How to Address Things That Go Wrong in Your Company
By Razelle Janice Drescher 
There is a simple way to deal with mistakes at work. It’s not uncommon to want to find out who made the mistake and blame them. But in the end, that won’t solve the issue. If mistakes keep happening in your company, it helps to identify the true cause. First ask “What’s missing?” to identify a missing system, standard, or policy that would prevent this mistake from happening again.
Asking questions until you get to the heart of the matter is the way to eliminate the frustration. Once you know the true cause of the frustration, check to see if there is already a system in place in your company that addresses the issue at hand. If not, writing a system. policy or training for that issue is the next step. If the system or policy already exists, then some investigating about where the breakdown in training or communication occurred is in order. Was that person trained on that system or did that issue slip through the cracks? Your investigation will reveal the next logical step to be taken. It may take the form of a new system, a training, a policy update, or additional standards regarding a policy or system you already have in place.
I have noticed over the years that my business owner clients have been uncomfortable speaking to their employees about mistakes, relationship issues at work, and sub-standard work. They didn’t know what to say and avoided those conversations. I developed a simple way to address these issues that my clients really liked and were able to use when needed. Here are the simple steps:
- Meet with the employee in private.
- Describe the issue and ask the employee if he/she is aware of it.
- Explain the standard to be met and let the employee know why this is important. (For example, it supports our reputation for excellence, or it helps set us apart from our competition, it’s a safety issue, etc.
- Explain that this is the standard to be met and ask the employee if they are willing to meet that standard.
- If the answer is yes, then explore any additional training that may be needed, create a plan to monitor the performance improvement required, and follow up to ensure you have provided the support needed for the employee to meet your standard.
What helps make this approach to problem-solving successful is if there is already some soft infrastructure in place that helps employees succeed. This is where systems and standards come in. Some of these elements include:
1. Business Vision
Creates a clear picture of where the business is headed and what it’s all about
2. Organizational Strategy
Defines the functions of the business. It is the framework needed to fulfill the business vision.
3. Systems
Document best ways of operating day-to-day for consistency and a high operating
4. Training
Ensures that employees understand how to do their job.
5. A Management System
Supports healthy work relationships and optimum performance.
Most companies have managers but far fewer offer a management system focused on the well-being of their employees. Including a management system designed to focus on supporting healthy work relationships is more important than you may think. Meeting regularly with your direct reports is essential for building trust and respect over time so your employees will feel safe telling you the ‘bad news.’
In a nutshell, in this type of conversation, you are telling the employee what you need and asking if they are willing to meet that standard. Then, you are providing whatever training or system that may be needed for them to improve their performance. It’s up to the employee to decide whether they want to remain an employee or move on. This takes the pressure off the business owner. This can and should be done with kindness, not criticism. Companies that support their employees in this way become a beacon for company loyalty.
If you have questions or want help putting this kind of foundation in place in your company, sign up for a free consultation. https://calendly.com/intentionalleaders or call 707-326-5681.