Three on Three—the Magnificent Supervision Tool

What an Idea--proven over time! It was in the mid-1980s, when I owned a manufacturers representative sales agency that I heard Patricia Fripp talking about this idea in one of her success seminars. I tried the idea with my sales team and it worked magnificently. For over a decade now, I too have been sharing this tool with audiences across North America and have received numerous notes of success from attendees.

Let me first warn you—while this tool is simple to understand and quite easy to use, if executed incorrectly, can be crushing to your ego. But, what the hay—as a leader, it is your job to leave your ego at the door when you come to work each day.

The Value

The important value you will receive from this tool is that of knowing what perceptions your employees hold about you and their work environment. I absolutely believe that in every company—no matter how caring toward employees—exists a metaphorical two-story outhouse. Since we all know what flows downhill, your concern needs to be that of determining how to dismantle or tear down this barrier between you and your employees, no matter how inconsequential you believe it to be. Learning the perceptions of your employees is key to bettering the work environment for them. It is also true for creating an open door safety net that will allow employees to operate in an environment that encourages them point out overlooked mistakes before they become costly catastrophes.

The Tool

The brief description of this tool is to sit down with your key employees, department heads or executive team—one at a time—and ask them to share with you three things that they do not like about how you manage them and the organization. Then to ask them to share with you three things they do like.

A Word of Caution

In order for you to successfully use this tool you need to realize that your employees will be very skeptical at first. They will wonder what’s gotten into you—what’s your true motivation in asking these questions? Also, you must be aware of the fact that they will “feel the water before jumping in” meaning that they will test you first before they will share their true perceptions. With this being stated, be cautious to only thank them for their answers rather than to question or challenge their answers in a knee-jerk fashion. If you do not understand what they are saying, it is okay to ask for clarification but any comment other than a “Thank you” will greatly diminish your employees’ willingness to take a risk and tell you the truth.

Tool Implementation

Select the employee with whom you believe you have the best relationship for your first go at the Three on Three. Do this because you will be the most at ease with this person. After your first success, each consecutive session gets easier to conduct.

1. Find a neutral location (your office is unacceptable) and sit them down in a relaxed atmosphere.
2. Tell your employee that you have a desire to improve your management style and the work environment for all the employees.
3. Ask them for their help in honestly answering some questions.
4. Insure them that nothing they say will ever be held against them in the future.
5. Now ask them to share three things with you that they don’t like about your management style or the work environment. Remember, the first answer is testing the water so even if you feel like you’ve just been stabbed in the heart, you must only reply with, “Thank you.”
6. Repeat step #5 two more times. Generally, the second or perhaps third response is where you hit gold and get some real feedback.
7. In a sincere manner, tell them that you will work on what they said and that you will get back to them in a week or two to discuss what you have done about the items they shared.
8. Now you can ask for three things they do like about your management style and the work environment. Again, only respond with, “Thank you.” This is not the time to puff up your chest and talk about your greatness.
9. After the third positive response assure them that you are going to try to do more of those things in the future.
10. The master key to this whole process is that you MUST get back with this employee in the week or two that you promised and have completed some definitive action toward improvement on at least one of the items they shared with you as being a problem—an action toward all three issues is optimal.

Do this Three on Three process with your key people at least twice a year—quarterly is better—and at this time next year, I guarantee that you will have noticed results.

Praise Employees for a Job Well Done

Praise for a job well done! Was the response most frequently given to me during my six-month Employee Loyalty Survey in 1995. At seminars across the country, I asked attendees to tell me the one thing that would improve their company loyalty. Present, were of all levels from entry to executive, and recognition is what American workers want most!

I believe most executives, owners and managers secretly yearn for employees who have an emotional ownership in their company. Employees that operate as if they owned the company and always looked out for the company's best interests. Unfortunately, few are willing to do what it takes to cultivate this emotional ownership. Often, I hear managers saying that loyalty is too costly. But, how much does it cost to say, "Good job" or "Thank you?" Not a cent! The cost is the manager giving of him or herself--and to some, that price is too high. I have found that a little bit of recognition goes a long way.

Find creative ways to recognize your team. Don't let your creativity limit you, ask your employees what they might like. Ask colleagues what they have done. Listed below are 50 "easier" low cost recognitions offered by my seminar attendees.

Low Cost Employee Recognition

1. A visit from the president.

2. E-mail from the president.

3. Notice to all employees of a special performance.

4. Letter of recognition in employee's permanent file.

5. "Highlighting Employee" section in company newsletter.

6. "Well Done" pens.

7. Company coffee cup.

8. "Attaboy or Attagirl" stickers.

9. Paid time off.

10. Recognition at meeting.

11. Flowers.

12. T-shirt.

13. Lunch with the president or other executive.

14. New title.

15. Balloons.

16. Gift certificates to local restaurant, theater or video/DVD rental store.

17. Flex time.

18. Special parking space.

19. Private verbal praise.

20. Team pot luck celebration.

21. Choice of work assignments.

22. Certificate of Appreciation.

23. Cookies.

23. Team congratulatory song.

24. Selecting the workplace radio station for a week.

25. Come in late or get off early card.

26. Get the workplace recycled soda cans for a month.

27. Hand shake and "Thank you."

28. Company specialty advertising items.

29. Boss for a day.

30. Care package to spouse or children of employee.

31. Wash employee's car.

32. Food: all-day suckers, pizza, donuts or maybe something healthy.

33. "Get Out of Meeting" card.

34. Free vending machine privileges for the week.

35. Lotto tickets.

36. Gold star on desk.

37. Facial, pedicure or massage.

38. Cater breakfast at employee's desk.

39. Party at owner's or executive's home.

40. "We'll do it Your Way Today" card.

41. Software, special keyboard, new chair, etc.

42. Notice about employee accomplishments in local newspaper.

43. Assign additional responsibility.

44. Guaranteed quiet/thinking time.

45. Include employee in decision making.

46. Decorate office for holidays.

47. Lunch or dinner at long meetings and training classes.

48. Listen to the employee.

49. Encouragement.

50. Allowed to attend a seminar of their choice.

In The Art of Partnering I wrote about Management By Partnering Around (MBPA). I believe MBPA is the best possible solution to greater productivity. This applies to anybody who considers them a manager or better yet, a leader. Use Ken Blanchard's model from the One Minute Manager, find employees doing things right and give them a "one minute praising" on the spot. What a great way to build relationships.

Management by Partnering Around
When I suggest partnering around, I'm simply suggesting that you create mini-alliances throughout your organization with employees, teams, executives, and others. As in networking, your goal in MBPA is to get to know as many employees as possible. Next, learn their strengths, weaknesses, and their interests. This knowledge will allow you to successfully put people together using the "Adaptive Organization" model. It will serve you well by unleashing employee creativity and more effectively utilizing their unique abilities.

If you will commit to MBPA, you can add my favorite recognition program to all your other incentive or motivational workplace programs. Rigsbee's Recommended Recognition Program is that of offering negotiable corporate tender. The benefits to this recognition system are: Immediate and customized recognitions. We all want to know how we are doing. Who would not like their "reward" customized to their individual preferences?

Employee Recognition Certificates

Too expensive you say--not at all! This is the best deal in town if you do it correctly. Print recognition bucks assign a value and hand them out when you catch your employees doing a great job. It's praise for a job well done. Who should hand out the certificates? It should be supervisors, managers and executives/owners.

Assigning the value is a bit tricky. You want them coveted by the employees but not so valuable that your managers are hesitant to hand them out. An Air Force major I met in Alaska assigned the value as a paid day off but for most companies it is too valuable. Managers are much less likely to hand out days off than a coffee mug.

First look at what you already have that would create value in the lives of your employees, vender freebies, specialty advertising items and so forth. Then see what toys can barter for within your community and then post a list of "recognitions" and assign how many certificates needed for redemption. One certificate might be worth a paid hour off or a T-shirt. Two certificates might get your employee movie tickets for two or lunch at a local haunt. Five certificates might get a company jacket of paid vacation day. Play with it, put up new postings each month of the newly acquired goodies. Be creative, always add something new to keep the program fresh and your employees guessing.

This program only works of the supervisors, managers and executives/owners will give of themselves to find employees doing things right and reward them for a job well done. Take a risk and try it. All you have to lose is the productivity your not now currently getting. Whatever method you select for recognizing your employees, the important thing is to start now.