By BLR Founder and CEO Bob Brady
BLR’s founder agrees that commitment is crucial for business success, but questions whether HR managers can be “commitment coaches” for upper management.
In a recent column in Workforce Management, Gershon Mader and Josh Leibner, consultants with Quantum Performance, Inc., wrote about “commitment” (not the kind that women look for in men—that would be a subject for a column elsewhere!). Mader and Leibner argued that, more than anything else, commitment is what matters for employee performance. People can be well trained and have the best resources and a great strategy, but they also need drive.
The two also argued that HR managers should see themselves as “commitment coaches.” They should reach out to their CEOs and coach them in how to build commitment in the workforce. The writers’ hypothesis: An employee’s performance can rise no higher than his or her commitment. HR should take on the challenge of educating CEOs to this fact.
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I See Problems
I agree—sort of. Over the years at BLR, we’ve had our share of really smart, very well educated people who misfired, often because they were bored by the “mundane” tasks of doing the research, writing, and production that our customers pay us to do. On the other hand, we’ve had (and still have) many, many staffers who make “above-level” contributions because they understand how to make our customers happy and do whatever is necessary. Clearly, intelligence is only part of the battle. Commitment counts.
But Mader and Leibner should consider two issues.
First, commitment, alone, doesn’t do it. Your workforce has to be committed to the right things—the things that will drive your organization’s mission forward. Some companies succeed through product innovation. Some through customer service. Some through operations. So just commitment isn’t enough—employees also have to be aligned to their organization’s strategy and goals.
At highly successful companies, employees know what their organization’s “secret sauce” is, and they are relentless about executing on it. At less successful operations, it’s not uncommon to have highly “committed” employees working on the wrong things.
What makes the difference? I think above all, it is management’s ability to formulate and communicate strategy. If management doesn’t know where it wants to go, any road will take them there—and employees can’t be faulted for taking any and all roads, either.
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Is HR Able to Be Commitment Coach to Management?
My second problem with Mader and Leibner’s article has to do with how realistic it is to suggest that HR can be a CEO’s “commitment coach.”
Do HR managers have the kind of access and organizational clout that such an initiative would require? Is it realistic to believe that HR can change a CEO’s character?
In some workplaces it may be, but if it isn’t, HR shouldn’t set itself up for failure by making it a goal. Better to make goals that are achievable, given HR’s role and the tools available. If we can show the C-level that we have commitment and know how to build it in the troops—and that it makes a difference—then we’ll have something to sell to the upper ranks.
What to Do
First, use existing tools (goal setting, performance appraisals, etc.) to help staffers focus on the right things. If you’re lucky enough to work for an organization that has well thought out goals and objectives, make sure these are translated to individual performance goals and used by managers and supervisors. If not, this goal setting function should be an HR priority.
Second, think about revisiting Jack Welch’s “Four Es and a P” performance appraisal system. His “Es” are Energy, Energize, Execution, and Edge. The “P” is Passion. The five together are a good way to judge whether an individual has commitment to the right things.
Anyway, that’s my thinking on the advisability/feasibility of HR becoming a “commitment coach.” I’d love to hear your thinking. Use the Share the Comments button below.
Shame on you, Bob Brady! Your note that this is “not the kind that women look for in men” is among the most sexist I’ve seen in awhile… and coming from you, I was shocked! Don’t perpetuate the clinging-woman, oat-sowing man stereotypes that keep the two genders at odds, Mr. Brady – you know better!
I have always found BLR’s HR Daily Advisor Tips to be interesting and useful, and have often shared them w/our management team. However, in the Sept 15th “Commitment in the Workplace” Tip, I found Mr. Brady’s comment regarding women’s expectations of commitment outside the workplace (“not the kind of commitment women look for in men) to be not only offensive, but irresponsible from the CEO of an organization that advises on a variety of legal issues including discrimination. While your comment may have only been meant “in fun”, it is exactly these types of off-handed, innocent comments that continue to perpetuate negative stereotypes.
Kaeri and Lynda, thanks for your comments. Mea culpa… as you can see, it’s easy for even the experienced folks among us to insert foot in mouth from time to time. While I meant that remark in a lighthearted way, I can certainly see why you (and possibly others as well) took offense, and I apologize. This is a good reminder for all of us to be careful about how our words may be interpreted, and to call each other out when appropriate. I welcome any additional feedback.
Mr. Brady –
We could not be more in agreement with your statement, “…commitment, alone, doesn’t do it. Your workforce has to be committed to the right things.” In fact, we are sure you would agree that any strategy is only as good as people’s commitment to its fulfillment. We don’t believe in “standalone” commitment; true commitment can only exist when there is a commitment to something.
You also state that formulation and communication of strategy makes the difference. We agree this is important, however it is only half of the story. There are two dimensions driving commitment to a strategy; “Content” which includes people being clear about the strategy and feeling it is the right one (it’s validity). And “Context” which includes people’s perceptions about their leaders’ sincerity, courage, resolve, competence and care. As we’ve all seen, even when people understand the direction, if they feel it is unsafe to speak up, engage and take risks, or that nothing will make a difference, they’ll resort to compliance and self-preservation which undermines organizational performance. Unfortunately this is more the norm than the exception.
“How realistic is it to suggest that HR can be a CEO’s “commitment coach?” you ask. In our work with dozens of HR executives during 20-plus years of consulting, we’ve been fortunate to work alongside many who have adopted this role. It is neither easy nor risk-free. To take it on, HR executives have had to muster their courage and develop the skills to make a meaningful impact through coaching. This has come easier to some than others, however everyone we’ve seen take on this benchmark has been successful at moving himself or herself along this spectrum. They have built greater trust and credibility with their CEO’s and colleagues, as well as made a significantly greater impact on the culture and performance of their organizations. In addition, many describe this part of their role as most exciting and rewarding; what attracted them to HR in the first place.
We believe every HR executive can take on this role. It’s much less a matter of ability than of courage. We’re not advocating recklessness; HR executives who walk blindly into this swamp assuming they will be welcomed with open arms, eyes and ears are being naive. But adopting this high standard–while being sensitive to organizational politics and undercurrents but not succumbing to them–will allow HR to go far beyond being a mere distribution channel for goals and objectives and purveyor of programs.
Our book–due out early next year, “The Power of Strategic Commitment,” (Amacom Press) explains the need for, and the pathway to, realizing extraordinary results by building total commitment and alignment throughout any type of organization, with a chapter dedicated to the unique role HR can and should play in making this happen.
Josh Leibner and Gershon Mader – principals at Quantum Performance Inc.