Preventing 'Maltweetment'

Formal 360 performance reviews are being supplemented by employees' posts about their bosses on Twitter and Facebook. Here's how to stop maltweets before they start

By Lynn Taylor

Executives who thought the 360 review was brutal when it was introduced in the 1990s had no idea. At that time, the performance evaluation technique—whereby your staff, peers, supervisors, and sometimes clients or vendors weigh in with their opinions of you as a manager—was limited to commentary submitted in a formal, prescribed way. Enter social networking, and anyone can say just about anything about you.

The Internet leaves no holds barred on raw ratings, rankings, and reviews. Your persona and maybe even your career are an open, well, Facebook. Write some jerky memos and you may discover them reproduced, in full or in part, somewhere in the blogosphere. Disgruntled employees can use Web and word as their weapon of choice. Happy employees, on the other hand, want to help safeguard the company's reputation so more talent (their friends included) will come aboard.

Examples of bosses facing criticism on the Internet are plenty. BossRater.com allows users to give their supervisors a grade, from A to F, on such traits as honesty and trustworthiness.At eBossWatch.com, America's worst and best bosses are listed, and can be searched and rated. The site allows people to anonymously rate their current or former bosses using an evaluation form so that job seekers can size up prospective employers.

Management-Bashing

On the Boss Benchmark blog, an ex-airline employee took management-bashing up a notch by designing a board game that criticized his former company's decision-making process. Although it's not clear whether the bashing was deserved,, the media found out about it and had a field day reporting on the company's employee-management relations.

Web sites that directly target management are supplemented by other venues such as Twitter, where you may be "maltweeted," and Facebook. Yahoo (YHOO) message boards and business chat forums also provide users with an Internet voice for a worldwide 360. Even if the complainer doesn't name names, readers might just be able to connect the dots and figure out who you are or what company you work for.

One way to avoid being part of the problem is to observe the 360 degrees of your own behavior. But how can we see ourselves as others do?

You can judge by the way your behavior affects others. Look for the warning signs of what I call TOT (Terrible Office Tyrant) traits. You'll notice employees who are not engaged—they leave early, lack motivation, avoid you, rarely laugh, and are unsupportive. Here's how to stop the destructive patterns that ultimately precipitate negative comments about you on the Internet.

• Listen openly to ideas instead of shooting them down knee-jerk style. Harsh criticisms that leave no room for face-saving are counterproductive. If you want your own career to reach its apex, you should make your office safe for success. That means cultivating a supportive, nonpunitive environment. Communicate that creativity and thoughtful risk-taking are welcomed. Big thinkers and high-fliers must feel that they can reach for the stars, without fear that a more senior manager will clip their wings.

• Remember that interpersonal intelligence goes a long way in the office. Managers who exhibit (no-cost) kind manners, caring, and interest in others can go a long way toward achieving a sense of team cooperation. Knowing what's going on in your employees' lives and asking about it will let them know you care. "How's that new puppy behaving?" will instantly add some lightness to the day. Or "I saw your husband serving at the pancake breakfast. He's a great volunteer." Everyone loves to brag about family. And show compassion: "I was sorry to hear that your mother is in the hospital. How's she doing? How are you holding up?"

Your team values connection and kindness, as well as sensitivity to the human spirit. Loyalty speaks volumes about your leadership abilities.

• Be a good communicator. Use real words from the heart, not corporate babble. Old-fashioned etiquette—salutations, please's, and thank-you's—when sending e-mails, leaving messages, or texting will go a long way. Remember to pose requests as questions, not demands.

• Give public praise often. When you offer feedback, make it constructive. Focus on employee strengths, not weaknesses, and be sincere and specific. Consistently acknowledge the positive contributions of employees; honest appreciation for a job well done can never be overrated and will yield major dividends in a satisfied team, reflecting well on you.

• Infuse the workplace with joy and laughter—make work fun. Celebrate birthdays at least once a month. Make it an opportunity to praise the employee, inject some humor into the day (decorate the desk), and celebrate together. Or make Wednesday the brown-bag lunch or snack day, with a theme, or employees designated to bring in something special. Inspire people to collaborate and stay engaged. The result will be greater innovation, and revenue, which will enhance your personal growth and success as a manager.

So ask yourself: Could I be mistreating in a way that will cause maltweeting?

Lynn Taylor, CEO of Lynn Taylor Consulting, is a nationally recognized workplace expert and author. Her newly released book, Tame Your Terrible Office Tyrant (TOT): How to Manage Childish Boss Behavior and Thrive in Your Job (John Wiley & Sons), advises employees and senior management on how to mitigate difficult boss and office behaviors for increased productivity. Taylor's online community forums and blogs are at: www.LynnTaylorConsulting.com and www.TameYourTOT.com.

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