Manage Self, Lead Others. Nina Sunday presents.
Ep153 HR: From Hire to Fire, with Natasha Hawker
Published: 11 February 2025 at 09:30 Europe/London
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Episode notes
This episode is about Managing Difficult Conversations Maximizing Employee ROINatasha Hawker is co-founder of Employee Matters, your in-house HR and recruitment experts coming in and out of your business as and when you need them. A finalist in the Australian 2023 Telstra Best of Business Awards, Natasha Hawker is author of From Fire to Hire, Managing the Employee Life Cycle, Higher, manage, Wellbeing and exit.
[2:09] Praise for the book, highlighting its universal principles for managers.
[2:27] Feedback suggests the book is conversational and practical, designed to be a go-to resource for managers.
[2:50] Introduction to the topic of difficult conversations in management and key questions managers should ask themselves.
[3:10] Importance of normalizing feedback in everyday business to prevent difficult conversations from escalating.
[3:43] Discussion on the importance of having regular one-on-ones with employees to facilitate open communication.
[3:57] Approach to daily huddles and how they improve accountability, communication, and listening skills, especially in remote teams.
[5:55] Exploration of why managers avoid difficult conversations, highlighting the lack of formal training for managers on handling performance discussions.
[6:12] Three key areas managers need to improve: hiring better, managing better, and exiting better. Structured feedback can prevent performance issues from escalating.
[7:19] Reflection on personal experiences of avoiding feedback, explaining how unaddressed small issues can snowball over time.
[8:08] Shift in business—introducing private one-on-ones to create a space for open conversations before issues arise.
[8:40] Importance of vulnerability in leadership, encouraging managers to seek feedback from their teams.
[9:50] Challenge of employees reacting emotionally to feedback, with de-escalation techniques from Never Split the Difference by Chris Voss.
[11:29] Advice on acknowledging emotions during difficult conversations and using pauses to allow employees to express their feelings.
[12:19] Role of social sensitivity in effective teams—reading nonverbal cues and responding appropriately.
[12:46] Recommendation to prepare employees for tough feedback conversations by framing them as growth opportunities.
[13:48] Suggestion for a direct approach to sharing feedback, allowing employees to correct assumptions and engage in open dialogue.
[14:10] Introduction to the topic of exit interviews, explaining their value in identifying trends, retention risks, and leadership challenges.
[15:09] Concept of stay interviews—proactively engaging employees to understand what would keep them in the company.
[16:17] Exploration of the benefits of an alumni program and how staying connected with former employees can lead to new business opportunities.
[17:09] Shift in discussion to onboarding, explaining how poor onboarding increases turnover, emphasizing the need for structured induction programs.
[19:35] Discussion on the importance of leadership in encouraging employee growth, advocating for managers to develop their teams rather than hoarding knowledge.
[20:38] Identification of a critical gap—many businesses underutilize their management teams, missing opportunities to increase productivity and profitability.
[21:30] Information on how Employee Matters helps small to medium businesses with HR and recruitment, emphasizing that strong HR practices provide a competitive advantage.
[21:43] Contact Employee Matters at employeematters.com.au to learn more about their HR and recruitment services.
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