A Japanese executive once described the distinction that his firm made when faced with an employee mistake. If the mistake was skills-based, they would train the person. If it was values-based, however, they would get rid of the person.
I imagine they didn't sack all values fumblers. After all, there are gradations of mistakes. The distinction does, however, give a level of clarity that many firms need because tucked in the back of an employee's mind is always this question:
"What do I have to do to get fired around here?"
That may sound odd but it is realistic. People want to know how far their performance is from the flame. In a world of employment at will and downsizing pressures, a good night's sleep can be greatly facilitated by knowing just how things stand. Uncertainty feeds fear while a delineation of the boundaries increases confidence and a sense of control.
I mention this because I've seen workplaces where that question is unanswered. People are fired and the bases for the terminations are never given. In time, the survivors begin to flinch at any sudden moves. Candor evaporates and trust becomes a distant memory.
It is important for leaders to talk with employees about the precise type of behavior that can quickly get a person in big trouble. Along with that should be the observation that intelligent mistakes will not receive a disproportionate response by management. This should be part of a campaign to assure employees that they are valued and that the management team is a reasonable bunch and not a ravenous tiger.
If that seems obvious, think again. What may be obvious to upper management is anything but so when it comes to the rank and file.
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