Be Honest With Your Staff

Good managers tell staff what they want to hear and also what they don’t want to hear, but need to hear, to optimize performance and growth.

Staff wants to hear…

• Thanks for arriving early
• I’m glad you’re here
• I’m glad you’re on this project
• You have great skills and experience
• You’re off to a great start
• Great idea
• Great question
• Excellent report
• Thanks for sending that email
• Your progress is on track, lets move on to the next steps
• Great work, we’re going to implement your recommendations
• I couldn’t have done it better myself
• Keep up the good work
• Everybody makes mistakes, I’m sure you’ll do better next time
• How can I help?
• You got this assignment because I'm confident you can do it well
• Thank you for all your hard work
• I’m recommending you for promotion
• I’m recommending you for a raise

Staff doesn’t want to, but should, hear … (but you need to tell them anyway)

• I need you to arrive earlier
• I’ll be watching your work closely to be sure you get it right
• What is your role on this project again?
• You need to speak up
• You need to do this assignment over and get it right
• You are not off to a great start, you need to make some corrections
• You need some new ideas, go back to your desk and work on them
• You are underperforming, you can do better
• You have a lot to learn before you are ready for additional responsibility
• Don’t bring me your problems, think how you would handle them and bring me solutions
• You should know better than to have made that mistake
• You need to work smarter and harder
• I’m not recommending you for a raise
• I’m not recommending you for promotion
• You need to listen better
• You need to work better with others