Two months into o3s with my new staff -- and it FINALLY happened. On of my DRs came in totally prepared. He built up a list of the his hot topics for the week (the non-emergency ones). He led off with a couple personal items, outlined his issues for the week, had a really good division strategey idea which was well outlined and then asked me how I was doing!! OK. Not quite according to Hoyle but "it" finally clicked and was great!!
Soon to come... "Bodily
Soon to come... "Bodily Fluids." The TMI lets you know the O3 is working.
TMI
Now is the time to practice keeping your facial expression neutral / compassionate for the moment when they share something completely unexpected, deeply personal, and possibly squirm-worthy.
John
Hmmmm... your guys must have
Hmmmm... your guys must have read this a little different than I wrote it. This is a pretty strait laced individual ---- but the point was supposed to be my thrill of seeing an employee's behavior show that he has bought into the 03 concept and no longer views it as having to suffer though 30 minutes with their boss....I will take your suggestion and practice the straight face just in case I need it...
Mdave, Trust us, we did not
Mdave,
Trust us, we did not mis-read. We are letting you know that the longer you do one on ones with your folks, the stronger your relationships become. As those bonds of trust strengthen, they will begin sharing things with you that you would not expect. They will tell you about diseases they suffer from and battle every day. They will tell you about the divorce they are going through you knew nothing about. You will find out that parents are dying, that brother is in rehab, or that children are in jail or have been cut off. They will open up and the curtain will fall.
Don't assume that because someone behaves straight laced with you that they are "straight laced." You observe their behavior - not the core of who they are. They will reveal more about themselves to you, and the laces will loosen as your relationship strengthens.
Be prepared to be floored by some interesting stuff.
And that's a good thing, because it means you are building trust. Employees who trust their boss bring in good intel, perform better, give honest feedback, and are in general far more effective to have around than employees who do not trust you. Plus, it lowers their stress levels at work, and it's just nice to get to know people and care about them.
Enlightened self-interest intersecting with love and care for humanity. You can't beat the warm-fuzzy that brings no matter your DISC profile.
-Rob
http://www.strugglingmanager.com
AND!
Shoulda said: Good work! That sounds like a great direct you have there...
John