November 26, 2018
Ask ACE
Tips on helping someone choose to change their unproductive work behavior
By Dana Morris-jones Of The Delphi Group
Q: Is it possible to change another person's behavior?
ACE advises: We are often asked by managers whether it is possible to change another person's behavior. While the simple answer is “no,” the more helpful response is that there are many things you can do to help the person choose to change:
- Make sure that the behavior is clearly related to job performance. Provide detailed, specific feedback about behavior you want the person to change and why it matters. For example, “In the last month, you have made a dozen mistakes in your order entries. This is causing problems in fulfilling orders correctly and in tracking inventory.” Ask for the person's perception and get a commitment to work on the problem: “What are your thoughts about this and how can I help you with it?”
- Make sure that the person has the knowledge and skill to make the change. “Let's go over the form.”
- Help the person determine the causes, by writing down and analyzing the specifics of each instance: what else was happening, how tasks were being prioritized, etc.
- Agree on the necessary change. It may be as simple as using a different tool or format, better time management or increased focus and attention to detail.
- Agree on a reasonable goal and timeline. Ask for periodic self-assessment and progress reports. Provide frequent, consistent feedback based on your observations.
- Focus on encouragement and the importance of the change. Find ways to catch the person doing things right and offer praise, rather than waiting for the mistake to occur again.
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