The courteous… reprimander!

Who doesn’t remember a terrible reprimand for quite questionable reasons, received at some point in life by a ham-fisted boss?

Not to mention how embarrassed we’ve felt when, having climbed up into the position of a boss and being fully entitled to reprimand ourselves, we’ve seen our ham-fisted reprimand meet with the astonished glance of a surprised staff member.

After all, we’ve learnt that a real leader is good at reprimanding, right?

Well, I think the reprimand plays an essential role: as long as we take a few essential actions.

Having suffered many reprimands myself, I’m now proud to show you a reprimanding model that might be useful in correcting without depressing.

Would you like to become a courteous reprimander too?

Then learn all about it!

The constructive reprimand

A constructive reprimand is a tool aimed at containing or preventing a behaviour that might lead to ineffective performance or jeopardise effective performance while avoiding the emotional destruction of the staff member.

When is the right moment to reprimand the unfortunate transgressor?

Immediately after observing the behaviour you intend to correct (tomorrow is too late), and only if well prepared.

What is the best place for a reprimand?

Alone, never in public: how bad can a person feel, when exposed to public humiliation? And what is his professional performance going to be like, in the following days?

How should the difficult task be managed?

• Separate the problem from the person; even the best staff members make mistakes.
• Ask open-ended questions that help the person to get straight to the point, and to become aware of the behaviour to correct and the action to take.
• Share areas for improvement and corrective actions without being redundant or repetitive (if possible).
• Wait or ask for feedback.
• Bring the matter to a close by reaffirming your esteem and faith in the person, then end the conversation or change the subject.

How long should a suitable reprimand last?

Ideally, a reprimand is short, rarely longer than 5 minutes.

What communication style should be adopted?

• Never use harsh or – worse – offensive words: not only is an insult a sign of bad taste, but it also obscures the content.
• Use a level tone of voice (if you’re angry, take three deep breaths, and only start when you feel ready).
• Never repeat the same argument twice: better to avoid the embarrassment of talking in circles.

Complicated? Maybe. But success comes to those who persevere…

Don’t you think so?