Posts Tagged ‘dealing with poor performance’

If you are in any type of leadership or management role, the chances are that sooner or later you will have to deal with some sort of performance issue. These performance issues can show up in a whole host of different ways.

One of the most common is the employee who is not performing to the required standards.

Alternatively it could be a division that is not delivering targets.

It could be a savings plan that is not resulting in any change in spending.

It might even be tensions between members of the senior management team.

The trouble is that when it comes to performance issues many leaders and managers think they can sweep it under the carpet or avoid and it will somehow magically disappear. Yet the reality is that things tend to get worse when not dealt with.

There are several reasons why managers don’t deal with performance issues in my experience:

1. They don’t want to be unpopular. In other words, their popularity is more important than results.
2. They want an easy life. Don’t we all at some level but if you have chosen to step up to the plate as a leader or manager you have to be willing to deal with the difficult stuff.
3. They don’t know how. Sometimes people get promoted into senior roles because they personally are good at doing things. They may even have resisted taking the training they need to succeed at more senior levels.
4. They lack courage. No one said leading or managing is easy. We all know that being courageous requires you to take some risk.
5. They worry about the backlash. I would never suggest that people just do what they like if they have the seniority to do so. At the same time you have to accept that whatever you do there are always going to be people who disagree. It does not mean they are right and you are wrong. They just have a different point of view.

The trouble is that when performance issues remain unresolved, there are potential consequences like:

People don’t respect you or you lose hard earned respect.

People stop bothering because they know you will let them off the hook.

Service quality or service provision drops, leading to more complaints and lost business and, in the worst case scenario, the business failing.

Those to whom you report start to have doubt in you and whether you are really up to the task, which can lead to you losing your job.

The Bottom Line: No one likes to have to deal with the difficult stuff or confront the areas of problem. At the end of the day the willingness to do so is what sets apart the best from the rest.

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps professional people to become highly effective managers. He invites you to sign up for his free e-course, Management Mastery, at www.goalsandachievements.co.uk.

As a leader or manager, chances are that for the vast majority of time your people will consistently deliver great performance.  From time to time you are likely to encounter some who are not performing as expected.  So what questions should you be asking in these instances?

 

Does the employee have the personal ability?

 

It is easy to fall into the trap of assuming that people have the skills, experience or know how to do something.  We can assume because someone has done something similar in the past maybe in a previous organisation that they can do certain tasks.  Don’t assume, check out that they have the personal ability.

 

Are you giving clear enough direction and articulating expectations?

 

We can sometimes, especially if in a busy job, fall into the trap of skimming the surface when it comes to giving instructions, which leaves others guessing.  Ask yourself whether you are really giving clear direction for work that you are asking others to do and making your expectations clear.

 

Does the person have the right resources?

 

Asking people to deliver something without resourcing them to do it is setting up people to fail.  When asking someone to deliver a specific outcome, make sure they have access to the resources to make it happen.

 

Is the work environment contributing to poor performance?

 

As a leader and manger you need to make sure the work environment is conducive to delivering good performance.  Imagine for example you have someone doing a role that requires a lot of concentration.  Having them sitting in an open plan office with discussion and phones ringing all of the time might not be the best environment.

 

Is it a process problem?

 

Most processes impact on many different parts of the organisation.  If part of the process is not working it impacts on an individual’s ability to deliver.  For example, if the process for interfacing information from the payroll to the budget reports is not working it will impact on the ability of the management accountant to deliver timely budget reports for managers.

 

Are there personal circumstances?

 

We spend a lot of time at work but we also have busy lives outside of work.  If someone is struggling at work make sure that there are no personal circumstances outside of work that are getting in the way.

 

Is it all too easy?

 

Most of us need sufficient challenge in our work to keep us motivated.  If the job becomes too easy then people become complacent or just get bored.

 

Do you have a square peg in a round hole?

 

If you have considered all of the above, think about whether you just have a square peg in a round hole.  By that I mean someone who has the wrong skill set or personal attributes for the job you are asking them to do.

 

Bottom Line – Performance problems are part and parcel of leading and managing.  The key to dealing with effectively is to be systematic and avoid jumping to conclusions.

 

 

Duncan Brodie of Goals and Achievements helps accountants and health professionals to become highly effective managers and leaders.  For more information click here 

If you are a manager or aspiring manager, sooner or later you will be faced with a member of staff who is not performing.  Here my 10 tips for dealing with this situation effectively and compassionately:

1. Review the individuals objectives and make sure they are clear
2. Identify where performance is falling short
3. Get specific examples to illustrate where performance is falling short
4. Arrange to meet 1 to 1 with the member of staff to discuss the issue
5. Prepare for the meeting
6. Present your case and supporting examples
7. Give the member of staff the opportunity to respond without interrupting
8. Identify clearly the improvements required, timescales, monitoring and consequences if performance does not improve
9. Ask the member of staff what support you or the organisation can provide to help them
10. Confirm everything in writing