How performance management fits in

Often I think leaders forget that "managing" performance is a primary function of their role and the performance management process is simply HOW you manage the performance. What I mean is, performance management seems to conjure up a process or paperwork, a meeting or review. They are simply some structures used to support the management of performance.

The primary goal of managing performance is to achieve performance. It is structured around goals and objectives, both in real time and long term goals. It is then ensuring that the employee or team has the resources, skills and support to achieve the objectives. Then it's about monitoring, feedback, encouragement, and dialogue. It is not about forms, records or sanctions. Get it right and you will increase motivation, performance and engagement. Get it wrong and you will get the opposite.

The relationship between performance management and employee motivation is currently undergoing radical changes, as new emerging technologies combine with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic to create a new reality. Performance management which focuses on employee wellbeing as much as it does on achieving goals is paving the way for greater levels of motivation and quality of employee output.

The leaders role

Leadership potential for performance in the 2020's is now focused on the skills to engage with employees whether in the room, remote, at different stages of their career and life. Leaders influence the degree of engagement and motivation in an employee. We know that people don't leave a company, they leave a boss. When you have leaders who engage and support their employees, see increased performance, trust, loyalty and retention.  Managers who engage regularly in the right way, will be best positioned to elevate performance in a positive way and increase employee autonomy, competence and belonging.

It goes beyond the monthly one to one, although that sacred time is important. In those moments, leaders who ask questions and make people safe, will gain insight into how a team member is feeling, their ideas, their obstacles and opportunities. But more frequent, informal check-ins are essential. You will get real-time information that enables you to adapt, change or make the right decisions at the right time. You can make adjustments to their role or workload before problems arise. You will know when to stretch, or when to hold off giving that new tasks. You will know how to lead because your people will tell you.

And when things aren't working, you will rectify before the issue becomes a huge, painful and exhausting capability issue. When you engage with your people, managing performance everyday, without micromanaging, you will increase performance, and identify opportunities quickly. 

And if HR need you to do an annual appraisal, it should be easy. If everyone knows where everybody is at, the form filling becomes a simple confirmation of all of the conversations you have been having all year. There will be no surprises.

The under performers 

For underperforming employees, you will identify the blocks or barriers to performance early. Often there is a lack of confidence, skills or training and you can rectify this early and get people performing better. By setting realistic, yet stretching goals, over shorter periods of time, you can help your employee to gain confidence without feeling overwhelmed. You want to create the environment for success, not set your people up to fail. If you are having regular conversations, you will soon know whether it is truly a capability issue.

If you leave it too late to intervene, you will spend much more time later on when things get really bad. Allowing poor performance to continue will be draining time, energy and resources. You take your focus from strategic thinking, doing your job, and praising and stretching those high performers. Leaders should look to offer the same level of commitment to providing challenging new goals for the high performers as they do the under performers. When you get this right, the whole team grows. 

And it doesn't have to be all down to you. When you create collective team responsibility, the whole team gathers round those who are struggling and offer what is needed. They swarm in to encourage, coach, train, listen, support and equally call each other out on poor behaviours. Stand back enough to let the team self-manage, but not too far back that you are disconnected and aloof.

Find the motivators

It's easy to apply broad brush strokes and offer everyone the same carrot or stick. It is easy but it doesn't increase performance. The idea behind many performance management processes is to set goals and offer a reward if members achieve them. Yet few people are truly motivated by doing goals set by others. You need to personalise the goals, and link to both extrinsic and intrinsic motivators, which are personal to each member. When you take the easy approach and reward employees with pay rises, bonuses and other remunerative actions, perhaps a few perks, it only works for a while. 

By engaging with your people on a personal level, you will find out their intrinsic motivators. 

How often do you ask?

What motivates you?

What parts of your job get you fired up?

What does your ideal day look like?

How would you like to be led?

Tailoring your rewards and recognition to the person will save you so much time and increase performance. Include members in the goal setting, using words that align to their motivations. Is the reward a trophy or an extra days holiday? Is it the opportunity to work on an exciting project or to work from home more? When performance rises, what will be the prize for the individual?