ABC's of Leadership Behaviors and HR Roles
Assess your own skill levels and training needs on these Federal guidelines and standards of conduct for great managers and leaders.
Novice: Low experience or skill
Skilled: Moderate experience or skill
Expert: Lots of experience or skill and still striving for improvement
Clusters of Leadership and Management:
Note: All tree elements in each cluster are necessary for effective management.
1. Managing Others' Performance
| a) Focus on expected or required behavior and specific results or outcomes. | |
| b) Listen and respond appropriately to communicated needs, problems, obstacles, or issues in delegated assignments. | |
| c) Encourage active participation and maintaining the self-esteem of others and demonstrating mutual respect. |
2. Communicating Expectations:
| a) Explain tasks and defining specific expectations in clear and measurable terms (can see it, describe it, do it). | |
| b) Ask for employee viewpoints about the time and task issues and agreeing on commitments. | |
| c) Confirm mutual understanding about objectives and checking - "Is there anything we left out?" |
3. Assessing Employee Performance: Frequent Review
| a) Ask the employee for their own assessment of their performance on expected tasks and timelines. | |
| b) Assist with problems, resources, issues, and pinpointing things that can lead to improvement. | |
| c) Obtain involvement and commitment to training and development goals which will enhance performance value. |
4. Coaching and Training
| a) Observe and analyze performance to suggest better ways to do things. | |
| b) Identify specific learning problems and teach new techniques, with spot checks to reinforce improvements. | |
| c) Demonstrate a task or skill according to the employee's preferred learning style (ask them!) and have them perform it so you can coach them on gaps in performance. |
5. Handling Employee Conflicts or Pinches
| a) Listen actively then gather facts, feelings, and other points of view. | |
| b) Remain objective and focus on points of agreement while guiding others to possible solutions. | |
| c) Collect data, resolve points of conflict, and use strategic thinking skills. |
6. Implementing Changes
| a) Involve people in pre-change thinking, gathering input, and keeping people informed throughout the change cycle. | |
| b) Encourage questions while presenting the change positively and emphasizing improvements evolving from the change over time. | |
| c) Anticipate problems and take action to prevent or mitigate any consequences that are detrimental. (proactivity) |
7. Discipline and corrective action
| a) State any problem clearly and positively. Acknowledge efforts to meet standards. Be sensitive to their fears. | |
| b) Cite good examples and get agreement from the employee about the need for improvement(s). | |
| c) Ask for proposed solutions and describing expected new behavior or levels of performance with a positive expectation that the employee can improve. Be clear about consequences. |
8. Termination of and Employee (Be kind and do not rehash performance issues)
| a) Research the performance history to ensure fairness and ensure you have followed written policies and procedures. | |
| b) Rehearse the termination meeting with your Manager, a peer and/or HR to ensure you are comfortable relaying necessary information and next steps. | |
| c) Focus the interview on the future needs and actions that will result (final pay, transfer of retirement funds, transition etc.) Offer resignation option whenever possible. |