I talked about TRUST in my last blog, and how Business Leaders do need to trust in the team around them so they can be left to do the job they are paid to do, freeing up time for the leadership to concentrate ON the business without having to be too involved IN the nitty gritty of the business.
But what if you don’t believe you CAN trust your team?
But what if as much as you try, your team just do the job (or not even that) AND NO MORE.
What if your people – despite your: Leadership Incentives Cajoling Pushing’/ ‘Pulling’……..
…. THEY STILL AREN’T PERFORMING ….
I was talking this morning to a small business owner who was having this frustration. Despite a performance–related pay structure, financial incentives for people to take training courses, and grow their own talents, his team just weren’t energised or interested to go the extra mile for themselves, let alone for him and the business.
I have always gone through life with the adages ’assume positive intent’, and ‘people don’t come to work to do a bad job’. That’s all very well if you’re in the position of my new friend above. Truth is, if you’ve got people working for you who – despite having a clear job description, and clear accountabilities – are not coming up with the goods, then you HAVE TO GET TOUGH.
It’s often what you are NOT doing that has the biggest impact. NOT ‘taking the bull by the horns’ and not having a difficult conversation with one of your team, will leave the rest of the team thinking that they can ‘get away’ with underperforming themselves.
You don’t have to be NASTY to GET TOUGH. Look in the mirror – is there is something you are NOT doing that people need from their leader? Are they clear what your expectations are? What good looks like? The consequence for them and the wider business if they don’t do something? Find out why they are not performing, what you can do to support them to get to standard, and with their buy in – create a clear action plan for improvement.
BUT.. YOU NEED TO FOLLOW THROUGH. PRAISE WHERE DUE, BUT BE TOUGH IF THINGS DO NOT IMPROVE…
GETTING TOUGH – reinforcing ‘What Good Looks Like’ and what your expectations are, and what the rewards of great performance are, as well as the consequences of poor performance will result in a more motivated team and better results for YOU and your business.
Remember – Performance Management is NOT about SACKING PEOPLE! It is about helping those who work for you to perform even better. Make the most of your Human Resource that have potential for growth by investing time in them. Giving your team the right tools and the right guidance will allow you to empower people and will result in you being above to TRUST in them more.
And it will give you the framework to BELIEVE IN PEOPLE more. And in return, they will BELIEVE IN YOU. It’s called STAFF ENGAGEMENT. It’s vital for business success. Whatever size of business you run.
GET TOUGH – it will pay off.
