A Few Things...

Yesterday, we had the pleasure of hosting Major Chris Armijo as a guest lecturer in class. It went really well and he spoke a lot about many relevant topics. Unfortunately we didn't get to all of the topics we had planned to, so I'm going to touch on setting objectives and constructive criticism here!

Setting objectives: Objectives are really important to the development and improvement of a company. Personal goals as well as small group and organizational goals all play roles in the bettering of a company. A crucial aspect when thinking about goals you want to set is remembering that the objective is not to just do the job. The objective is to strive to do better than the standard and exceed the job description. However, you can't set it so high that it is unattainable. Setting easier simpler goals will not only help you reach your overall end goal, it will also motivate and inspire you to continue to work toward the bigger objective. When setting your own goals, make sure you don't set yourself up for failure. And when you are helping others set goals or delegating tasks to others, don't set those people up for failure! It can be really easy to give somebody a goal to accomplish, but it's hard to follow-up. Follow-up is another crucial aspect of setting objectives. Be available for them to ask questions and make sure they know you are there to help!

A few questions that I have regarding goal setting: what are some tips on benchmarking? What would be an appropriate timeline for completing an objective, especially if it is a long-term goal? As a supervisor, should you step back and allow people to create their own goals, or should you provide them with the goals that you think you benefit them? And what if that person or people is/are resistant to changing their behavior in order to achieve the goals you provide?

Corrective counseling and constructive criticism: When it comes to corrective counseling and constructive criticism, I think it is essential to keep it impersonal in the workplace. When you are accepting criticism it is important to remember that you are not being personally attacked by the supervisor. They are trying to give you helpful feedback to improve your performance. It can be hard not to get defensive about it and sometimes it can feel personal, but in reality it is about growth and improvement. When giving criticism you need to remember to be honest and straight forward with the person you are talking to. You have to have the maturity to be able to have the conversation and be honest to the person while looking them in the eyes. Another part that is crucial when giving criticism to someone else is following-up with them. You want to be sure that the person is feeling good about your conversation, they understand the ideas you gave them for improvement, and repair the relationship if they are feeling threatened. It can be difficult to see people after you have told them they need to improve their work ethic, but if you don't reach out to them afterward it is unlikely they will take the criticism into strong consideration and may even disregard it all together.

One question that I have thought of as a future professional: how do you, as a junior member of an organization, approach a supervisor and initiate a conversation about something you think they should improve upon? How can you approach that situation without seeming arrogant or unprofessional or disrespectful?

Thanks for reading!