Employee reviews - is it better to ask for forgiveness or permission?Employee reviews  How to get your boss to forgive you…I am of the belief that people want to be understood more than they are telling us and because we all inhabit the earth or the office we need to be cognizant of how to get along. My actions affect others…simple…but what if nobody tells me something is wrong…and I honestly don’t know I did something wrong? I think there is a delicate balance of business and personal and when the lines are blurred it can be a very dangerous neighborhood. Around every corner s a perceived threat and we tip toe around certain areas by skillfully avoiding topics of discussion that are emotionally charged. But what happens when we accidentally make our boss look bad? In my experience it is never a matter of directly offending my boss or coworker…instead it can be a gentle oversight that causes the harm. I believe men are of the mind that they demand to be needed and it is far more important than being wanted. They are fixers…they typically offer advice when it is not asked for and we all do it in the name of brotherhood. While others can feel better just by virtue of venting or letting off steam…some bosses will be ready to pounce on “opportunities” when they don’t have all the information yet. It can be a very tricky situation when you are trying to tell a story and someone thinks they know the ending…and they finish your sentence and start to base their opinions or plan of action based on what they think you said.It is a reasonable workplace occurrence..after all, bosses supervise their employees..no big surprise. But…what happens when employees start avoiding supervision by doing work away from the watchful eye of their superiors?Or…in business vernacular…is it better to ask for forgiveness or permission? It is important to take the initiative and display the courage of your convictions and at times you will be characterized as having leadership potential. But an unfortunate by product of this zeal can sometimes be the tendency to avoid scrutiny.This is no small event…it technically is insubordination.A terminable offense. But what about the flip side? Is one a valuable employee if they tip toe around and have to ask about plans and procedures? That may seem to be a natural alternative but it is also a surefire way of never earning the respect of your peers…and certainly not the respect of management. The answer I think is not necessarily in the middle..I believe if I am trained properly and the risks I take have minimal consequences than I am going to confidently trudge forth as I perform my duties. In the event things go awry I will humbly approach the offended parties and come clean. I will not passively cower while awaiting punishment. I will tell the other party that I understand what I did was wrong…I will listen intently on what they have to say and I will look them in the mouth (not the eye…never look at someone’s eye unless you are proposing marriage…it is unduly aggressive in a business setting). At no time will I ever include the following words and phrases in an apology..business or personal..same thing..these are things that cheapen your apology and you end up sounding like a sociopath: I’m sorry if But I just Can’t I Why Okay…you get the point..these are commonly used to justify one’s position..the key to an apology is simple…validate them, tell them why they are right and why you are wrong…be very clear on how you are wrong…that does not mean you give them the reason why you did something…and most of all tell them you will learn from your mistakes. "Employee reviews" written by Ken Bownes Employee reviews blogHave A Great Story About This Topic?Share it! Employee reviews - Most read articles Home |
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