How to Make Wise People Decisions

Here are eight basic management principles for making wise people decisions:

1. Pay attention to your people decisions. These are the decisions that determine your team/organization’s performance. Hiring and coaching employees is a manager’s most important task.
2. For any assignment, pick people who’ve shown at least some evidence of the ability to do it well. Don’t expect them to be productive in their new role within days or weeks.
3. Do not give new people major assignments. First, put them into positions where expectations are known and help is available. Help them make the transition.
4. Set the right expectations. A manager can forestall a great deal of employee problems by proactively setting expectations.
5. Don’t ignore concerns until they morph into problems. Conflict can be emotionally distressing, but being decisive and doing what’s best eventually works out well for everyone.
6. If an employee is doing poorly, first attempt remediation and coaching. If those don’t solve his/her underperformance, it’s usually prudent to cut your losses. Giving the employee more time to improve not only wastes time and energy, but increases the mutual hostility and chances of a claim of wrongful termination.
7. Take responsibility for mistakes. Don’t blame the person you hire or promote for not performing. Your decision put them there.
8. Take your managerial duties seriously. It’s your obligation to make sure that responsible people in your organization perform. In turn, they have a right to expect you to be a competent manager.