| Over the last 15 years I have worked with hundreds of | | | | most important part of their role - managing |
| managers, including team leaders and supervisors, in | | | | performance. They clearly know there are |
| organizations of all shapes and sizes. Many of those | | | | expectations of them as managers but they don't feel |
| managers were, by their own admission, reluctant to | | | | they have somehow earned the right to manage. Do |
| manage. Of course on a day by day basis they did | | | | managers need to understand the rights they have to |
| manage people - they answered questions, allocated | | | | manage? Do they know what those rights look like in |
| work, went to management meetings, and held some | | | | practice? |
| team briefings. But what they most often didn't do is | | | | Step Four - Give managers the tools and techniques |
| apply a focused and structured approach to managing | | | | they need to manage people's performance |
| their staff's performance | | | | Do managers have access to a range of tools and |
| In theory, managers know they should be managing | | | | techniques which can make the seemingly complex |
| performance, that they should be using the review or | | | | much, much simpler? How can we expect managers |
| appraisal system, and that they should be having | | | | to know, for example, that there is a simple way to |
| dynamic discussions with their staff about their | | | | give feedback about even the most 'difficult' |
| performance. But clearly there's an obvious difference | | | | performance issue so that the issue can be |
| between knowing you should do something and | | | | understood and accepted by the staff member? |
| actually doing it. And when managers don't manage, | | | | Managers just do not have the time to work these |
| the business suffers and so do their staff. So what's | | | | processes out for themselves so they either waste a |
| the answer? These are five steps I've seen applied, | | | | lot of time (and staff good will) on 'trial and error' or |
| by my clients, with very positive effect: | | | | they just give up. |
| Step One - Help managers to understand why | | | | Step Five - Ensure that managing performance is a |
| performance management is important to the business | | | | top priority for your managers |
| Do managers need help in understanding the value of | | | | Do managers have 'managing performance' listed in |
| managing performance? Do they need to understand | | | | their job description, their job objectives or anywhere |
| why effective performance management is a critical | | | | else? I have heard hundreds of managers tell me that |
| commercial issue and how effective performance | | | | there is nothing written down or agreed that describes |
| management impacts business success? Only through | | | | their responsibilities as a performance manager. So |
| getting this clarity can a manager gain the confidence | | | | why would a manager dedicate time and effort to an |
| that there will be some real business benefit derived | | | | activity for which they are not held accountable, for |
| from their efforts. Otherwise, why bother? | | | | which there is no reward, which appears to be just |
| Step Two - Help managers understand why | | | | about the lowest priority of the business? How can |
| performance management is important to their staff | | | | organisations expect their managers to undertake the |
| Do managers know that research shows that what | | | | complex work of managing their staff's performance |
| people seem to want, and want quite badly, is to be | | | | if:a) the manager does not know what being an |
| well managed? That they want a strong, mutually | | | | effective performance manager looks like ipractice in |
| supportive relationship with their manager based on | | | | their organisationb) the manager is not held |
| interest and clarity? Much of what 'well managed' | | | | accountable for the effective performance |
| means is effective performance management. The | | | | management of their staff - it is not seen as an |
| manager's role in the satisfaction and the engagement | | | | integral part of their job but something to be done |
| of their staff can't be overstated but often needs to | | | | when all of the 'real work' has been completedc) they |
| be explained. | | | | are not acknowledged or rewarded for effective |
| Step Three - Help managers to embrace their right to | | | | performance management? |
| manage performance | | | | In summary |
| Frequently the managers I work with seem to feel the | | | | It's all about developing the 'will' and the 'skill'. |
| need to gain permission to undertake probably the | | | | |