In this article, you will see the mistakes managers make when it comes to a difficult task: being human and performing. The leader often hesitates between the two, he seeks his position, he has a natural preference for one or the other, he has beliefs that lead him more to one and more to the other.
What if the manager could be as human as he was performance-oriented?
I learned my management trade with people who believed in working hard, the number of hours was recognized (the more, the better!). My hierarchy had human values and shared them, but performance was paramount.
I managed as I learned.
One day, the results of my teams no longer suited me. So my approach had to change.
It’s not enough just to be human, as you can imagine. The leader who thinks about the well-being of his teams without thinking about their contribution to the company is missing out on part of his work, and vice versa.
I have never seen a manager in bad faith. I have seen some who lacked hindsight, feedback and tools.
In this second part, I will deal with one of the mistakes of managers: not having the right people in the right positions. I present it to you from a “human” point of view as well as a “performance” angle.
Not having the right people in the right positions
Is a member of your team underperforming in a position? You think:
- He/She doesn’t have all the skills, but he/she has always held this position, I can’t change that.
- I don’t know how to tell him, he’s my friend.
- The organization evolves, but this person does not. What to do?
What are the actions to take when you feel you should address a performance case?
1. The “human” point of view:
What it offers to the human being to have “the right person in the right place” in the company is undoubtedly to feel efficient in his or her position.
I don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to feel good about their job!
A manager who is asked to return to his position as an expert, for example, will take it badly (especially his pride).
What to do:
- Express to the person the parallel between your expectations and their performance.
- Talk to this person about strategies to bring them to the desired status.
- Offer the required means if the person is motivated and committed to the process.
By talking to the employee and expressing your expectations, you may end up with a positive reaction and discover a potential who wants to express themselves!
If you think that the person cannot succeed, I ask you right away to stop thinking and anticipate for them. No one is in a better position than oneself to decide one’s ability to develop. And all of them need support. Change your attitude, try, and trust.
I tell you this because I often hear managers say: it will be better to recruit, the person in place has no potential.
And this WITHOUT having validated with the said person, or having communicated his expectations clearly since the hiring. It can also be a recruitment mistake (yes it happens 🙂 ). Or your business has grown rapidly and your needs have changed. Or you have just realized that you are not supported. Whatever the reason, there is one.
Isn’t the potential enough? Don’t fall into one of the mistakes of managers. Talk to the person about a position where they would see their contribution. And if possible (in terms of budget in particular), keep and/or shape your organizational structure according to each person’s strengths.
2. The “performance” point of view:
Purists may say that you don’t change an organizational chart according to the people, but that you adapt the people to the organizational chart.
I say to you: good luck.
You’re going to waste a lot more time and money doing this. Do you know how much the turnover rate costs in a company? Around 40% of his salary for a non-specialized employee, and up to 200% for a manager or 400% for a specialist.
It’s expensive. Think.
It’s up to you. Knowing that the integration processes in companies are often flawed, and that the culture takes time to understand. Don’t expect to have an instant super performance in both cases.
What to do:
- Whether you have chosen a new employee or are supporting an existing employee in the development of their potential and skills, measure their performance. That is: what is a high-performing employee in this position? How will you determine, in a concrete way, that the employee is meeting your expectations?
- Always give a probationary period. In my experience, I’ve seen people offer the position, but only make it official after a few months. This is a questionable approach in my opinion, but it exists.
What I prefer is to do a pilot project.
Let’s say I want a specialist to incorporate project management skills, I would give them a coordinating role in a particular project. This way, it will be possible for both of them to see how things are going, and if the project is a failure, no one has lost anything, neither time nor pride, and no promotion or administrative process in fact. In fact, you will have won.
In conclusion
Avoid manager mistakes. When you have a performance concern for a person/position, make sure the expectations are clear and address the situation. You will be able to develop potential, change your structure, recruit, train. In any case, regardless of the position of the said person, it will be beneficial for both them and the company if you address the situation.
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