. Final advice on dealing with the PAE? Review all of my three blog entries on this topic whenever you suspect a PAE may be in your midst. Recognize PAE characteristics when they surface, try to correct bad behavior and take steps to insulate your team from its negative repercussions as mentioned above. PAE management can be a big challenge; but I know you are up to leading your team through it with true professionalism.

That’s a wrap for my series on the passive aggressive employee. Shoot your PAE stories to me and I’ll share the highlights with all my readers. See you in a couple of weeks to kickoff another new management series. Till then – be well.

Let’s do a quick review of what I’ve already shared with you. Our three factors we’ll be exploring for managing the PAE include: characteristics of the passive aggressive employee, how to manage and attempt to correct the behavior, and how to insulate the rest of the team from any negative fallout.

For details on the characteristics of the PAE, please scroll down to my last blog entry below this one. Also remember this disclaimer: the advice I’m providing is based on management experience and not a clinical diagnosis of what technically characterizes passive aggressive personalities. If you are in need of deeper help in this area, please consult an expert who specializes in this behavior field.

For our discussion today, it’s time to explore the second factor which covers how to manage and attempt to correct PAE behavior. What’s the worst management approach to take? What’s the best?

I have found the worst approach for managing PAE behavior is to ignore it and assume it will go away. It won’t. Or putting it another way – I’ve never seen it go away by ignoring it, and likewise, the managers who have come to me for advice on this subject have indicated the same experience. Initially, ignoring PAE behavior is a common management response; especially if it’s early in the game and you don’t have enough detail indicating the PAE behavior is an issue, consistent or forms a pattern. On the other hand, don’t assume all non-performance or negative behavior is automatically due to an employee being passive aggressive. Instead the best approach is to be observant, take discreet notes and stay tuned into what’s going on. Whatever you do as you manage your team, once you’ve recognized it, don’t simply ignore PAE behavior. As the frustration of dealing with a PAE builds, you may want to stand in the middle of the room and scream – “C’mon, grow up!”— I don’t need to tell you, this won’t solve the problem either.

What should you do? How do you manage PAE behavior and the related damage it can cause? Recall in my first entry on this subject the PAE often exhibits bravado, a false sense of authority and even cockiness. In reality they may be insecure, emotionally immature and resent authority. They want and feel entitled to all the benefits of being in an authoritative position but do not want to be burdened with the responsibility that comes with it – I have had a PAE tell me this! I recommend managing PAE behavior with these steps: 1) Document behavior patterns 2) Quietly secure additional input to determine and validate any negative effect PAE behavior may be having on others, 3) Privately speak with the PAE and advise what is and is not acceptable business behavior — be prepared to provide specific examples when you hold this session with the PAE.

Let’s look at each of these steps a bit closer:
1) Document behavior patterns – DO — take good notes when negative PAE behavior takes place, document what the PAE is doing and why it is not acceptable. What’s going on? Is the PAE sabotaging you, the manager, as well as their peers? What is the PAE doing to take advantage of benefits they receive yet they are still compelled to undermine others? DON’T be petty with your documentation but do include salient details. Make sure the issues you document truly have a negative effect on the success of your team vs. minor annoyances.

2) Secure discreet input – DO find out if your team is having trouble dealing with the PAE but do so discreetly. Was there a negative interaction between another employee on your team and the PAE? Privately ask the affected employee if the issue was resolved and if any further action is needed. Determine if the issue has occurred before and indicate you should be kept advised if it is repeated later. DON’T appear in any way as if you are trying to trap or make a trivial case against the PAE because you are not. Simply document what has taken place; what are the facts. Do not throw in emotional commentary. Your goal as a manager is to correct and constructively deal with negative behavior or non-performance; not to create an issue where there isn’t one. Discreetly secure input from trusted management peers as well. Determine how managerial colleagues handled their own PAE challenges.

3) Advise the PAE what is acceptable behavior – DO have your facts straight and privately advise the PAE negative and disruptive behavior will not be tolerated. Provide specific examples of disruptive behavior that has occurred. Open the discussion and indicate there is a problem early enough in the process so the PAE is not blindsided. Do not let a problem fester for months before addressing it! Allow the PAE to respond to the information you have shared. Do not be surprised if the PAE denies it; even if you were a firsthand observer of the bad behavior! Either way, maintain your managerial composure. Find out if the PAE is challenged, likes their work, has other issues – not excuses. You may be able to provide help to correct the behavior with other assignments; and you may not. DON’T take on an accusatory or emotional tone with the PAE during this private session. Don’t be overly sympathetic. Remain calm and professional; stick to the facts while being firm. Advise the PAE what will and will not be tolerated and what the time line and expectations are for improvement.

Once you’ve completed these steps for managing and addressing PAE behavior you’ve made good progress – but wait — you’re not finished yet. You will want to make sure before, during and after you work through these steps you are simultaneously keeping your own boss in the loop and you are following established guidelines provided by your human resources (HR) department. HR practices can be time consuming but are necessary and protect all parties involved. Even if you are a small business and do not have an HR department, keep excellent documentation of your actions.

What’s next? What if the PAE actually improves – then what? What if poor performance continues? We’ll talk about those items and how to insulate the rest of your team from negative PAE behavior in my next blog entry. Have you ever managed a PAE? What approach did you take? What was the outcome? Write to me! Let me know how you handled this management challenge – I look forward to your input!

I ran into a management colleague several days ago and we began the usual chit chat about how things were going. He brought up a nagging challenge he’s been facing within his group. It’s actually a challenging employee — but you may have guessed that already. As a manager, you know there are always hurdles you must face and overcome — another reason why being a great manager isn’t something that happens overnight but takes years of learning and experience. The blog series I’m beginning today covers a topic every manager like my colleague faces at least once and perhaps many times during their career – the challenge of managing a passive aggressive employee (PAE).

Before we go too deeply into this subject, I want to provide a disclaimer. I am not a psychologist or clinical expert on passive aggressive behavior and do not hold myself out to be one. The advice I’m sharing comes from my management experience as well as the experience of many other managers who have given me input. Many options exist for handling employee performance and behavior issues; I’m sharing options I have used or other managers have used with the valued involvement of human resources professionals. You are welcome to use this advice or not; keeping in mind this advice does not come from a psychologist or behavioral specialist. In all cases, when dealing with employee behavior issues that are chronically disruptive, I recommend you consult your human resources department (if your company has one) or consult a behavioral expert and use their advice to help you navigate and manage your situation.

With that said – let’s move into our topic. During this blog series, we’re going to work through the challenge of managing the PAE by looking at three factors: the characteristics of the PAE, how to manage and attempt to correct the behavior, and how to insulate the rest of the team from any negative fallout.

For those who are not familiar with PAE behavior, let’s start with an overview and how you can recognize when it occurs. The PAE is either quietly or surreptitiously hostile in a manner that often is, initially, unsuspected and not recognized as hostile – but, in reality — it’s negative behavior. The PAE is often the team member who may not be openly arrogant, belligerent or exhibiting obvious performance problems on the surface, yet a pattern of difficulties emerges over time. They may smile, be pleasant and charming; yet behind this polite facade they are actually being disruptive, creating chronic problems, undermining your authority as a manager, undermining the success of their peers in the group or simply not getting their work done. Whatever the negative behavior, it’s often masked by an outwardly polite and pleasant demeanor. If you allow them to continue their disruptive behavior, the PAE generates a great deal of stress for you, the manager, and often the rest of the team as well.

As a manager, the PAE can be one of the most difficult employees to manage. Why? Because outwardly they often display a “nice guy” or “great gal” persona to everyone, yet, in reality, he or she is far from it. PAE behavior reminds me of the classic middle school trouble maker who, as they walk by, frequently flicks their finger on the side of another person’s head and pretends they didn’t do it. Does this ring a bell (pun intended)? When a performance problem is brought to the PAE’s attention they may flatly deny it, insist it cannot be proven, provide a vast array of excuses or find a way to blame it on someone else. Whatever the diversion, PAEs find a way not to be held accountable for non-performance or behavior problems, and instead, often insist others are at fault. Manipulation and lack of individual accountability are rampant with the PAE. Conversely, the PAE may acknowledge the behavior issue but then continue to repeat the poor behavior over and over again, as if the problem had never been brought to their attention. This is inherent in their passive aggressive style – non-conformance or non-performance cloaked in passive hostility.

In addition, the PAE may try to undermine your authority as a manager by making false accusations about you and creating negative team alliances behind your back to build their own power base among the team. The basis for their negative behavior may be hard to understand but it’s often rooted in hostility toward authority, a desire for power without the attached responsibility or garnering pleasure in causing disruption in the group. It may also be something much deeper in their personal background including potential depression, bi-polar disorder or other issues a trained professional would have to diagnose.

In my management experience, I have found yet another underlying issue is always lurking in the shadow of every PAE. This issue insidiously motivates their hostility. Do you know what it is? Yes, they are often emotionally immature but there is still one other gnawing issue — it’s lack of self-esteem. The PAE’s behavior is often rooted in self-esteem issues tied to lack of confidence, insecurity and the intense desire not to appear inferior – sometimes causing them to be bellicose and boisterous. It may feel like you, the manager, are dealing with the school yard brat or bully. Whatever the explanation, their behavior can make your life as a manager extremely frustrating, which, by the way, usually delights the PAE!

Have you ever managed a PAE? If you have, you’re familiar with the scenarios I’ve described. If you haven’t, unfortunately you likely will at sometime in your management career. How long does it take a manager to recognize they are dealing with a PAE? Usually several weeks or sometimes a few months, depending on the severity of the PAE’s poor behavior. No matter how long it takes to recognize what the PAE is doing, a consistent pattern eventually emerges to the extent it can’t be ignored.

Now that you have a good idea what PAE behavior looks like, how do you manage it? What’s the best and worst approach to take? We’ll tackle that aspect of the PAE in my next blog entry. In the meantime, tell me about your PAE management experiences! This can be a powder keg for management frustration – go ahead, vent! — let me know how and if PAE’s have impacted your management career. We’ll talk more soon …