Great Expectations
IN ONE of those rare moments of boss-worker bonding (no doubt induced by the high spirits at an office party) my boss confessed that in the first few months of my joining, he was sorely disappointed with my performance and my timid attitude. "With your background in journalism, I had hoped you would be more aggressive and enterprising. But I felt let down by your laid-back attitude. I wondered if my first impressions about you were wrong... ".
Later in the clear, cruel light of the day, I wondered if what my supervisor had said was indeed true. In the excitement of hiring a talented newcomer, do managers wilfully discount his weaknesses, only to start doubting their choice a few weeks later? First impressions matter not just on dates but at the workplace too. A manager's perception of a new hire is shaped in the first couple of weeks. And unknowingly many new employees may already have become prey to misconceptions. A study rather disconcertingly states that nearly 40 percent of new hires are often out within two years; and most that remain are viewed as hiring mistakes and relegated to the background.
Managers often only see what they expect their employees to be. Once they have formed a bad impression of an employee, it sticks. Thereafter, whatever the employee does, it just seems to reinforce this negative impression. This negative dynamic unequivocally defines the relationship between a boss and the people that work for him. In their book `The Set- up- to- fail Syndrome: How good managers cause great people to fail ' Jean-Francois Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux talk about how managers sometimes inadvertently set up their subordinates to fail. They also treat rather poorly those people they suspect to be below average performers,. In a situation like this, employees automatically start `living down to expectations'. For instance, if the boss believes that so and so is a slacker, it will become a tag an employee will find it hard to shrug off.
Can one imagine the effect this mindset has on the productivity of a new hire? This attitude will affect other employees also who will be chary of taking any risks for fear of making mistakes. And with innovation going a-begging, small businesses will just not make the grade.
Managers should remember that it takes time for a new employee to adapt and show his true potential. Bosses assume, wrongly, that faced with a problem, an employee will come to them for help.
The new hire on the other hand, would rather let things be, than appear ignorant and incompetent. To prove their mettle they take on too much, too soon and invariably fail. A fact that comes as a surprise to both him and the superior as neither had expected the failure.
Not so great a start
To start off on the right note, employers will have to add realism to their perspectives and expectations. Managers should be smart enough to tap the eagerness of the new employees and find out what they are good at doing right at the start. Research (again) proves that it is the behaviour and outlook of the new people— lethargy, negativity or a know- it- all attitude— that makes managers question an employee's competence and sincerity. Bosses are quick to judge and hang them if they do not follow the pattern as perceived by the superior. On the other hand, new hires that think and behave like the boss enjoy a better relationship with him.
Reasonable expectations
If you want to prove yourself to be a good manager then set your employees up for success. Give them reasonable goals, tell them why they are important, provide support and the necessary resources and finally give them feedback on how they did. Remember, if you do not set reasonable performance expectations you will be setting your employees up for failure. And if they fail, you fail too. Speak to new hires about how a specific job was done in the past. Talk about the obstacles they may encounter and how best to tackle them. Perhaps you could think of a system where you could pair a new hire with an experienced worker to minimise the chances of mistakes happening. Have a realistic view of what's possible in the first few months and have fewer goals. Keep in contact with your people --stop by their workstations once in a while, have a weekly meeting or maybe perhaps share a cup of coffee sometimes. While you will get focussed and concerted effort, they get your feedback.
New employees are sometimes more `human' than established ones. They have fears of being accepted, succeeding or failing. Let the new people know that it is all right to make mistakes as long as one learns from them. Don't let your first impressions of the new hires force them out of the door. With wisdom and reason on your side, help them to adapt and give their best.
PADMA
padma.hyd@cnkonline.com
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