Good business leaders often say they’ve learned more from their failures than their successes. They have the confidence to know they can’t be right all the time and that mistakes come with the territory.
For example, they might fail to communicate effectively or delegate properly. Perhaps they need to improve at accountability or developing their people skills. But what’s the biggest sin or failure of all – the one that causes harm to the company’s performance and gives leadership the most grief?
Believe it or not, it’s a people problem: Keeping an employee on board who clearly is not suited to his or her job. Ironically, it’s often the company owner or manager who is the last to understand the impact of not taking action on a poor performer.
The employees who work alongside the person quickly recognize the dire consequences of the situation. It breeds negative morale and hurts productivity. It can also erode employees’ confidence in those in charge.
On the flip side, when team leaders know there’s a performance problem, many do nothing about it or take way too long to tackle the problem. Why?
Misplaced loyalty
Let’s start with loyalty. Loyalty is an important attribute – companies and managers encourage and value it. However, at times a manager crosses the line and over-identifies with a particular employee: The manager gets too close to that person.
This makes it more challenging to deal with performance problems because the manager has valued loyalty over performance. An example occurs when managers hire friends or relatives. That invisible line between the manager and employee becomes blurred, and the manager becomes confused. Then it’s really tough to deal with the poor performer in an objective, constructive manner.
Next, consider that nobody likes to be wrong. When a manager hires someone who is a bad fit for a position, letting that person go becomes a public admission that he or she made a mistake. The fear of admitting the mistake often stalls the termination process or prevents it altogether. The manager keeps hoping the person will get better – but hope is not a strategy for success. The employee may never improve. The situation just festers, and everyone suffers.
Another reason managers often don’t act is that they have no backup plan. They think, “At least I have a warm body in the job.” They accept mediocrity rather than take a risk that would create the opportunity to improve the situation.
Avoiding conflict
Dealing with the poor performer also comes with the perception that it must result in conflict. Most people don’t like conflict and will avoid situations that might lead to it. But a performance management system with an ongoing methodology to evaluate performance eliminates conflict by creating an objective process for communicating to employees about their strengths and shortcomings.
Many managers don’t have a good performance management system in place, so when they have to deal with the poor performer, conflict results. Without an established evaluation process, employees are often surprised if they’re suddenly reprimanded or let go. That’s obviously a conflict-ridden situation.
Most important, company leaders hold on to the wrong person for too long simply because they lack good performance management skills themselves. A good leader can use an established performance system as a tool and can also create a culture in which open, honest conversations about performance can take place.
Strong leaders are candid. They have no problem addressing poor performance, and they embrace the opportunity to make such conversations productive for the company and the employee alike. They set clear expectations for their employees, measure their progress, coach them when necessary, and conduct formal training.
Furthermore, effective leaders sense when it’s time to draw a line. For instance, when a little voice in their head keeps saying, “I hope he or she gets better,” they take that as a cue that it’s time to ask critical questions about the person’s performance and take immediate, appropriate action.
Heading off trouble
The good news is leaders can easily reduce the potential for mistakes by addressing the problem head-on. How? Position employees for success by:
• Establishing a proven system for accountability.
• Properly delegating job responsibilities.
• Providing employees with clearly defined goals.
• Making sure their skills align with the job and specific duties.
• Putting effective coaching and training in place.
If you have found yourself with a chronic poor performer on board, it is essential to ask why, and then develop a plan and take action. Here are some affirmative steps to take to position your employees for success and hold them accountable:
Set clear goals and establish Vital Factors – the key indicators of business health for each person on the team. Communicate what performance measures you will use and what your expectations are in terms of performance. Be specific, and focus on results.
Get help from a professional accountability coach who can help you understand what good accountability looks like and how to model accountability effectively.
Identify your weaknesses as an accountability leader and determine areas where you personally need to develop.
Establish a system for accountability and use your established Vital Factors to evaluate performance and take corrective action.
Understand how you deal with conflict. What should you do differently to modify any resistance to conflict and improve upon your conflict management style?
