LEADERSHIP FEEDBACK:
"What employees want to tell you--but don't"
OPENING TITLE: “THE BEST ASSESSMENT OF YOUR LEADERSHIP... COMES FROM THOSE YOU LEAD”
1. MODERN PRIVATE OFFICE - DAY
THOMAS sitsat his desk andspeaks directly into camera.
THOMAS
It's been said that most leaders live in a vacuum...they don't receive much feedback. Soit's no surprise theyhave no idea how good--or bad, their leadership really is...
2. OPEN OFFICE HALLWAY- DAY
Stands up, exits office andstops in hallway outside office door.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Is my leadership any good...?
Sees two employeesin hall(PETE and AMY) they stare at him.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
I'm not sure.What would be nice is some honest feedback.
3. OPEN OFFICE AREA 1 - DAY
Passes by ERICA at her desk.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
I'm talking about the things most people wouldn'tdream of telling you in person.
(looks at Erica)
Like I wonder what she'sthinking...
Digital bubble over Erica: "You're a control freak!"
4. OPEN OFFICE AREA 2 - DAY
Thomas enters frame and passes by JUSTIN at his desk.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
Unfortunately, people just don't come out and tell you how they feel. And that's a shame, because what you don't know, can hurt you.
(looks at Justin)
Am I right?
Digital bubble over Justin: "You never want my opinion."
THOMAS (CONT'D)
(gestures over his shoulder)
...Somebody’s having a bad day.
5. LUNCH ROOM AREA - DAY
Passes by MATTHEWseated at counter.
THOMAS (CONT'D)
So today, we're going to take anhonestlook at what employees might think ofyour leadership...
Digital bubble over Matthew: "You never keep us in the loop"
THOMAS (CONT'D)
...and what you can do about it.
TITLE CARD APPEARS:LEADERSHIP FEEDBACK - WHAT EMPLOYEES WANT TO TELL YOU--BUT DON'T
transition to:
TITLE: PART 1: MISTAKES “WHY DO YOU RIDICULE ME IN FRONT OF CO-WORKERS?”
6. LONG TABLE - DAY
Thomas along with five team members (Jennifer, Amy, Erica, Pete, Justin and Matthew) are discussing why a new app.
THOMAS
Okay let's just back up here a second. This interface in this app is totally confusing. Pete, what's going on here?
PETE
(nervous)
What do you mean? Everything you agreed to last meeting is there.
THOMAS
Yeah, but the icons are totally confusing. What is this circle with the squiggly line—what does that mean?
PETE
(defensive)
That's the help menu.
THOMAS
That, that’s… people are going to need "help" finding the help menu.
(Laughter from the team)
You always use standardized icons. Always!
Pete looks like a deer in the headlights.
7. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
PETE
Oh, thank you. But how about a little more humiliation first?
8. LONGTABLE - DAY.
THOMAS
I don’t know what to tell you. You have to change this whole thing.
PETE
Okay--I'll fix it.
THOMAS
(still angry)
Make it so my dog could understand? Got it?
Everyone looks entirely dejected. Pete slinks into his seat.
9. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
PETE
Okay, I can take a little criticism, but was a public beating really necessary? Why not some guidance in private--without the ridicule? It's funny, I went into this job feeling pretty confident in my abilities--but after working for this guy, I really started doubting myself. It wasn’t until Michelle took over, that I regained my confidence...
10. MICHELLE’S OFFICE - DAY
MICHELLE, the good bossand Pete sitting across from each other at her desk.
TITLE: DEAL WITH MISTAKES IN PRIVATE
MICHELLE
Okay, let's start by going over the changes you've made to the app.
PETE
Sure.
TITLE: BEGIN BY DISCUSSING THE POSITIVEs
MICHELLE
Ok, first off, I think it's really well thought out. I like the clean look, and I think users are going to find it reallyhelpful.
PETE
Thanks--I put a lot of work into it.
TITLE: ADDRESS MISTAKES EARLY ON
MICHELLE
It shows. But before we go any further, I want to discuss the animations. They're really impressive, but I'm thinking they’re getting in the way of the functionality.
PETE
I didn't really think of that.I just wanted to make it grab their attention.
TITLE: Use mistakes as a learning opportunity
MICHELLE
It does. And this is a very useful app, but I’m thinking in this case efficiency needs to override style.
PETE
Yeah, I can see your point. I guess I went a little overboard... I could tone it down.
TITLE: END WITH ENCOURAGEMENT
MICHELLE
I think that’s good--I’ll leave all the details to you. Just make sure you keep it simple and efficient--like you've done with the interface.
PETE
Will do.
MICHELLE
Great. I have a lot of confidence in your work.
11. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
PETE
Michelle always keeps it positive--never makes anyone feel stupid or embarrassed. Sure, she'll point out mistakes or make suggestions, but always in a way that encourages me. I come away feeling like I’m getting better at what I do.
transition to:
TITLE: PART 2: APPRECIATION “WHY DON’T YOU EVER NOTICE MY HARD WORK?”
12. OPEN OFFICE AREA - DAY
Thomas enters a large common work area with employees working at table with laptops. He stops at JENNIFER'S work area.
THOMAS
Hello…. We need to talk.
JENNIFER
Okay...
THOMAS
I know you’re busy, but we have a new proposal needs to be written and finished by Monday.
JENNIFER
Newproposal?
THOMAS
Yeah, check your email.Priority number one.
JENNIFER
...Let me take a look and see what's needed.
Before she finishes her sentence, Thomas moves on.
THOMAS
I'm traveling--back on Monday...
Jennifer looks a bit concerned and she opens the email and scans the content.
13. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
JENNIFER
How could I say no?But once I started looking into it, there was no way I was going to finish on time. So I sent Thomas an emailto getapproval for the overtime--but he never got back to me.He said it was job one, so I went ahead and worked Saturday and Sunday. It wasn't easy, but I finished on time and really felt good about it.
14. THOMAS' OFFICE - NEXT MONDAY
Jennifer's walks up to Thomas' office door, looking anxiousbut hopeful.
JENNIFER
You get the proposal?
THOMAS
(displeased)
You know there's no budget for overtime.
JENNIFER
Oh...I sent you an email.You never responded.
THOMAS
(sarcastic)
I was kind of busy traveling.
15. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
JENNIFER
Well I was kind of busy using myweekend to finish theproposal. You know, the one that couldn't wait. So,you'rewelcome.
16. THOMAS' OFFICE - NEXT MONDAY
THOMAS
For the record, neverdo that again.
JENNIFER
Okay... Have you read it?
THOMAS
I passedit on. We'll see what happens.
17. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
JENNIFER
Are you kidding me!?Why not take amoment to acknowledge my hard work? Even a genuine"thank you" would have been nice.Fortunately, Thomas moved to a different department, and Michelle took over. That's when I started feeling appreciated...
18. OPEN OFFICE AREA - DAY
Michelle spots Jennifer who is busy working in the open office area.
MICHELLE
Jennifer, good news! We closed the Metro deal.
JENNIFER
That's great!
TITLE: ALWAYS PRAISE EXCEPTIONAL WORK
MICHELLE
I know, I know I just got off the phone with them --they said you were extremely helpful in clarifying the timeline.
JENNIFER
It's sogood to hear they liked it.
TITLE: BE SPECIFIC AND GENUINE
MICHELLE
Yeah, thesupporting documentsyou created,really made all the difference--so thank you.
JENNIFER
You're welcome.
TITLE: Reward work in non-monetary ways
MICHELLE
I'd like to post them on the cloud - let the team know your format should be used as the standard. Okay by you?
JENNIFER
Wow. Sure, I'd like that.
19. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
JENNIFER
Too often, people get busy and forget to show their appreciation. They justdon't realize how important it is. Butwhen a leader lets you know your work is valued, it makesall the difference.
transition to:
TITLE: PART 3: TRANSPARENCY “WHY DON’T YOU EVER TELL US WHAT’S GOING ON?”
20. BREAK AREA - DAY
Thomas is getting coffee in the break area. MATTHEW sees him from afar and calls out.
MATTHEW
Hey Thomas...!
(approaches Thomas)
Any news on the acquisition and office move? Is that happening soon?
THOMAS
(avoiding)
I wouldn't worry about that.
MATTHEW
I ask because I'm putting together a new team next week and we may need to reorganize our workspace.
THOMAS
Well, what can I say--I have no news to give.
21. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
MATTHEW
Okay, in the meantime, we'll make plans based entirely onrumors and gossip.
22. BREAK AREA - DAY
THOMAS
Relax--it'll all work itself out.
Thomas smiles and starts to walk away, leaving Matthew looking a bit dejected. A co-worker ERICA walks up.
THOMAS (to Erica))
Hey
ERICA (to Thomas)
Hey
ERICA (to Matthew)
Did you ask him?
MATTHEW
I tried. I can't tell if he's lying or withholding.
ERICA
Probably both.
23. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
MATTHEW
I just don't get it--this is information I could really use. But for some reason they choose to keep it under wraps. They think they’re protecting us, but it just creates mistrust. When Michelle took over, everything changed. Information started flowingin both directions...
24. LONG TABLE – DAY
Michelle is having a meeting with her team. (Matthew, Erica, Jennifer, Justin, Pete, Amy)
TITLE: Share INFORMATION TO BUILD TRUST
MICHELLE
...Now, the next thing that that I want to talk about is the merger you've all heard about. I can confirm that it is indeed happening. The deal should close sometime next week and it will impact all of you.
MATTHEW
I have a question; are we moving offices?
TITLE: BE HONEST AND STRAIGHTFORWARD
MICHELLE
Yes, it's very possible that we’ll be heading up to the second floor. And the reason for this is we'llneed to accommodate several new team members. Any morequestions?
ERICA
When's this happening?
TITLE: ADDRESS ALL CONCERNS
MICHELLE
The plan would be to move in about four weeks. Obviously, we want this to be a smooth transition, so I’m going to need all of your help.
TITLE: BE OPEN TO SUGGESTIONS
MATTHEW
Maybe we should all have a look at the area next week anddraw up a floor plan?
TITLE: SHARE BOTH GOOD AND BAD NEWS
MICHELLE
That is a great idea. Now,just to be clear, you may not get the exact space and location that you want, so be flexible.Come to me withany suggestions you may have.
25. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
MATTHEW
If you think about it, every employee wants to feel valued and trusted. So if you're transparent about what's going on, people will go out of their way to support you.
transition to:
TITLE: PART 4: COMPETENCE “hOW CAN WE DO A GOOD JOB WHEN YOU DON’T?”
26. OPEN OFFICE AREA - DAY
Thomas stands in front of a group of employees working:(Amy, Pete Jennifer, Matthew, Justin and Erica) with an impromptu meeting.
THOMAS
Hey everyone...can I have your attention for a minute... Now as you mayknow, we've been gettinga littlebit of negative feedback on the old website.
AMY
(whispers to Pete)
I think he means "a lot."
THOMAS (CONT'D)
...My main concern is that the site is starting to look a little dated.Also, there’ssomething about a shopping cart problem.
AMY
Are we still getting a very high rate of abandoned carts?
THOMAS
(a little flustered)
I don’t know...I’ll have to look into that. Anyway, what we would like to do is revamp the graphics, create a more hip and elegant user experience. Okay, so Amy, get ready for a complete update.
Amy looks a little surprised at the news.
27. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
AMY
Oh, you want a fresh coat of paint on the Titanic?
28. OPEN OFFICE AREA - DAY
PETE
Last meeting you mentionedcompletely replacing the shopping cart? Is that still going to happen?
THOMAS
Not yet… it's super complicated. In the meantime we're going toupdate the look and feel.
AMY
Shouldn't we get it functioning before we mess with the visuals?
THOMAS
We’re going to fix it, okay, don't worry. But in the meantime, we’re going to generatenew graphics. That’sgoing to bring more people to the website. I guarantee it.
29. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
AMY
Look, I want to help, but he’sjust not that competent. He promises the world--then never delivers. What I hate most, is when he drags my name into it, that's when Iknow I'll be doing all the work...things changed when Michelle took over the team.
30. SMALL CONFERENCE ROOM - DAY
Michelle is doing a PowerPoint presentation in front of some employees: Pete, Justin, Amy and Jennifer.
TITLE: Set an example of competence
MICHELLE
Okay, so let’s take a look at slide five. Now the forums are getting a lot of activity lately, but we're getting a lot of complaints aboutspeed. I've looked into it; it's clearly a hardware issue.
PETE
We need new servers.
TITLE: Know your strengths and weaknesses
MICHELLE
Yeah, I think you're right, Pete. Sincethis is your expertise, would you be willing to explore some options?
PETE
Sure--I have a couple providers in mind.
TITLE: SOLICIT INPUT FOR BETTER DECISIONS
MICHELLE
Good. Okay, next slide...now the otherissue we’ve been hearing a lot of complaints about is our website is just too complex. We need tosimplify. Amy, if we were to consolidatethe categories, how long would it take to update the graphics?
AMY
Not verylong. I'dneed a list before I could say for sure.
TITLE: MAKE ONLY REALISTIC PROMISES
MICHELLE
Let me get some input from marketing first. It may take a little while to finalize, but once that happens, I'll give you the details.
Amy nods in agreement.
MICHELLE
Okay, let’s continue.
31. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
AMY
I think it's pretty simple--if you want people to support you, you've got to be competent--and know how to get things done. Also,be willing to ask for help when you need it. If a leader can do all that, I'm in.
transition to:
TITLE: PART 5: AUTONOMY “WHY DON’T YOU TRUST ME TO DO MY JOB?”
32. THOMAS'OFFICE - DAY.
Thomas is meeting with Erica in his office.
THOMAS
...So, how are sales?
ERICA
Sales are good. I closed on several deals this week.
THOMAS
Why didn't I get a summary report this week?
ERICA
Oh, sorry, yes--I ran out of time. It was a busy week. You know you can generate that from the software.
THOMAS
Oh, yeah, you know we're all super busy, but I still need that report.
33. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
ERICA
(very sarcastic)
Kind of busy makings sales--you know, the thing that keeps us in business.
34. SMALL OFFICE - DAY.
THOMAS
So how many new customers have you contacted this week?
(Sound of text ping)
ERICA
A few. But I had to set up five new accounts--that takesa lot of time.
THOMAS
(Thomas istexting)
Twenty-five percent of your time needs to be spent on prospecting--each week – twenty-five.
35. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
ERICA
Silly me. I thought generating revenue was more important. Look, I'm one of the top producers here--so I don't need someone dictating my every move. Micro-managingkills productivity. I'm not asking for nosupervision, but when I clearly demonstrate results, how about a little autonomy?That's what I learned from Michelle when she promoted me to sales manager...
36. LUNCHAREA– DAY
MICHELLE
Erica…
ERICA
Hi
TITLE: LOOK FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO EMPOWER
MICHELLE
Hi, I wanted to talk to you about something exciting
ERICA
Sure, what is it?
TITLE: CLEARLY DEFINE GOALS
MICHELLE
We're exploring the possibility ofhaving some of the sales reps travel. But before we can jump into that, we need someone to determine where and when it would befinancially viable. Is this something you might be comfortable doing?
ERICA
I'd love to work on it. If we do it right, it could generate a lot of sales.
TITLE: ALLOW REAL OWNERSHIP AND CONTROL
MICHELLE
Yeah, I agree. So, this would be your project, so I would need you to come up with a model that realistically measures costs verses benefits.
ERICA
Sure, I understand. What kind of timeframe are we looking at?
TITLE: Give responsibility with accountability
MICHELLE
I'dlike to set up a meeting with the sales staff in about three weeks.I would need you to present your findingsat that time.
ERICA
I think that's very doable.
TITLE: Provide NEEDED RESOURCES
MICHELLE
Great. I think you're the best person for this project. Now, you'llprobably need some support from accounting at some point. So, if they start dragging their feet at all, just let me know; I'll make it happen.
ERICA
Will do.
37. INTERVIEW AREA - DAY
ERICA
You know, it's really inspiring when someone believes in youenough to turn over control. That makes mefeel empowered, and completely invested in a project.