An old joke makes the point. It's 2:00 am and the husband can't sleep. He tosses and turns. He's not told his wife that they're in financial difficulty and the bank is on the verge of forclosing their mortgage. His wife, now also awake, wants to know what the problem is? Husband breaks down and tells her why he can't sleep, that their house will be forced into foreclosure.
She runs downstairs, makes a phone call, comes back to bed, and says, "Now you can go to sleep. I called the bank manager, told him we can't pay the mortgage and now it's his problem."
I do understand that this metaphor only goes so far. Using this approach the couple will lose their house. The point to remember is that the wife transferred the problem. Managers think they own all the problems, when in fact the employees have an equal responsibility for all the problems of the workplace. Transfer the problem to your employees, that's the bigger part of your job.
The standard performance review wisdom out there assumes the manager is the only one with any responsibility and the employee is like an impudent puppy that needs to be cajoled into staying interested in the work. That's just not accurate.
I'll remind you of a couple of things. You are paying these people money, do you think they might owe you some interest?
Another thing, don't comment on behaviour traits. For example you'll see phrases such as; is happy to be here, demonstrates a high level of self confidence, has a pleasant personality. Yes this is traditional unthinking review phrasing but it's just plain wrong.
If the person is unhappy, unconfident, and unpleasant they are hindering the workflow. Why not say that? Get them very interested in solving their problem, (formerly yours). Tell them workflow needs to increase and you'd like a list of things that might improve that. They make the list, not you.
Truth is, I (and you) don't care whether people are unhappy or happy at work. We both care that employees made the right career choice, move the work, and don't demotivate others. Why don't we say that? What happened that we have to comment on someone's traits? Think for yourself, you'll arrive at the same conclusions.
Performance review literature is written as if we're dealing with a volunteer workforce that got sent by someone else and are not here of their own volition. Let's change that. Learn to transfer the problem and sleep easily!
Next week Wednesday Nov. 17th, subject is Performance Reviews, - this is not your father's performance review. You don't have a problem, your employee now has a problem. And you? - you will sleep very well, - I promise you!
See you for breakfast,
Wolfgang
a.) This seminar is as good as full. We may have a few seats left, please call Rachel and check our numbers. You can also ask for my 22 page white paper, Performance Reviews, "It's not about you, it's about what I need." 604-931-6813.
b.) Individual tickets are $135. Or you can book this as a Lunch n' Learn, small group price, $650.
c.) No I'm not nasty. Let me clarify my point about not caring whether people are happy or unhappy at work. However I do care that people make the right career choices. That they choose the right company, the right industry, and the right job. Make that commitment within yourself now do your work and don't worry about liking it. Millions of people do situps not because they like it, but because they know it's the right thing to be doing. Job satisfaction is automatic when you're engaged in the right endeavour. There is no bad work and salary increases are never needed when you've found your life's calling. And if this sounds like hot air to you, redo your resume and find the job you were intended to work at. You've outlived your current usefulness.
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