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Confronting Employees
Confronting Employees A POSITIVEMANAGEMENT TOOL Ruth E. Davidhizar, RN
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onfrontation, if used correctly, can be a powerful, time-saving management tool that facilitates the resolution of a problem. Because many female nurse managers have been socialized to believe that confronting one another is hostile and aggressive, they find confrontation risky and difficult to learn. When using confrontation, the manager communicates what he or she believes in a direct and assertive manner; there are no covert or mystifying messages given. Because confrontation allows individuals to learn what others may think about them, it can be a technique to help others learn about themselves and grow in their professions. One of the most difficult tasks that the nurse manager must master is the appropriate use of confrontation. Any manager who wants to learn how to confront an employee effectively must first identify if the need for confrontation is valid, and then go on to plan how, when, and where the confrontation will take place.
Eliminate derogatory comments. Confrontation can be damaging to the self-esteem of an employee. This is especially true if the manager involved in the confrontation is held in high regard, or if the employee does not see any corrective or face-saving options. The manager should attempt to communicate respect, empathy, and support in his or her comments. Confrontation is most effective when the interaction results in the employee thinking about his or her behavior and not the behavior of the manager. To focus on personal behavior, the individual confronted must feel that he or she has the manager’s respect. If a reprimand ends with praise, the individual concentrates on his or her
Using Confrontation Correctly
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onfrontation is often done poorly, which results in intimidating the employee and embarrassing the manager. It should not be done in a derogatory, angry, or arrogant manner, nor should it be used too often. It is important that the manager time the meeting appropriately and use a person-to-person approach; confrontation through company memorandums is not appropriate. (See“Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Confrontation.”)
Ruth E. Davidhizar, RN, DNSc, CS, ii the director of nursing, Logansport (Ind) State Hospital. She received her bachelor of science degree in nursingfrom Goshen (Ind) College, and both her master of science in nursing and doctor of nursing science degrees in psychiatric nursing from Indiana Universiv, Indianapolis. 319
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AUGUST 1988, VOL. 48, NO 2
Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Confrontation Scenario: The scrub nurse who is scheduled for surgery is late for duty. When the nurse arrives, the surgery begins immediately. At the end of the case, the nurse manager confronts the nurse.
Do s’ The nurse manager takes the scrub nurse to her office and says, “This is the third time in a month that procedures have been delayed because of your tardiness. I understand you are having car trouble, but I am going to have to document this. 1 suggest you look into other means of transportation until you can get your car to work properly. Your work in the OR is quite good, but if this happens again I will recommend that you be suspended.” The advantages of this type of confrontation are: the nurse manager confronts the nurse in private with a firm, calm presentation of the facts, the consequences of the nurse’s behavior are clearly outlined, the nurse manager offers suggestions for improving the employee’s behavior, and shows empathy. Jehavior rather than the manager’s criticism.’ Effective confrontation occurs when the employee feels empathy from the nurse manager. Empathy can balance the negative effects of the manager’s statement and facilitate a change in behavior. When confronting an individual, the manager must be prepared to suggest ways of meeting job expectations. If support and assistance are not readily available, confrontation seems more devastating to the employee. If the confrontation is seen in the context of a supportive relationship, it appears less threatening and less negative. Remove anger and arrogance. If confrontation is done in an angry or degrading manner, the employee will be defensive, waste time rationalizing his or her actions, and blame others for his or her faults. Rather than confronting the employee in anger, the manager should calmly present the facts of the situation as he or she determines them. The manager should share his
Don’ts The nurse manager stops the scrub nurse in the hallway just outside of the O R and says, “I can’t believe that you were late again. Everyone else has a car that works. I’m tired of hearing about your car. I am going to write a memo about your behavior and put it in your file. Maybe then you’ll get the message. You are causing the team more grief than you’re worth.” The disadvantages of this type of confrontation are: the confrontation belittles the employee in front of his or her coworkers, the manager assumes an arrogant attitude and does nothing to foster any change on the employee’s part, and the confrontation only vents the manager’s anger and shows no empathy for the employee.
or her thought process, showing in rational steps how the conclusions were reached.2 When the manager discloses his or her thought process, the employee feels he or she is being treated fairly and with respect. Managers must be firm and decisive, but sometimes this attitude is taken to an extreme and the manager’s behavior becomes arrogant. Acting arrogantly is counterproductive to a situation where negotiation and resolution may be necessary. If the manager assumes the attitude that the employee did not have the benefit of all the crucial information, both the manager and the employee can maintain his or her self-respect and begin the resolution process without the employee being defensive. Humor can make confrontation more palatable and enable the manager and the employee to communicate on a one-to-one level. By breaking the tension, the manager opens the way toward 321
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positive negotiations and resolutions. Personalize the interaction. Confrontation through a memorandum or letter is usually ineffective because the memorandum can be misinterpreted. This often compounds the problem and adds to the issues which must be clarified later. A face-to-face encounter gives the manager the opportunity to clarify or modify what has been written.
Timing Confrontations
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he timing of the confrontation and the setting chosen are crucial in reaching the desired outcome. Premature confrontation damages the manager’s credibility and negatively affects the employee’s self-esteem and his or her trust of the manager. The nurse manager must understand the issues involved and must be able to speak knowledgeably about the specific behaviors in question. Planning becomes essential for effective confrontation. Confrontations should be timed in relation to other job stressors. The manager should attempt to schedule the confrontation when the employee will be receptive to criticism and not be distracted by pending assignments or other employees. If confrontation occurs too quickly after an incident, emotions may be too charged for confrontation to be productive. Both the employee and the manager may need time to calm down before productive problem solving can occur. When choosing an appropriate place for the confrontation, the manager should select a setting that is conducive to personal conversations and that is apart from coworkers. Confrontation conducted before a group can be humiliating and counterproductive. Confrontation should occur only when corrective action can be taken. It should be reserved for situations where a specific need for confrontation is identified and a benefit results. Confrontation simply to point out errors has little benefit and is damaging to the employee’s self-esteem. Managers who discuss negative incidents long after they have happened lose the employee’s trust because the confrontation appears to emphasize 322
AUGUST 1988. VOL. 48, NO 2
only the negative performance and not the need for improvement.
Summary ‘urse managers who confront employees in an appropriate manner leave no doubt about their expectations. They demand excellent and consistent performance and do not settle for less. A manager who uses confrontation shows that he or she cares enough about the employee to challenge poor performance. When the manager confronts an employee about his or her performance, the manager is sending a message to all employees that mediocre work is not acceptable. The method of confrontation used by the manager ultimately determines how the criticism is received and how effective it is. The manager’s attitude toward the employee and his or her ability to verbalize expected outcomes significantly influences how confrontation is accepted. Managers who are derogatory, angry, or arrogant find that confrontation is ineffective in motivating their staff to improve. Managers who show respect, empathy, and support toward their employees and establish firm expectations find confrontation to be a useful tool in staff motivation. 0 Notes 1. K Blanchard, R Lorber. Puttinp the One Minute Manager to Work (New York City: Berkley Books, 1987). 2. H Schmertz, W Novak, Goodbye to the Low ProjZe: The Art of Creative Confrontation (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1986).
Suggested reading Lutjens, L. “The name of this game is conflict.” Nursing Management 14 (June 1983) 23-23. Mitchell, K. “Shooting straight from the hip.” Nursing Economics 5 (JanuaryIFebruary 1987) 46. Work, C. “The 21st century executive.” U S News and World Report (March 7, 1988) 48-52.
C
onfrontation, if used correctly, can be a powerful, time-saving management tool that facilitates the resolution of a problem. Because many female nurse managers have been socialized to believe that confronting one another is hostile and aggressive, they find confrontation risky and difficult to learn. When using confrontation, the manager communicates what he or she believes in a direct and assertive manner; there are no covert or mystifying messages given. Because confrontation allows individuals to learn what others may think about them, it can be a technique to help others learn about themselves and grow in their professions. One of the most difficult tasks that the nurse manager must master is the appropriate use of confrontation. Any manager who wants to learn how to confront an employee effectively must first identify if the need for confrontation is valid, and then go on to plan how, when, and where the confrontation will take place.
Eliminate derogatory comments. Confrontation can be damaging to the self-esteem of an employee. This is especially true if the manager involved in the confrontation is held in high regard, or if the employee does not see any corrective or face-saving options. The manager should attempt to communicate respect, empathy, and support in his or her comments. Confrontation is most effective when the interaction results in the employee thinking about his or her behavior and not the behavior of the manager. To focus on personal behavior, the individual confronted must feel that he or she has the manager’s respect. If a reprimand ends with praise, the individual concentrates on his or her
Using Confrontation Correctly
C
onfrontation is often done poorly, which results in intimidating the employee and embarrassing the manager. It should not be done in a derogatory, angry, or arrogant manner, nor should it be used too often. It is important that the manager time the meeting appropriately and use a person-to-person approach; confrontation through company memorandums is not appropriate. (See“Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Confrontation.”)
Ruth E. Davidhizar, RN, DNSc, CS, ii the director of nursing, Logansport (Ind) State Hospital. She received her bachelor of science degree in nursingfrom Goshen (Ind) College, and both her master of science in nursing and doctor of nursing science degrees in psychiatric nursing from Indiana Universiv, Indianapolis. 319
AORN JOURNAL
AUGUST 1988, VOL. 48, NO 2
Do’s and Don’ts of Effective Confrontation Scenario: The scrub nurse who is scheduled for surgery is late for duty. When the nurse arrives, the surgery begins immediately. At the end of the case, the nurse manager confronts the nurse.
Do s’ The nurse manager takes the scrub nurse to her office and says, “This is the third time in a month that procedures have been delayed because of your tardiness. I understand you are having car trouble, but I am going to have to document this. 1 suggest you look into other means of transportation until you can get your car to work properly. Your work in the OR is quite good, but if this happens again I will recommend that you be suspended.” The advantages of this type of confrontation are: the nurse manager confronts the nurse in private with a firm, calm presentation of the facts, the consequences of the nurse’s behavior are clearly outlined, the nurse manager offers suggestions for improving the employee’s behavior, and shows empathy. Jehavior rather than the manager’s criticism.’ Effective confrontation occurs when the employee feels empathy from the nurse manager. Empathy can balance the negative effects of the manager’s statement and facilitate a change in behavior. When confronting an individual, the manager must be prepared to suggest ways of meeting job expectations. If support and assistance are not readily available, confrontation seems more devastating to the employee. If the confrontation is seen in the context of a supportive relationship, it appears less threatening and less negative. Remove anger and arrogance. If confrontation is done in an angry or degrading manner, the employee will be defensive, waste time rationalizing his or her actions, and blame others for his or her faults. Rather than confronting the employee in anger, the manager should calmly present the facts of the situation as he or she determines them. The manager should share his
Don’ts The nurse manager stops the scrub nurse in the hallway just outside of the O R and says, “I can’t believe that you were late again. Everyone else has a car that works. I’m tired of hearing about your car. I am going to write a memo about your behavior and put it in your file. Maybe then you’ll get the message. You are causing the team more grief than you’re worth.” The disadvantages of this type of confrontation are: the confrontation belittles the employee in front of his or her coworkers, the manager assumes an arrogant attitude and does nothing to foster any change on the employee’s part, and the confrontation only vents the manager’s anger and shows no empathy for the employee.
or her thought process, showing in rational steps how the conclusions were reached.2 When the manager discloses his or her thought process, the employee feels he or she is being treated fairly and with respect. Managers must be firm and decisive, but sometimes this attitude is taken to an extreme and the manager’s behavior becomes arrogant. Acting arrogantly is counterproductive to a situation where negotiation and resolution may be necessary. If the manager assumes the attitude that the employee did not have the benefit of all the crucial information, both the manager and the employee can maintain his or her self-respect and begin the resolution process without the employee being defensive. Humor can make confrontation more palatable and enable the manager and the employee to communicate on a one-to-one level. By breaking the tension, the manager opens the way toward 321
AORN JOURNAL
positive negotiations and resolutions. Personalize the interaction. Confrontation through a memorandum or letter is usually ineffective because the memorandum can be misinterpreted. This often compounds the problem and adds to the issues which must be clarified later. A face-to-face encounter gives the manager the opportunity to clarify or modify what has been written.
Timing Confrontations
T
he timing of the confrontation and the setting chosen are crucial in reaching the desired outcome. Premature confrontation damages the manager’s credibility and negatively affects the employee’s self-esteem and his or her trust of the manager. The nurse manager must understand the issues involved and must be able to speak knowledgeably about the specific behaviors in question. Planning becomes essential for effective confrontation. Confrontations should be timed in relation to other job stressors. The manager should attempt to schedule the confrontation when the employee will be receptive to criticism and not be distracted by pending assignments or other employees. If confrontation occurs too quickly after an incident, emotions may be too charged for confrontation to be productive. Both the employee and the manager may need time to calm down before productive problem solving can occur. When choosing an appropriate place for the confrontation, the manager should select a setting that is conducive to personal conversations and that is apart from coworkers. Confrontation conducted before a group can be humiliating and counterproductive. Confrontation should occur only when corrective action can be taken. It should be reserved for situations where a specific need for confrontation is identified and a benefit results. Confrontation simply to point out errors has little benefit and is damaging to the employee’s self-esteem. Managers who discuss negative incidents long after they have happened lose the employee’s trust because the confrontation appears to emphasize 322
AUGUST 1988. VOL. 48, NO 2
only the negative performance and not the need for improvement.
Summary ‘urse managers who confront employees in an appropriate manner leave no doubt about their expectations. They demand excellent and consistent performance and do not settle for less. A manager who uses confrontation shows that he or she cares enough about the employee to challenge poor performance. When the manager confronts an employee about his or her performance, the manager is sending a message to all employees that mediocre work is not acceptable. The method of confrontation used by the manager ultimately determines how the criticism is received and how effective it is. The manager’s attitude toward the employee and his or her ability to verbalize expected outcomes significantly influences how confrontation is accepted. Managers who are derogatory, angry, or arrogant find that confrontation is ineffective in motivating their staff to improve. Managers who show respect, empathy, and support toward their employees and establish firm expectations find confrontation to be a useful tool in staff motivation. 0 Notes 1. K Blanchard, R Lorber. Puttinp the One Minute Manager to Work (New York City: Berkley Books, 1987). 2. H Schmertz, W Novak, Goodbye to the Low ProjZe: The Art of Creative Confrontation (Boston: Little, Brown, and Co, 1986).
Suggested reading Lutjens, L. “The name of this game is conflict.” Nursing Management 14 (June 1983) 23-23. Mitchell, K. “Shooting straight from the hip.” Nursing Economics 5 (JanuaryIFebruary 1987) 46. Work, C. “The 21st century executive.” U S News and World Report (March 7, 1988) 48-52.