Take Responsibility for Poor Performers
Have you ever been in a situation where you have had an employee that may not be performing to your expected standard or not behaving consistently with your organisational values? You bite your tongue (for whatever reason) and then one day it gets too much and you just want them gone!? We come up against this situation a lot – and talk through various options, but that’s not the point, the point is to take responsibility for poor performers!
When you get to the point you want them gone, look back and ask, “Did I tell them there was an issue and what it was?” (People don’t know what they don’t know). “Would I like the opportunity to know and improve if it was me?” (You probably would!). Sure, it can be a difficult conversation to have however you owe to yourself, your team, the business and the individual to have it anyway.
Giving guidance or feedback, receiving it and encouraging it is important. When it comes to leading a team, Kim Scott helps with her theory, the Radical Candor framework, where feedback is caring and challenging. She explains that giving feedback can be done in 4 different ways with the idea being ‘Radical Candor’ where you genuinely care about the individual. This makes it much easier to then give them criticism or to be ‘challenged directly’ if needed. She goes on to say that it’s not only your job as a leader but your moral obligation to let your team member know when they are not meeting expectations. Is this you? The alternative 3 ways you will see certainly aren’t ideal.
- Do you give criticising feedback to a team member without caring about them? This is bad and is labelled by Scott as Obnoxious Aggression and for good reason. As bad as this approach is, it is, however, better than not communicating the problem at all.
- Or do you care about them but not criticise? For example, if you give praise which isn’t genuine for another motive or agenda. It makes sense that Scott labels this as Manipulative Insincerity.
- Or maybe you care a lot without criticising? This is when people are trying to be nice to spare people’s feelings – not saying what needs to be said, called Ruinous Empathy by Scott.
So, which do you normally do and will you start to care personally about your team members and give them critical feedback when needed? Those receiving the feedback deserve to know and sometimes, criticism can be the kindest thing you can do for someone. At least then you will avoid getting to the point that you have had enough and you want them to go! You will feel better for it.
We find most people don’t say what needs to be said because they are trying to be nice but this doesn’t get the individual or the business anywhere. We also find that the longer it is left without saying anything, the more likely it ends up that the Manager doesn’t care or gives poor feedback – not a good place to be for either party.
You know, maybe your poor performer has become toxic, maybe they are bringing the culture and the team down, maybe everyone wants them out of there. But, were you committed to your organisational values, were you being an exemplary leader, did you take responsibility as a leader and let them know there was a problem and managed it before it got to that point?
At HR Business Direction, we can help you with the legislative, business and human sides of managing performance. Contact us here.
Leisa Messer BBus(HRM); GradDipIR; CAHRI; IRSQ
Managing Director | HR Strategist
leisa.messer@hrbd.com.au
07 3890 2066
www.hrbd.com.au