Over the years, I have noticed that new employees are a lot like fresh bread, the day they start, they seem to be very flexible and forgiving. After they are around for a while, we notice that they are becoming stiff and maybe not quite as flexible as they were at the beginning. Why is that?
I am happy to admit that I hit my best before date after being with one employer for 25 years. I hit a time when I was no longer as valuable as I was on the first day on the job. My employer also decided that I had hit my best before date. Just like that moldy bread, I had to be, for lack of a better word, composted. So, with loads of experience, I think my real-life example may help those looking at an “outdated” employee. The leadership starts to wonder how such a great product went bad before their best before date.
PROVIDING REGULAR FEEDBACK
I sincerely believe there are many causes; most are avoidable if you are strategic about keeping your team fresh. The first and most crucial leadership technique is to provide honest and regular feedback. Timing is critical; too often, we seem to lose the ability to even meet with them and give them any input. Some companies have adopted the annual or semi-annual employee review. For several years I was a big fan of this process. I thought that if my leader gave me some feedback on my performance, they would be forced to follow up on any required actions. Any parent will tell you that sitting down with your kids once or twice a year and giving them feedback does not work. When disciplinary needs arise, you must act on them at once.
CREATING CAREER ROADMAPS
As leaders, we need to believe in our people and tell them regularly where they are going within the organization. We can’t let them fall into an endless series of Wednesdays with their positions.
I can still remember vividly every time my leader sent me to a training session. I would think he seems to care about me; he’s investing in me.
Invest in your people if you want them to stay fresh. We need to be continually investing in and growing our people, and they need to know where they are going. How many times have you jumped into your vehicle without a destination in mind? Everyone needs to know where they are going and when they are going to get there.
We must keep reminding them that the journey is the reward and to enjoy the ride. I personally know what it’s like to wake up one day and realize that there is no “there” when you get there. This growth plan needs to be agreed upon in a one-on-one meeting, and they must understand why they need to keep growing and how by becoming more valuable, they will be the ultimate winner.
BATTLING COMPLACENCY
Complacency has to be one of the biggest invisible threats there is to any team. What starts as an infection, unfortunately, all too often ends with the disease. I like to call it the “I have arrived syndrome.”
Cruise control maybe be great when on a long drive, but it’s a killer on the jobsite. The lack of a good crisis can cause complacency, things become too good, and just like gravity, there becomes that downward pull of even our best people; it happened to me.
We need to constantly point at the scoreboard and show them the score of the game and the time on the clock. Crisis breeds creativity, and progress equals happiness. What can you do to keep them from getting complacent? I would suggest you first look in the mirror and make sure it hadn’t caught up with you. When was the last time you asked anyone to bring an idea to your meeting that will help you either cut waste or become more efficient? People do as people see. If you are continually trying to improve how you operate, not only are you staying fresh, you are promoting freshness on the team.
CLOSING THOUGHT
You don’t have to look very far to see job postings of all kinds for skilled trades, equipment operators, and truck drivers. I, for one, think that the construction industry is a great industry to be in. After spending 30 plus years in the trenches, I have come to really appreciate the operations end of the job.
To me, that’s where the action is. We have never in the history of humankind had so many ways of communicating. However, at least one skills gap is almost everywhere, and it’s the communication skills gap. We all need to learn to become better communicators.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG
Held every 3 years, CONEXPO-CON/AGG is the must-attend event for construction industry professionals, featuring the latest equipment, products, services, and technologies, as well as industry-leading education. The next CONEXPO-CON/AGG will be held March 14-18, 2023, in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more, visit www.conexpoconagg.com.
AEM
AEM is the North America-based international trade group representing off-road equipment manufacturers and suppliers with more than 1,000 companies and more than 200 product lines in the agriculture and construction-related industry sectors worldwide. AEM is a co-owner and operator of CONEXPO-CON/AGG. For more, visit www.aem.org.
About the Author:
Mark Nesbitt is an independent certified coach, teacher, and speaker with The John Maxwell Team, the founder of Nesbitt Training and active member of the aggregate community. For more, visit nesbitttraining.ca.
Modern Contractor Solutions, January 2022
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