Providing constructive criticism can be seen as delivering bad news and can damage your reputation and credibility if not executed properly. There are several key factors in delivering bad news to another employee, one of which is doing it timely (Cardone, 2016). This is the first step as production manger I would ensure that evaluations are delivered on a timely basis to Bob so that any mistakes that were made note of are fresh in the mind and can be reflected upon for correction. It is clear the Bob is not performing up to expectations which could be due to a number of reasons. Bob may not be aware of the exact expectations of the job, he may have received inadequate training, or he simply is not putting in the level of effort needed to be effective in his role. I would also speak to Bob in person so that it is easier to read body language and interpret tone of voice appropriately.

When speaking to Bob I would address the lack of thoroughness whilst detecting defect products before shipment. I would attempt to sympathize with him in the amount of workload assigned to determine if he is overwhelmed with the amount of product expected to be shipped in the day. I would then ask if he understood what the expectation is and use this as a entry into the entire shipments that went out with defect products. Once Bob is aware of the severity of the situation and the affect that his actions had on our customers, I would offer excess training on checking shipments. I would also observe other employees to see if there are any efficiencies that can be taught to help make the process easier. Providing training and support to Bob would allow him to correct his mistakes while still under management supervision to track progress. Lastly, I would suggest Bob utilize a tracking sheet in order to make sure all the required actions have been made before a shipment goes out.

Once our conversation has ended I would want to circle back to the action items discussed and set up S.M.A.R.T goals. S.M.A.R.T. goals are: simple, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time bound. This would help Bob to be able to track his progress on his own. An example of a goal for Bob would be to complete the checklist for all shipments this week and double check them to ensure no defect products are shipped. using S.M.A.R.T. goals is effective in measuring progress and setting goals that will be reached in the near future to increase motivation and keep Bob moving forward. (SMART, 2019)

Required

Describe how the changes proposed in the above post could be implemented on a larger, department-wide scale to ensure all employees are informed and the issues can be avoided. Would the same change management principles work when applied to the organization, or would changes have to be made?