How to follow-up
Most interventions end with an agreement to follow-up, that concluding action being an important part of a manager’s role. Follow-up actions need to be more than ad hoc additions to daily routines. Effective follow-up discussions not only demonstrate to employees that you mean what you say - that you actually do follow up - but also show your interest in employees’ progress. Here’s how to make the best use of this important, though often neglected, aspect of management practice...
1. Review previous discussions.
Having set aside a time for a follow-up meeting, make sure it happens. Begin the meeting by briefly recapping any previous discussions, including any actions you both agreed on at that time. Be specific: highlight only important aspects of those discussions. Again, focus only on identified problems, not the person.
2. Arrive at an assessment.
If progress since the initial meeting has been made, encourage the employee to talk about the achievements. Take time to outline to the employee your assessment of his or her contributions and accomplishments. Express your pleasure at obvious progress. If you are satisfied with the improvements, proceed to point 7.
If, however, the problem has not been solved to your satisfaction, refer to specific data to show that the employee still has work to do, and continue to explore the issue…
3. Explore possible solutions.
In the case of insufficient improvement, suggest as many as possible different options to overcome the problem; but avoid demanding specific actions. People will work harder to solve their problems when they themselves have a voice in the strategy to be adopted. So let the employee decide on a suitable plan of action. You, of course, will need to agree on, and be prepared to support or disagree with, the proposed solution.
