May 7

In the Office: My direct report is hard driving

Q.  I have an outstanding direct report who prides himself on getting the job done; the challenge is his hard-driving personality pushes clients faster than the task deserves or the client desires.  How do I temper his approach without negatively impacting his commitment and enthusiasm?  

A. Great question! Your approach with your direct report will set the tone in terms of his continued commitment and enthusiasm.  Since this is a perfect opportunity for professional growth, you can easily approach this by scheduling a meeting dedicated to discussing his professional development.  Below are steps to help you help him during the conversation:

• Go in with your result in mind.  Be clear about what you want to get out of the meeting.  Ask yourself, “What would have to happen for this meeting to be a complete success?”  NOTE:  Your success cannot be dependent on his response, his willingness to “change” or his ability “to see the error of his ways.”  Your result must be solely based on parts of the conversation within your control.  For example, “My intended result is to enter the conversation with curiosity, actively seeking ways to support my direct report in being more aware of clients, their timelines and their needs.”
• Begin with curiosity. It is important for you to get an understanding of his self-view, ask for his thoughts about his own behavior.  To do this, reference a specific situation using open-ended questions. Some questions may include:  “What was the result you wanted from your interaction?”  “In your words, how would you describe your ability to meet that result?” “What, if anything, would you do different if that interaction were to take place today?”  
• Set priorities. When priorities are unclear it is easy for high-driving individuals to approach everything with high intensity.  Help your direct report by prioritizing his responsibilities with him.  An easy way to accomplish this is to have him scale the level of urgency of each of his responsibilities from 1 – 10 (1 = not urgent, 10 = top priority).  Then you do the same thing; this process ensures you are both on the same page.  Where clients are involved it may be helpful to have them rate their level of urgency as well.  This will help your direct report place the appropriate amount of energy toward the most urgent projects.
• Building relationships. Individuals with high driving personalities often neglect to consider the importance of relationships in getting things done. Helping him understand the ROI of relationship building will engage his natural thinking process.  You can accomplish this by having him observe you working with others and then debriefing the meeting afterward.  You could also have him focus on a relationship that is extremely challenging for him and help him build a plan to improve that relationship.

By keeping your enthusiasm and commitment to your direct report’s growth at high level you can guide him to work more effectively with others.

Laura Treonze, serves as Chief Life Strategist with LMT Consulting, which helps executives and teams create massive success through self-awareness. Her life-changing approach has transformed individuals and families and has redefined the way non-profits and corporations “do” business.