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Your People’s Performance Is A Reflection Of Your Performance

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It’s impossible to be a top performing manager if your people aren’t performing!

Yeah, I know that elicits a “Duuggghhh” response, but I’m not sure many managers have really internalized this.

It’s far too easy to blame your people–“They aren’t doing the right things, They’re lazy, They may not be the right people, ……”

All that may, in fact, be absolutely true!

But when you peel things back a little, asking, “Why is it this way?”  “Who’s accountable for this?”  It always comes back to the manager.

Every manager’s job is to get their people performing at the highest levels possible.  Not everyone will be a top performer, but everyone needs to meet the organization’s standards for performance.

If they aren’t then it’s a performance failure on the part of the manager.

Managers are accountable for finding the right people.  They are responsible for making sure each individual understands their role, expectations of performance, how they will be measured, and how performance will be evaluated.

Managers are responsible for making sure they are trained, they have the right skills and capabilities to do their jobs.   Managers need to put in place the processes, systems, and tools to help people perform.

Managers need to constantly be coaching and developing their people, identifying areas of improvement, identifying and dealing with consistent performance issues.

Every manager will have some people who aren’t performing well.  No manager can ignore these people–they drag the performance of the entire organization down.

If a manager is not addressing these issues, if a manager does not have a plan in place for making sure everyone on the team is maximizing their potential, then the manager is simply not performing.

I hear issues, complaints, from managers daily.  I know these aren’t easy issues–but if they were easy, why would we need highly talented managers?  To be honest, I don’t have a high tolerance level for these complaints or excuses.

The job of a manager is very clear, it’s to get things done through our people.  It’s to make sure our people understand their jobs and are performing at the highest levels possible.  Anyone accepting a role as a manager is accepting the responsibility and accountability for doing these things.

If the team isn’t performing, it may be the team’s fault–but first, it’s the manager’s fault.  It’s the performance failure of the manager that is the biggest issue that must be addressed.

If you are a manager and are having performance issues with your team, look first at yourself.  Are you doing your job?  Are you doing the things your team needs you to be doing to maximize performance?  Are you working with each individual, do you have a plan in place, are you getting them the support and resources they need?  Is your manager doing her job in helping you do these things?

Before you point a finger at your people, first examine your own performance.

A version of this post was first published on partnersinexcellenceblog.com on 1/20/2016.

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Your People’s Performance Is A Reflection Of Your Performance

/ /by

It’s impossible to be a top performing manager if your people aren’t performing!

Yeah, I know that elicits a Duhhh response, but I’m not sure many managers have really internalized this.

It’s far too easy to blame your people –They aren’t doing the right things, They’re lazy, They may not be the right people,…

All that may, in fact, be absolutely true!

But when you peel things back a little, asking, “Why is it this way?”  “Who’s accountable for this?”  It always comes back to the manager.

Every manager’s job is to get their people performing at the highest levels possible. Not everyone will be a top performer, but everyone needs to meet the organization’s standards for performance.

If they aren’t then it’s a performance failure on the part of the manager.

Managers are accountable for finding the right people.  They are responsible for making sure each individual understands their role, expectations of performance, how they will be measured, and how performance will be evaluated.

Managers are responsible for making sure they are trained, they have the right skills and capabilities to do their jobs. Managers need to put in place the processes, systems, and tools to help people perform.

Managers need to constantly be coaching and developing their people, identifying areas of improvement, identifying and dealing with consistent performance issues.

Every manager will have some people who aren’t performing well. No manager can ignore these people–they drag the performance of the entire organization down.

If a manager is not addressing these issues, if a manager does not have a plan in place for making sure everyone on the team is maximizing their potential, then the manager is simply not performing.

I hear issues, complaints, from managers daily.  I know these aren’t easy issues–but if they were easy, why would we need highly talented managers?  To be honest, I don’t have a high tolerance level for these complaints or excuses.

The job of a manager is very clear, it’s to get things done through our people.  It’s to make sure our people understand their jobs and are performing at the highest levels possible. Anyone accepting a role as a manager is accepting the responsibility and accountability for doing these things.

If the team isn’t performing, it may be the team’s fault–but first, it’s the manager’s fault. It’s the performance failure of the manager that is the biggest issue that must be addressed.

If you are a manager and are having performance issues with your team, look first at yourself.  Are you doing your job?  Are you doing the things your team needs you to be doing to maximize performance?  Are you working with each individual, do you have a plan in place, are you getting them the support and resources they need?  Is your manager doing her job in helping you do these things?

Before you point a finger at your people, first examine your own performance.

A version of this post was first published on partnersinexcellenceblog.com  on 1/20/2016.

 

Photo Credit: chaudoueteric via Compfight cc

How To Skip The Negative Feedback "Sandwich"

/9 Comments/ /by

I’ve never fully understood the logic behind the “sandwich” method of delivering performance feedback. (I’m sure you’re familiar with this concept: Open a discussion on a positive note, then insert a negative piece of news, followed by another positive.) We like to think that we’re softening the blow by offering several of bits of positive feedback around a central negative message. However, we’re doing no such thing.

Actually, this approach may be a disservice to both categories of information — each of which plays a unique and highly valuable role in shaping performance. Overall, we need to pay close attention to the “cascade” of emotions and behavior that we initiate when delivering feedback, but also be careful to retain the value of the message.

Performance Feedback: Open Dialogue

Processing negative performance feedback is quite challenging for most of us — even though on a very basic level, we realize that accepting “where to improve” is critical to our careers. While positive feedback serves to motivate and energize our work lives (we all need this on a regular basis), the “negatives” can also provide useful information about where we should direct our attention. To remain competitive, we certainly require both categories of information — and I am not debating the value of either. Rather, I’d like to open a discussion about how negative information can be presented and approached, to afford the most progress possible.

When considering negative feedback, we must acknowledge core human characteristics; including self-efficacy (the belief that individuals can actually impact their situation) and goal orientation (some individuals focus on learning, others focus on demonstrating competence, and others focus upon avoiding negative judgement). To properly deliver negative feedback, we should carefully consider and frame the delivery, so potential damage to an individual’s psyche is minimized and progress is emphasized.

Developing A Constructive Approach

There’s truly an art to presenting information about performance deficits of any kind. When managers practice the sandwich method, I fear that once the “meat” of the sandwich is delivered — the “downside” of performance — we really don’t remember much of anything that follows. (Attempting to “hide” the information doesn’t address the issues.) We can certainly do a better job of moving the conversation to more neutral ground, where performance improvement can follow. But how? Here are some ideas:

3 Behavioral Considerations

1) How humans are “wired” to perceive bad news. We are likely predisposed to pay more attention to negative information, possibly a leftover evolutionary survival mechanism. As a result, we’re likely to become hyper-focused on the negatives. This clouds our “lens.”
2) We sorely need the positives. We should all be allowed to absorb what we are doing well at work. That’s not possible when information about our successes is delivered in conjunction with information about shortcomings.
3) We “digest” slowly. It takes time to process negative information properly. Initially, when you hear information you might not not want to hear, negative thoughts can spiral, leading to responses such as panic and denial. There are stages in this process that cannot be skipped.

5 Ways To Avoid “The Sandwich”

1) Build resiliency. Performance management should never be a once a year, “live or die” event. Ultimately, it’s a continuous process. Provide positive feedback concerning small successes along the way to provide balance. This helps difficult information become easier to absorb.
2) Address self-efficacy. Some individuals have the tendency to believe they cannot impact their performance or build a needed skill set. Explore this predisposition, to encourage a more hopeful perspective.
3) Focus on learning. Research has shown that in contrast to performance goals, learning goals can increase problem solving in relation to performance problems, possibly limiting the “sting” of negative feedback. Setting the tone to “learn from failure” can prove more effective in motivating and directing behavior.
4) Never “drop a bomb.” It’s wise to address negative feedback when it is delivered. Allow enough time to help control anxiety, and at least begin to discuss a plan for improvement.
5) Support the digestion process. After sharing negative feedback, be sure to provide plenty of support. Be highly accessible as an employee works through the information and begins to take logical steps forward.

How do you present negative performance feedback? What are your “best practice” strategies? How have these strategies helped you develop others in the workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared as a LinkedIn Influencer post. It is republished with permission.)

Image Credit: Kitsa Sakurako/Flickr

How To Skip The Negative Feedback “Sandwich”

/9 Comments/ /by

I’ve never fully understood the logic behind the “sandwich” method of delivering performance feedback. (I’m sure you’re familiar with this concept: Open a discussion on a positive note, then insert a negative piece of news, followed by another positive.) We like to think that we’re softening the blow by offering several of bits of positive feedback around a central negative message. However, we’re doing no such thing.

Actually, this approach may be a disservice to both categories of information — each of which plays a unique and highly valuable role in shaping performance. Overall, we need to pay close attention to the “cascade” of emotions and behavior that we initiate when delivering feedback, but also be careful to retain the value of the message.

Performance Feedback: Open Dialogue

Processing negative performance feedback is quite challenging for most of us — even though on a very basic level, we realize that accepting “where to improve” is critical to our careers. While positive feedback serves to motivate and energize our work lives (we all need this on a regular basis), the “negatives” can also provide useful information about where we should direct our attention. To remain competitive, we certainly require both categories of information — and I am not debating the value of either. Rather, I’d like to open a discussion about how negative information can be presented and approached, to afford the most progress possible.

When considering negative feedback, we must acknowledge core human characteristics; including self-efficacy (the belief that individuals can actually impact their situation) and goal orientation (some individuals focus on learning, others focus on demonstrating competence, and others focus upon avoiding negative judgement). To properly deliver negative feedback, we should carefully consider and frame the delivery, so potential damage to an individual’s psyche is minimized and progress is emphasized.

Developing A Constructive Approach

There’s truly an art to presenting information about performance deficits of any kind. When managers practice the sandwich method, I fear that once the “meat” of the sandwich is delivered — the “downside” of performance — we really don’t remember much of anything that follows. (Attempting to “hide” the information doesn’t address the issues.) We can certainly do a better job of moving the conversation to more neutral ground, where performance improvement can follow. But how? Here are some ideas:

3 Behavioral Considerations

1) How humans are “wired” to perceive bad news. We are likely predisposed to pay more attention to negative information, possibly a leftover evolutionary survival mechanism. As a result, we’re likely to become hyper-focused on the negatives. This clouds our “lens.”
2) We sorely need the positives. We should all be allowed to absorb what we are doing well at work. That’s not possible when information about our successes is delivered in conjunction with information about shortcomings.
3) We “digest” slowly. It takes time to process negative information properly. Initially, when you hear information you might not not want to hear, negative thoughts can spiral, leading to responses such as panic and denial. There are stages in this process that cannot be skipped.

5 Ways To Avoid “The Sandwich”

1) Build resiliency. Performance management should never be a once a year, “live or die” event. Ultimately, it’s a continuous process. Provide positive feedback concerning small successes along the way to provide balance. This helps difficult information become easier to absorb.
2) Address self-efficacy. Some individuals have the tendency to believe they cannot impact their performance or build a needed skill set. Explore this predisposition, to encourage a more hopeful perspective.
3) Focus on learning. Research has shown that in contrast to performance goals, learning goals can increase problem solving in relation to performance problems, possibly limiting the “sting” of negative feedback. Setting the tone to “learn from failure” can prove more effective in motivating and directing behavior.
4) Never “drop a bomb.” It’s wise to address negative feedback when it is delivered. Allow enough time to help control anxiety, and at least begin to discuss a plan for improvement.
5) Support the digestion process. After sharing negative feedback, be sure to provide plenty of support. Be highly accessible as an employee works through the information and begins to take logical steps forward.

How do you present negative performance feedback? What are your “best practice” strategies? How have these strategies helped you develop others in the workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments area below.

(Editor’s Note: This article originally appeared as a LinkedIn Influencer post. It is republished with permission.)

Image Credit: Kitsa Sakurako/Flickr