Coach's Corner
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Question:
How should I manage my direct report’s concern about my meeting with his direct reports?
Answer
I would start by telling him what you have heard (he doesn’t like you doing them, or is uncomfortable with you doing them) and that you are concerned and would like to understand it more. Then ask him questions like:
1.Help me understand why you are uncomfortable with my doing skip levels?
2.Have you heard negative feedback about them?
3.If there is feedback about you as a first time manager, would you be concerned if someone offered that feedback?
4.What is most important to you as I do these skip levels? What would you like to see done differently or communicated differently?
You might reinforce that you would like to continue doing them as it is an excellent way to:
1.Keep pulse on the organization in total
2.Check in with people to see how they are doing
3.Share company and division information
4.Reinforce things that are important
5.Learn what might be barriers to success plus what is working really well
I think you need to put on a really strong INQUIRY hat and have a desire to really learn what his issue is. Once you know, it is solvable. Make sure he talks and tells you the whole story. It may take some more probing or asking more questions in order to make sure conflict avoidance does not mask the real issue(s).