Dear Boss. 4 Steps to Ensure I Will Perform for You…

​I’m not sure how much you know about me, so I thought I’d share four simple steps you can take to ensure I will perform for you – day in and day out.
 
And there’s a secret about these steps: if you STIC to these four steps you will get the work performance you want from me and I will get the respect and motivation I want from you.
 
Here’s the STIC:

1. Share information
2. Treat me fairly
3. Invest in me
4. Compensate me for a good day’s work.

 
Let me explain.
 

1. Share information. I want to know what’s going on – more than you think I do. If you want me to be thoughtful about the job, if you want me to care about the company’s interests, clue me in. Please don’t decide for me what I care about or what I need to know. Make sure I know:
   • How the company makes money, who are our competitors, what markets we work in, what are the threats to our future success, and what opportunities you are working on
   • How is the company is doing now – share the financials, share the budget for our department, explain all the hidden costs I don’t think about
   • How my work fits in. I need to really understand how what I do impacts others in our department, in other departments, our customers, and the company as a whole. I need to understand the deadlines, the work flows, the risks of getting it wrong, and the benefits of hitting it out of the park.

 
And, please take this information-sharing one step further: ask for my input and ideas. You want me to be engaged – engage me. Talk to me. Listen to me.
 

1. Treat me fairly. I need to know that you genuinely care about what's going on in my life. When I am deciding to come to work after a bout of chemo or a night in the hospital with a sick parent, I am more likely to make the effort to get to work if I feel empathy from you. If you can’t appreciate the challenges I face some days just to get to work, maybe I’ll just stay home. I don’t want to let you down or the team. I’ll push through my issues if I know you have my back.

 
And if I make a mistake, please tell me. I don’t want to be a screw up. Maybe I didn’t realize what I did. Help me be better tomorrow than I am today
 

1. Invest in me. Provide the tools and training so I can be successful. And, give me opportunities to grow my skills, my knowledge, and my abilities so I can be more, do more, get promoted, lead a team, manage a project, handle a client presentation. This can be giving me the lead on a task, allowing me to run a meeting, approving time to attend a seminar, requiring me to get certified, paying for a class. Yes, these can all be risky; I may fail; I may leave the company someday. But you will have invested in me, you will have done the right thing.

 

1. Compensate me for a good day’s work. I’m asking for a fair wage, decent benefits, and recognition for a job well done. I want to be proud of my work and the company I work for. Remember, I have friends; we talk about our jobs. How you treat me impacts the company’s reputation. Don't cheap out. Salary increases or bonuses show that you value my work. And benefits matter; I have a family to support. If you absolutely do not have the money, recognize me in other ways: a new title, a certificate of achievement, an opportunity for professional development, praise in front of the team, a celebration, a thank you card, a gift card.

 
Look, I’m not asking for the world here. Let’s call this what this is – quid pro quo – you STIC with me and I’ll stick with you.
 
And yes, it takes a little more effort on your part than you are doing now… but, think about it… in the long run you will get an employee who produces for you. How cool would it be if all your employees performed the way you want? Imagine that! A team engine firing on all cylinders.
 
You treat me fairly and I will perform at my best for you. Pretty straight forward, huh?