Let's start with a few facts about managing performance:
- Isn't easy
- It doesn't just happen by accident
- It can be a difficult puzzle, made up of several vital pieces
If just one piece is missing from your performance puzzle, your organization may struggle with performance. If more than a few are missing, your organization could be heading for trouble!
Managing people and performance is tough, complex and a major issue for some organizations. Some managers never quite get it right and the cause of most performance problems is ineffective management. In order for people to perform well, managers must be courageous, committed and capable of completing the performance puzzle.
We've all done puzzles haven't we? The first thing that most people do is look at the picture on the box. Then we carefully and painstakingly sort through the pieces, keeping a watchful eye on the picture, placing them where they fit. And there's nothing worse than getting to the end of a puzzle to find one, or more pieces are missing!
What a disappointment! What an imperfect picture.
Well guess what? Solving the performance puzzle is exactly the same!
Does your organization have a clear picture of what performance looks like? Does it have all the pieces? Can your managers complete it?
Like any puzzle, the pieces themselves are all very simple. Of course people know what to do and how to do it! Of course they know what's expected of them and have clear objectives? But do they? Ask yourself if these things are in place in your organization. Are your managers capable of putting all of these pieces in place and completing the performance puzzle?
Let's take a closer look at each piece of the puzzle and consider the implications if this piece is missing for you.
People don't know what to do
Don't assume that, just because people have a job description or have been with you for some time, they really know what they should be doing.
Employees can drift into tasks that they think are relevant to their job or that they prefer to do. It's easy to lose sight of the exact requirements of the job or the way that business is changing. Busy managers rarely stop to check that what people are doing is still relevant.
The solution
Line managers need to take stock of how the organization is operating, what systems and procedures are in place and what tasks are required to support the business.
Undertake regular review of the work that is being done by individuals and in teams. Replace tasks that are no longer helpful to the business with new ones that support it. Most important - keep employees informed so that they know exactly what to do!
They don't know how to do it
Good induction, on the job training and regular review of performance are key to ensuring that people have the knowledge and skills to do their work.
Change is constant, customers demand more and technology races before us, all affecting the way we work.
Sadly, many managers fail to keep pace and people struggle with gaps in their knowledge and underdeveloped skills.
The solution
Good managers constantly assess the learning and development needs of their staff, closing gaps in performance and providing appropriate training and guidance.
Great managers coach and mentor their people to reach their full potential and achieve higher levels of performance.
All managers need to pay attention to the needs of individuals and teams and make certain that people know how to do it!
They don't know what's expected of them
Knowing what to do and how to do it is the cornerstone of good performance
but it doesn't end there.
Do your people know what standards they are expected to meet? What do you want from them in terms of quantity, quality, output, behavior, teamwork?
Many employees fall short of expectations because no-one remembers to tell them exactly what is expected of them!
The solution
Clearly describe the performance standards that people should be aiming for. Discuss these with employees, involve them in setting the standards, define how performance against the standards will be measured.
If gaps appear from time to time between actual performance and what is expected, tackle it early, constructively, positively, working towards continuous improvement in partnership with employees.
They don't have clear objectives
We all have different skills, talents, strengths and weaknesses. Without SMART objectives that develop us as individuals, many opportunities for improved performance are lost.
Mediocre results, average achievements, unamazing performance can all be totally turned around when people work towards clear objectives. No goals, no aims, no aspirations - no chance of great performance then!
The solution
Managers can help employees to learn, grow, develop, improve and unleash their true potential through working with them to set clear objectives.
