One of the ways management can manage difficult situations, collect relevant information, and build common ground and trust with employees is establishing communication based on evidence rather than judgment.

Using the final project case study transcripts provided, create a list of the relevant facts that are pertinent to the case. This is information that you would use to determine the outcome of the case – or evidence. Additionally, create a list of judgment comments you find in the transcripts. Judgments are information that could not be used to defend the actions in the case since they are feelings, emotions, and opinions – not fact.

Your paper should include these critical elements:

• A compilation of relevant facts pertinent to the case
• A compilation of judgment comments used to defend actions in the case
• Recommendation of strategies for ABC Corporation to meet Kareem’s needs while still maintaining performance expectations

Guidelines for Submission: Your paper should be submitted as a 2 – to 3-page Microsoft Word documents with double spacing, 12-point Times New Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least three sources cited in APA format. Library Article: Building Trust Between Employees and Management “Trustis a crucial part of the leader-follower relationship and it is verydelicate. How much we trust leaders is a measure of whether we believein what they say and promise. The more followers trust their leader, themore committed and more loyal they are likely to be.” This articlediscusses the importance of building trust between employees andmanagement.

This module continues the content from Module Five on shifting one’smindset in order to achieve positive performance conversations. Thismodule will examine the second mindset shift: eliminating judgment ofthe employee. Managers need to be able to differentiate between judgmentand evidence. Judgment is one’s perception, feelings, assumptions, and opinions, whereas evidence is pertinent facts or specific proof.

When a manager has been transparent with expectations and observedthe employee’s performance, a gap may exist between the two that callsfor a performance conversation. Recognizing the gaps between performanceand expectations provides a manager the opportunity to communicate theperformance gaps and identify the need for change.

Performance conversations can be difficult because often managersfocus on their own judgment and the employee’s attitude rather thanevidence. Evidence is things that managers may observesuch as employees’ actions, decisions, and choices. Managers shouldfocus the conversation with the employee on evidence gathered and howthe identified opportunities do not meet the established expectations.This will allow for a productive conversation between the manager andemployee on improvements. Here are some examples of evidence versusjudgment:

A manager’s goal is to change or improve employee performance. Usingevidence as opposed to judgment forces the employee to review workperformance as opposed to focusing on what the manager may think of himor her. Consider this statement from a manager to an employee: “You werenot prepared for that meeting.” This is clearly a judgment. A betteroption may be, “You were not prepared with the copies of the reports Irequested specifically, including the profit and loss statement.” Youcan see the second statement is based on fact and is therefore evidence.

Establishing clear expectations with an employee is critical whenhaving performance conversations. Basing performance conversations onevidence rather than judgment can foster mutual trust between anemployee and manager and help embrace acceptance of the manager’sfeedback.

Reference

Green, M. E. (2013). Painless performance conversations: A practical approach to critical day-to-day workplace discussions. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.