Tough Love

1. Recruit wisely

Look for a track record of success (even if it is in an unrelated field.)

2. Invest profusely

Assume everyone is a winner and put in the effort to develop them.

3. Support learning

... particularly as people learn by their (inevitable) mistakes.

4. Look for opportunities to praise

To coin another of Blanchard's remarks, "Catch someone doing something right."

5. Set and maintain high standards

Make everyone in the team aware of your standards. Discuss them and explain them. Make them the standards of the team.

6. Be the role model

... and never, ever act in a way that contravenes the standards yourself.

7. Give feedback constantly

... and do not fear to give negative feedback.

8. Be honest

... or people will not believe praise.

9. Look for opportunities to stretch people that bit more

... to give them greater and greater responsibility.

10. If someone does not respond, despite your best efforts, cut your losses

Remember, Sir John Egan is supposed to have said, ""If you cannot change the people, change the people."

Other content on Tough Love

• About Tough Love - the Tough Love Meter - demonstrating the concepts of Tough Love in practice
• About Tough Love: what does it mean? - the phrase 'tough love' has come into management. The concept may not be that new, but may be in its application to management.
• About Tough Love: why is it necessary? - if 'love is never having to say you are sorry', then why we do have to get tough with each other? Perhaps the answer lies in the history of management style.
• About Tough Love: x does not mark the spot - 'niceness' is not the end point but ...