1 Minute Wisdom for High Performance LeaderShift….

Management is about ensuring activities are aligned with business goals with sufficient energy, skill and effort to deliver results as planned or needed by the business.

So how do managers / leader manage low performance or under performance in the workplace?

First things first…. check in with yourself and the relevant team member:

  • Do they know what is expected of them? is it clear and simple?
  • Do they know what success looks like? Has it been well articulated?
  • Have they the requisite skills, resources and tools to perform the job effectively?

Check out the pic (right) for a model to consider when evaluating performance.
A diagnostic tool called the skill / will matrix.

The model above are, clockwise from top left:

  1. High will / low skill – Willing Followers
  2. High will / high skill – Advocates
  3. Low will / high skill – Blockers
  4. Low will / low skill – Resisters

So where does your workplace under performer fit?

Their prevalent and prevailing positioning in the model will impact your approach and actions to resolve the performance issue.

  1. High will / low skill: this is usually where your never staff reside. They are highly motivated and still learning how to fit in.  They have not yet been fully impacted by the prevailing culture..  The  best coaching and leadership / manager style here is : Guidance. Don’t micromanage. Give them latitude to make mistakes. Check on them frequently, but not as frequently as those in the Low will / low skill quadrant.

  2. High will / high skill: these are not your problem, as far as the perimeter of this question is concerned.
  3. Low will / high skill: these are your tenured staff. They have been doing their job long enough to be bored by it. They could also be demotivated high performers, who maybe got passed over for a promotion, got a bad bonus or raise, or may be demotivated due to personal issues. They need to be excited. Give them a challenge. Re-energize them. Great leaders burn a fire in the bellies of their staff. Maybe they need a change in role. Maybe they need to rediscover purpose. Maybe they don’t find enough tome to be with family. Whatever it is, try to accommodate.
  4. Low will / low skill: these need hands on management. They need to be directed. They need very specific instructions and the frequency of checkups could be daily, depending on the job. They also need to know that if they do not improve, better career options will be available outside your firm. Discretion for these individuals will be curtailed.

The purpose of this grid is to help structure your thoughts and approach – avoid placing a person in any specific segment permanently.. this is a dynamic and shifting situation, and is very dependent upon conditions, context, culture, climate, and leadership effectiveness as well.

To transform your employee team building workshops. develop leaders and improve happiness at work call Tony Dovale  – a Motivating & Inspiring keynote speaker south Africa on 083-447-6300  

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