Forget the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe…..
Posted on October 12, 2017 by athenalawservs
How about the Wand the Whip and the Carrot?
How do you manage performance in your organisation?
Option 1 the Wand – Using your magic wand to sprinkle a little pixie dust over the people in your organisation; make them all feel good for a while. Lovely!
Option 2 – the Whip – Using a whip or a big stick to threaten and scare people to work harder. It’s always worked in the past hasn’t it?
Option 3 – the Carrot – Encouraging the right behaviours and discouraging unhelpful behaviours.
All of these approaches have an impact on performance, but only the carrot creates a sustainable change in behaviour.
Performance management is a bad thing though isn’t it?
Very often the mere words, performance management, instil dread; a sense that something bad is going to happen to someone (hopefully not you!!).
It doesn’t have to be like that.
Defining what ‘good’ looks like, enables you to acknowledge good performance, encouraging desired behaviours to be replicated by others.
“Thank you” for a job well done is welcome, but doesn’t help the person understand specifically what it was that they did which was particularly helpful, or made a difference.
“Thank you” on its own is pixie dust. It has an immediate feel good factor, but does not always translate into continuing performance.
How do you manage performance?
Define Performance Starting with the end in mind. Defining the outcomes you are looking for, or what ‘good’ looks like. Performance definition, on its own, is not always enough, however, It does not clarify the expected observable behaviours.
Set up for Success Defining what ‘good’ looks like.E.g. A professional who continually over-delivers, constantly agreeing to extra work. As their manager you be pleased, but the impact on the organisation and the individual may not so positive.If good performance is defined as ‘to deliver xxxx outcomes’, this could lead to a the individual feeling that they need to deliver no matter what the personal impact on them is. However, if performance is further explained by….- deliver the outcomes in a way that does not impact other commitments
– ensuring that any obstacles or issues are dealt with in a timely way, and
– keeping your manager informed at all times
The professional can then understand how they achieve the performance required.
Monitor & Review performance For improved performance you need to monitor performance and provide clear, structured feedback that enables the other person to stop, start or continue the behaviours or activities observed.If the behaviours expected have been clearly defined, it is much easier to give meaningful feedback at review stage. The individual can then take responsibility for their actions and adapt their behaviour.
Respond Engendering sustainable change by the over-deliverer stopping, starting or continuing the desired activities or behaviours
Whether you use the wand the whip or the carrot, there will be no change unless you are clear about your expectations, not just the ‘WHAT’, also the ‘HOW’.