July 2012 Management Minute

“Criticism: The Elusive Ingredient”

by Chris Reinhardt, feedlot specialist

Criticism: If you’re like most people that word doesn’t exactly conjure up images of a warm-and-fuzzy workplace. But when delivered properly, and in the appropriate context, criticism (the “constructive” part is implied) may be the missing ingredient from many dysfunctional teams.

Once again, we’ll use the manager-as-coach analogy. Imagine a basketball coach, who spends every day in the office, signing invoices, paying bills, and calling season ticket holders, but once a quarter, brings each player in for a performance review. Although it’s ridiculous to consider, that’s how some managers try to manage a team.

How can anyone manage, and provide timely, useful criticism, in appropriate context, if that manager doesn’t spend an abundance of time learning about each teammate and what they do on a daily basis and how they do it. This is the very reason some management theories hold that each manager should have no greater than 6-7 direct reports. More than that and the opportunity to spend abundant time with each person shrinks drastically.

Now imagine a different coach, who has won countless games and multiple championships, and has mentored hundreds of successful athletes, spending 2 hours every day on the floor with the players, leading drills and breaking down performance in real-time. This coach spends hours every day critiquing footwork, shooting technique, defensive body position, and on and on. This coach spends hour after hour, day after day, hammering away at the details of fundamental techniques that are taught to 8-year olds.

This coach is successful, not because of phone time and face time with the fan base, but because of intentional, unhurried, one-on-one time with each player, and a relentless pursuit of excellence in the fundamentals of the game.

Criticism can only be an effective component of teaching if the coach fully comprehends the needs of the student, and if the student trusts that the teacher fully comprehends the needs of the team. This blend can only be achieved by investing that most precious of resources: time.