70:20:10(Tell:Show:Do) Model has proven
instrumental in helping one look at developmental goals and map specific
activities to accomplish those goals. The strategy is to provide regular
feedback to the subordinates and guide them towards improvement, thus helping
them work on their weaknesses and garner their strengths.
However, this model cannot always be
adopted in a straightforward manner by organizations given the mind-set of people
at work, particularly in Asia Pacific. The culture and overall environment here,
often poses to be problematic in letting the manager freely communicate with
his/her subordinates and provide negative feedback,fearing their inability to take
it in the right spirit. This fear, in turn, restricts the candidate to work on
his/her problem areas, thus limiting the scope of improvement. The result is a
slump in career growth.
It is time that we shed the apprehensions
and embrace the 70:20:10 model. I would like to share top 5 pointers to remember for a developmental
conversation.
1.
Your thoughts will create
their future:Positive
self-talk will make you and your employees more successful. Believing in an
employee’s potential builds trust. If you will not delegate a responsibility
with the apprehension that it would take too long to train, coach and mentor others
to do the job, your employees would be able to sense it. Having realized that
you do not believe in them and their ability to grow, they would refuse to
invest their precious time in their jobs and the company.
On the other hand, if you, as a manager would
be positive about their abilities and invest in your employees, so would they.One
of my manager often said “I will not give up on you unless you give up on
yourself” and it worked.
2.
Making assumptions is an easy
way out, but not the best: I have seen two things happen. Some employees take up assignments just because
their manager asks them to, or with the
assumption that if their manager thought that it was a good fit, it must be so.Both
the situations rarely end well. On the other side, I have also seen managers
assume that no one in the team would be interested in a particular assignment.
Stop making assumptions and
start talking to employees. Ask them what they are looking for in their
development. Share your feedback. Close the communication gap. Development,
after all, is about the employees.
3.
There is no failure on
Feedback: Feedback is not negative or
positive.Feedback is merely a perception and not a judgment that one is good or
bad. Your employees will be less defensive if they understand that you are
sharing a perception; something, which can change with more information. That
is why conversations are extremely important. Chances are bright that the things
that a manager perceives negative in his/her employees are actually a result of
overused strength. Not to mention that it is easier to modify behaviours
emerging from our strengths than eliminating weaknesses.
4.
Failing to plan is planning
to fail: For any new project,
developing an understanding of the time commitment is crucial. As a manager, talk
about it. Discuss if the employee’s current level of responsibility allows for
such additional work. If not, what has to change? If you focus on planning
well, there is a higher probability of those plans being executed well.
For you as a manager,
employees’ personal development goal might be secondary. However, for them, it
is the most important one.
5.
Focus on behaviour changes rather
than project outcomes: People
are motivated to change and grow when there is a reward for that change.
Reinforce what you have noticed, even small things. I think it is a great idea reaching
out to your team more often.When the goal is “Developing Networking Skills”, you
are not meant to focus on results. Instead, focus on the behaviour that your
employees have outlined in their70:20:10 developmental plans.
If you do this often, they
shall start seeing tight linkages between goals, behaviours and performance
outcomes.
You can prepare the
path for the boy or you can prepare the boy for the path” - Prof. Frances Frei
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