After ensuring expectations are clear and there are regular discussions about what is going well and areas for improvement, the manager needs to probe further if there continues to be a gap between desired and actual results. The next step is to assess whether the root cause for the performance gap is a ‘skill or will’ issue. Dig into the issue, talk to the employee, and get feedback from others that have knowledge about the employee’s work performance. Try to determine if the root of the problem is a lack of having the requisite ‘skill’ to perform adequately. Have there been recent changes to processes or technology that are hindering performance. Determine if the employee has the talent and ability to do the work as designed. If not, address whatever issues exist by helping the employee develop a plan to close the skill gaps and improve performance. If your analysis determines there aren’t any skill deficits with the employee, then focus on the ‘will’ aspect of their performance. What are their barriers to wanting to perform as expected? Are there some work environment issues getting in the way such as significant conflict with other team members, are they having health or emotional issues or are they just in a job that is not a good fit and therefore they are not engaged and motivated to perform at a high level. Again, work with the employee to discover and address any issues that are identified while helping them develop a plan to get their performance to the desired level. Not addressing performance problems will never be the best approach for performance management and putting off meaningful actions will only make the problem worse. Make regular informal discussions about performance a part of your regular routine with your employees and the dread of performance management and the year-end rating will fade away!

Most employees and managers would agree that Performance Management is one of the activities they most dislike about work. Why is that? It’s probably several reasons, most of which are either system or manager related. There isn’t much most of us can do about ‘the system’ so this discussion will focus on the manager’s impact on performance management. Following a few simple principles can change the dynamic of performance management and make the process much less painful for all involved. The vast majority of employees want to do a good job and will work hard to make a positive contribution to the organization’s success. So, the first and most important principle of performance management is to be clear about expectations. Whenever there is gap between desired and actual performance, the first place to start is making sure that expectations are clear. Also make sure to continually reinforce and recommunicate expectations throughout the year during regular discussions with every direct report. Those regular discussions should happen frequently and should be open discussions about what is going well, what needs to improve and asking the employee what support they need to accomplish the team’s goals. The best, most effective leaders don’t hesitate to engage in regular discussions with their employees to let them know what they’re doing well and what they need to do to improve. There should be no surprises for the manager and, more importantly, for the employee when it comes to the end of year performance rating. If the employee is surprised by anything in the final performance rating, the manager has failed to perform the most important duty they have to an acceptable level.

Beyond looking for clues in a book, workshop or blog, many successful people find the clues they need for success by reaching out to people who have accomplished what they are trying to achieve. Who can you reach out to as a mentor, coach, consultant or advisor to assist you with achieving your dreams? Don’t assume that successful people wouldn’t want to help you, rather assume the opposite and begin asking. You’ll find that most successful people are very open and willing to share how they have achieved their success with others. Okay, so if you’re now thinking, Why would someone spend the time sharing how they achieved their success with me? Why would they care about helping me? Stop thinking that way right now. Instead, write down the names of two or three people, who you don’t have to personally know, that have achieved the success you’re looking for and reach out to them to buy them lunch or a cup of coffee to talk about how they achieved their success. You’ll be pleasantly surprised how willing most successful people will be to sharing their success with others.

There is a quote from Anthony Robbins that sums up the theme of this blog very well.

“Long ago, I realized that success leaves clues, and that people who produce outstanding results do specific things to create those results. I believed that if I precisely duplicated the actions of others, I could reproduce the same quality of results that they had.” 

Anthony Robbins

Robbins point is that regardless of what it is that you want to accomplish in life, someone has probably already been successful at achieving that and all you need to do is look for the clues as to how to do it. Those clues exist in books, blogs, seminars or workshops or countless other formats. It doesn’t matter if what you want to achieve is better relationships, financial independence, completing a triathlon or beating a deadly disease – someone has done it and left clues for you to do the same. Start with being clear about what you want to achieve and actively look for clues and take action! 

The key tenet behind Simon Sinek’s leadership approach of ‘Leaders Eat Last’ is the concept that leaders need to create an environment where it is safe for their employees to be their best selves and thrive. Leaders do this by making sure the environment doesn’t punish calculated risk taking, allows for creativity and innovation to thrive without an unhealthy level of fear of failure. Creating a safe environment for the people you lead doesn’t mean there aren’t any risks for employees and that they are ‘safe’ from high standards and performance expectations. Productivity, creativity and innovation thrive when employees know that their leaders support their efforts and make it safe for experimenting and pushing the envelope in pursuit of better performance. A leader who takes care of his/her people and creates a safe environment for them to thrive will in the end realize great benefits not only for his/her people but also for the organization and ultimately themselves as well.  That is why truly great leaders know why it’s important that ‘Leaders Eat Last’.