Kendra Cato’s Post

You need to talk to your team about performance. It's not unkind. You might think letting an underperforming employee off the hook Is a way to spare their feelings. You don't want them to feel bad, Or create stress. But they might be feeling just as uncertain as you. While you see them falling short, They may believe they’re going above and beyond. This disconnect comes from a lack of communication About performance expectations. If your team member isn’t aware of their shortcomings, How can they address the issue? That’s why conversations about performance are crucial; They stop misunderstandings from growing. By engaging in open dialogue, You can pinpoint where things might be misaligned. Perhaps they’ve misinterpreted their role Or don’t fully grasp what’s expected. Whatever the reason, Honest conversations can help you both find solutions. This way, performance issues don’t fester, And your team will stay motivated!

🤯 Every COO faces complex, multi-dimensional challenges. As a former COO, I understand how hard it can be to be everywhere at once. Consider these questions: 🤔 How do your employees perceive your company? This can impact engagement and manage turnover. 🤔 What compromises might be holding your company back? 🤔 How do you ensure your short-term and long-term goals remain aligned? 🤔 What strategies do you use to keep your team motivated and productive? 🤔 How do you nurture a productive partnership with your boss? Feeling all alone? That does not have to be. Message me and let's have a 30 minutes chat. 😊

“Maria it’s the only manager who is kind with everyone, she’ll treat everyone the same” Feedback from a team member Being a leader will bring out the best of your personality and the worst In fact, no one really talks about this matter because of its sensitive nature No one mentions that you’re in a position to hurt other people’s feelings How many people will remember a sentence that a previous boss told them that would have hurt them beyond words? And they still remember it until this day … No one mentions that what you say and do will have a knock on effect No one mentions that no manger will apologise to a team member, in most cases not even once No one mentions that when a employee looks disappointed and dissatisfied the reality is they feel unsupported and the job has nothing to do with it No one mentions bullying and lack of inclusion caused by a leader There are many unspoken things that go on inside your team, and it’s too easy to keep things for ourselves and not speak about it But it’s necessary that they do! What you can do: Create space for open communication and build trust with your team members, Build a relationship with each individual and learn as much as you can about them You’ll feel the positive compound effect of team building in a very close future Download my Performance Management Sheet for free to start your high-team performance journey today https://lnkd.in/d8aQWhpS

Employees feel frustrated when their workload is dismissed. I know I did, when I raised the flag and wasn't heard. The sooner you understand this, the sooner you can move from dismissive to attentive leader. Don't be the manager who ignores their team's cries for help: "Everyone's busy. Just manage your time better." What does that even mean? Maybe YOU should manage the team better or set clearer expectations. And don’t tell your operational teams to just delegate when their job is to execute. They need support, not empty advice. Instead, be the manager who listens and takes action: "I see you're overloaded. Let's find a solution together." Acknowledge your people's struggles without brushing them aside. If it's really a time management issue, help them learn about systems and methodologies to improve. And when the time comes to boost morale or productivity? You'll find that your team is more engaged — and more loyal.

𝐒𝐞𝐥𝐟 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐢𝐬 𝐊𝐞𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦, 𝐬𝐨 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰 𝐢𝐧 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬? As a first-time manager, guiding your team to develop self-awareness can lead to stronger performance, better communication, and personal growth. Asking the right questions encourages team members to think deeply about their strengths, challenges, and impact. 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞 3 𝐩𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐮𝐥 𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐨𝐤𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐥𝐟-𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤: “𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐚 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐞𝐞𝐥 𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐣𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐬?” ➔ This question helps team members recognize and take ownership of their strengths. It also invites them to consider how they can contribute more effectively. “𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬, 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧𝐬 𝐨𝐫 𝐡𝐚𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐚𝐜𝐡?” ➔ By reflecting on their responses to challenges, team members can identify behaviors that may be helping or hindering their growth and make adjustments accordingly. “𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐞𝐚𝐦’𝐬 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐠𝐨𝐚𝐥𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐬?” ➔ This question encourages team members to consider their role within the larger picture, promoting accountability and a deeper connection to the team’s objectives. These questions don’t just prompt reflection— they empower team members to recognize their unique contributions, challenges, and opportunities for growth. As they gain self-awareness, your team becomes more resilient, engaged, and aligned with shared goals. How is it? Practical? Drop me a comment Like if you find it useful, Share to friends who might need it, Follow me for practical insights for first-time managers to become leaders. DM for CV & Career Consultation session using the 1-2-3 Methods.

What if the key to unlocking your team’s full potential isn’t more resources or bigger budgets but simply better communication? Imagine your once top-performing employee begins to struggle, missing deadlines, and making mistakes. Be ready for having a frustrated team and slipping off productivity. Managers will assume the issue is personal or workload-related, but the truth? It’s a communication breakdown. Critical instructions were unclear, feedback was vague, and team discussions felt rushed. Imagine another team with the same challenges, but a different outcome. Here is what they do differently They talk. Openly. Regularly. Expectations are crystal clear, feedback is constructive and timely. Employees feel supported and understood. Suddenly, that team isn’t just surviving they’re thriving. Here is what to do differently with your team: 📍Clarity Breeds Success: Employees need clear expectations to perform at their best. 📍Feedback Fuels Growth: Regular, constructive feedback helps employees improve and stay motivated. 📍Open Dialogue Prevents Misunderstandings: Regular communication reduces conflict and fosters collaboration. 📍Engagement Comes From Feeling Heard: Teams that communicate well feel valued, leading to higher performance and satisfaction. Are you ready to transform your team’s performance? Start by improving how you communicate. Take a step today and have that conversation, set clear goals, and give feedback that truly helps. Remember, great communication is where success begins. #EffectiveCommunication #ClearCommunication #FeedbackMatters

"As you move into management, you start to step away from the day-to-day engagement with specific tasks that move the business forward. You may engage less often with customers and clients, or be less engaged with creating content, writing programs, or manufacturing products. Instead, you are focused on strategy and on getting the most out of the people who work for you. That means that you lose sight of the positive and negative things that are going on in the front lines of your company. That is where your supervisees can be your eyes and ears. You want to find out how the work looks to them. This feedback is valuable because it can provide an early-warning system for things that might take a long time to show up on lagging indicators of problems like lost sales, product returns, or employee turnover. In addition, the strategic decisions that managers make may have unexpected consequences. Often, running potential decisions by a few of your employees can bring to light problems that may arise from a course of action being considered. Even if you move forward with that particular option, you are aware of the problems it may cause and can be prepared for them."

Friends...looking for ways to be more effective leaders? especially if your team seems overwhelmed? Krystal Speed, SPHR, Fractional Chief People Officer has some great tips! She is also one of the featured speakers at SPARC, Summer Programs and Auxiliary Revenue Collaborative's National Conference in October. As a former HR Summer Programs person working with Congressional Camp - she gets the summer & auxiliary programs world! I really love her action steps: 💡Assess the Workload 💡Delegate and Distribute 💡Recognize Effort 💡Make A Plan And as we try to help out team members develop their own professional development - "Effective leadership involves understanding and addressing the individual needs of your team members and planning for the growth that can be accelerated by expanding your team." 🙌 🎉

When employees feel their voices are not heard or their ideas are not valued, morale and productivity can suffer. As the manager, you will be held accountable by your superiors. It is you who is going to look bad. So, do a team meeting or one-on-one sessions to ask your team these 5 questions.

When a top performer starts underperforming, a thoughtful approach is key to getting back on track. It's never easy to watch a high-performing employee suddenly face a decline in their work.I believe we should always focus on understanding, not assumptions. Here’s how I believe it can be handled: 1. Schedule a private conversation – Start by addressing the issue privately and with empathy. 2. Listen actively – Understand any personal or professional struggles they may be facing. 3. Identify root causes – Look beyond the surface; is it workplace dynamics or changes in their role? 4. Offer resources and support. 5. Set clear expectations. 6. Monitor progress. Avoiding future issues starts with staying connected to what motivates your team. The impact of handling these situations well benefits both the employee and the organization. When managed effectively, performance improves, relationships strengthen, and overall team dynamics become more resilient. #HRLeadership #EmployeePerformance #PeopleManagement #WorkplaceSupport #HumanResources #TeamDevelopment