Rethinking Supervision: The Pygmalion EffectEmployee Efficacy – Helping to empower your employees.What do when an employee is not motivated to improve? Employee Discipline based on the “FRISK” documentation and discipline model

Table talk with someone next to you› Identify 10 key traits you want to see

in employees

Remember the story of Eliza Doolittle and Professor Henry Higgins?› What can happen for power

of suggestion or believing that every employee is capable of excellence?

› What does it take from the Supervisor or Organization’s Leaders?

› Can it work for Everyone?

•Climate

•Input

•Output

•Feedback

Recognize the tone of voice you use (including e-mail)Recognize where you are giving adequate eye contact, and direct attention to your employeesConsider your facial expressions, body language and postureReflect on your listening skills you employees feel they are being heard and understood?

Talk to a partner:› Are you challenging your staff enough with

the expectations and duties you make them responsible for?

› What are you currently doing or wanting to do more of in terms of expanding your employee’s skills?

Employees feel they make a difference when they are allowed to speak and offer opinions.› Talk with a partner:

How do you create a climate where employees feel their opinions are valued?How do you empower employees to take ownership and feel a sense of efficacy?

What are their strengths?What is their comfort zone?Do they achieve more as part of a team or solo?Can they be freed up briefly to take on a creative endeavor?Brainstorm with a partner ways in which you could encourage creative efforts by employees

Positive Reinforcement› Rewarding positive performance

Recognition and CelebrationsGiving opportunities for sharing of accomplishments or giving thanks to co-workers publicallyLead by example, model the behavior you want others to exhibitGive honest feedback focusing on strengths

Having the tough conversations and doing it without being overly critical. Adult Learning TheoryHave employee self evaluate themselves and their performanceAsking critical questions, such as “what was the outcome you were trying to achieve“?” “Do you feel you met your expectation?”Share your honest opinion of what the employee may want to change, or consider doing differently when necessary.

Focus on and build on employee’s strengths, not weaknessesExpress positive expectations about their abilitiesListen and pay close attentionEmphasize their worthEncourage them to ask questionsAllow them time to perform tasks correctly, Be generous with sincere complimentsEngage employees by seeking their input and giving them ownership of tasks they are assigned to, but also be clear about your expectations of accountability

Pay less attention to low achievers (less smiling and eye contact)Limit praise to times when it is genuinely earnedFocus you earnest energy on people who are attempting to achieve or who are high achievers

When you believe what you contribute or do makes a difference.When you feel ownership for your role and feel you are trusted to make decisions regarding your roleTalk to a neighbor, what is something you feel you contribute or do in your role that you feel makes a difference for your children and families?

Identify one specific task you would like to help a particular challenging staff person improve upon. (As a group decide which of the issues you identified you want to problem solve as a group)Each participant will be able to offer solutions or suggestions› 10 minute discussion

What different perspectives did people bring to the issue?How can you use this information to become a better leader?

When you have done all you can to support and improve performanceWhen you have someone who uses poor judgment or has negative patterns of behaviorWhen you have someone who is not competent in their responsibilities and is not capable of improvement

The FRISK Documentation model is designed for evaluators as a practical and straightforward method for documenting unsatisfactory employee performance. It contains essential information related to:› Documentation and File Building› Primary Documentation Components (the

essential elements)› Legally sufficient disciplinary memoranda› Progressive Discipline› Documentation format and style

To improve employee performance and to effect a positive change through clear communication and providing clear expectations of performanceLegally sufficient documentation is the programs primary source of evidence in the employers “burden of proof” from the legal standpoint

F = FactsR = RuleI = ImpactS= Suggestions/Directions for ImprovementK = Knowledge

F= Facts evidencing the employee’s unsatisfactory conductR = Rule or authority or policy violated by the unsatisfactory conductI = Impact of the employee’s conduct on your center or programS = Suggestions (directives) to assist the employee in improving performance and to understand expectationsK= Knowledge of the employee’s right to respond to derogatory information placed in the personnel file as required by Ed. Code section 44031

F = What did the employee do? (detailed information –include dates, and others involved, etc). Only the facts not opinion or speculation.R = What rule or directive did the employee violate (i.e. board policies, ed. code section, administrative regs or recognized professional conductI – What was the impact of the employee’s performance on the center or program (i.e. parent disenrolled, reputation of the center was damaged, a complaint was filed, etc...)S = When and What you expect the employee to do to improve performance (i.e. attend a training on… or cease to behave in this fashion in the future, etc)K = Does the employee have knowledge they may attach a written response per Ed. Code section 440-31

See handout page # ______

You are the center director for a preschool program. On Friday you are approached by an ROP instructor and her student who work in one of your preschool classrooms. The student reports Teacher Cindy was very angry with a child who would not nap and was being disruptive so she yelled at the child telling her “you make me so mad, do you want me to come over there? “ Believe me you do not want me to have to come over there!” Then she harshly laid the child down and began rubbing her back. The ROP instructor walked in just as this began, but Teacher Cindy did not see her standing in the back of the room.

Tone of VoiceFacial Expressions or demeanorInterpersonal interactions that are uncomfortableAppearanceIrrational behaviorSubtle defiance - insubordination

DateName/Address Hand DeliveredOn Friday, October 10, 2013 I was approached by ROP Student Jamie Young and her ROP instructor Liz Payne to report they observed you being inappropriately harsh with a preschooler who was disruptive during nap time. They both observed you shout at the child that “you make me so mad!” “Do you want me to come over there” “Believe me you do not want me to come over there”. Then they observed you harshly lay the child down and begin rubbing her back.I interviewed you on Monday October 13, 2013 and you denied these allegationsI believe both of the witnesses were credible and had no reason to supply false information about you. Per our board policies, and per community care licensing, employees may never use a harsh tone or threaten a child as a form of discipline. We were forced to make an unusual incident report to community care licensing and as a result of that we have been issued a Type A licensing violation for violating a child’s personal rights. This type of violation puts us at risk of losing our license, and our contracts with the California Department of Education. This also seriously harmed our reputation with the ROP program, as you were acting in a role model role for that ROP student and she observed your inappropriate behavior. And worst of all, this caused trauma to a child under your care.You are hereby directed to always keep you voice tone moderated, and to never use threats with children in your care. Failure to adhere to this directive, or If I become aware of this in the future will result in further disciplinary action up to and including terminationYou will be suspended without pay for 5 days beginning Tomorrow, October 20, 2013 through October 25, 2013. You will be required to undergo training regarding dealing with behavior issues with your supervisor prior to returning to the classroom and you will be reassigned on October 27, 2013 to room 7 at Anderson Heights Preschool.A copy of this letter will be placed in your personnel file, you will have 10 days in accordance with your bargaining unit contract to attach a response should you wish to do so.

You arrive to your center at 7:30 a.m. to find one of your teachers standing outside her classroom having a screaming fight with her husband on her cell phone. Parents are starting to arrive and the teacher pays no notice to you or to the parents and children who are approaching. You tap her on the shoulder and tell her she must end her conversation. She hangs up and starts crying, then runs into her classroom.You greet the parents, make small talk and give the teacher time to compose herself before you invite the parents inside. Seeing she is still clearly upset, you make sure the children are adequately supervised, Then take her outside and send her home for the day, setting up a meeting for the next morning to discuss with her. This is not the first time you have heard about her volatile conversations with her husband, but this is the first time you observed it for yourself and parents and children witnessed it too.

Write this FRISK Letter….

If you would not want your child with that individualIf it is impacting the work of others, or having an adverse impact on the program or classroom operationWhen someone continues to have a pattern of using poor judgment, but it’s not always the same thing they are doing wrongWhen someone’s behavior impacts the climate of your program, people dread having to interact with an individual

Pressure from other employees once you begin serious disciplineUnion Issues – representation can be intimidatingKeeping the pressure on while trying to do your own jobFear of retaliation or of what that person might snap and doFear of the legal process that takes place when moving for dismissalTrying to be impartial and not take things said to you to heart, this can lead to a character attack against you so you feel as if you have to defend your own actions and decisions

Keep your composure, always be the bigger person. Be firm and fairBe clear and concise, and remember you are trying to improve performance. But if have made extraordinary efforts and are not able to see improvement, it may be time to move for termination of that employeeI advise, consulting with an attorney before issuing a termination notice. This process can be lengthy, but if done right, you can be successful

What is one new thing you will take away today?What is something you might try?What was an “a ha” moment for you?