Look out for Collateral Damage! 😳

A friend recently shared a story about something that happened at work. She was MAD! 😡

She works for a small, family owned business and has worked there for 15+ years. That day at work, she heard that a 20-year management level employee had been laid off via a letter in the mail. Under the category of “things you didn’t think you need to teach someone”, this certainly fits the bill.

My friend was resentful, angry & hurt. She and her colleagues loved this manager. They weren’t upset that he was laid off – they understood the business implications of the decision. They were upset about the way that it was carried out.

When making business decisions, and thinking about employee engagement, one thing to look at is collateral damage with other employees.

Many times, it’s not what you do, but how you do it that truly matters.

In a more positive work environment, no one ever gets terminated via a letter. In addition, the leaders would thoughtfully communicate their actions and give folks a chance to share their concerns. They wouldn’t change their mind. They would listen.

Another example of collateral damage is when leaders watch disengaged employee behaviors day-in and day-out and don’t hold them accountable. The other employees say, “Why should I worry about working hard when my boss obviously doesn’t care.” (If you’re having challenges with how to coach disengaged employees, please join me at our next free webinar: https://www.vickihess.com/4-keys-webinar/)

Watch out for collateral damage in your leadership decisions.

How do you know if things are negatively affecting the staff?

• Round
• Meet one-on-one
• Talk to informal leaders and influencers
• Ask questions and listen

Make sure that your decisions, even if they are the right decisions, aren’t causing collateral damage. With follow-up and transparent communication, you could avoid or minimize the damage.