7 Things HR Needs to Say to Managers in an Economic Downturn

In an economic downturn, it’s the managers who will make or break a company. Yet, too often we do manager workarounds because “Our managers aren’t up to it,” or “Our managers are not that sophisticated.” STOP. Full stop.

One of our key jobs in HR is to help managers do what they need to do to keep the organizational machine running. Here are 7 things HR needs to say to managers in an economic downturn:

  1. This whole things rests on your shoulders. Step up or step out.
  2. It’s easy to be a manager when times are great. But these are the times they try mens’ souls. You should know the difference.
  3. We’re all in this together. If you’re saying anything different to your employees, that’s treason.
  4. Our pay plans were designed to recognize there are good times and bad times. Don’t think that just because we’re in a downturn that we’re going to change them on a whim.
  5. You need to pay more attention to your high performers. And that means knowing who they are, what motivates them, and how much they contribute to the company’s success.
  6. Don’t clam up. Sure, we’re all a bit edgy, but this is no time for the silent treatment. Talk. Tell people what you know, what you don’t know, and when you’ll know more.
  7. The mangers who do this best while times are tough are the managers who will have significant careers as senior leadership. We value results and the Peter Principle doesn’t work here.

KnowHR in The Sydney Morning Herald

Sydney Opera House

Ann-Maree Moodie wrote an very interesting article called “Office Power Tripping” in The Sydney Morning Herald where KnowHR was quoted. The next time, I’m volunteering to give the quotes in person in Sydney. (I’ve never been to Sydney, and I’m afraid that if I do, I’ll want to stay.)

[That very excellent photo of the Sydney Opera House is from Lihn rOm's Creative Commons photostream. It's a composite of 5 shots. Fabulous.]

Can You Motivate Someone?

I Don’t Wanna
Is it possible to motivate someone? Can you really make a person do what they don’t want to do? Can you persuade a person to be excited about something that they don’t care about? I don’t think so.

Want to know how to motivate someone? Buy a big screen TV.

Nothing Says Motivation Like a 58-Inch Plasma
Yesterday, a 58-inch plasma TV was delivered to my garage. It’s in a box that’s 6ft. long and 4ft. high. 200lbs. It’s huge.

When my teenage boys got home from school yesterday they ran into the house and said, “Let’s get that moved downstairs. Right now!”

Engagement and the Aegean Stables
I don’t have to tell anyone with kids, especially teens, that even little chores become the equivalent of cleaning the Aegean Stables. No matter how much I try to “motivate” my guys — both with pay and “tough love” — their motivation level stays the same. Yep, they’re not engaged. (This is officially my last time using the word “engaged” unless it means a promise to get married.)

But get a new big screen TV and things change. My dudes want to watch TV with their friends in our newly-finished basement. They want to play video games. So, we carried the 200lb. TV downstairs, did all kinds of measurements, drilled, and mounted the bracket. And put the TV up in the wall.

I didn’t have to cajole. Or ask. Or motivate. They were internally motivated.

What’s Your Employees’ Plasma TV?
So, what’s the plasma TV to your employees? You can’t make taking out the trash motivating no matter what you do. But if you can figure out your employees’ plasma TV, then you have it whipped.

HR’s Big Job? Help Managers Be Better Managers

I read this post on Wednesdays Off about a bad manager that started this way:

My boss’s style of management is, shall we say, unique? His idea of building team work is to irritate each of us until we band together as a group , united by our common goal of making a voodoo doll in his image.

You need to read the rest of the story. It just gets better.

I know we have a lot of jobs to do in HR. But one of the most important is to help managers be better managers, not look for management workarounds because “our managers aren’t up to the task.”

UPDATE: Michelle Malay Carter at Mission Minded Management has a super post about this titled Managerial Leadership: What Doesn’t Get Measured, Doesn’t Get Done.

Hint to Management: Never, Ever Sing in Videos

If you’re in management and have the urge to sing in a video, don’t do it unless your name is Bono or Pavarotti (well, Bono). Senior managers are managers, and talent is talent. Know the difference, guys.

Bank of America Managers Butcher “One” (via Flip Chart Fairy Tales)

Singapore Media Development Managers Rap (via TechCrunch)

If you’re in senior management and feel the need to make a creative video, think about doing an Elf Yourself. At least it’s good comedy.

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