Most people who have managed employees have at one time or another been frustrated with the performance of a staff member. He or she just simply doesn’t seem to “get it.” The person isn’t performing the work the way you think he or she should, and despite all of the sit-downs, performance reviews, additional training, etc., nothing changes.
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But, have you ever considered this: Maybe it’s not the employee. Maybe the problem is trying to continue to hammer home a process that doesn’t necessarily work for that particular worker.
Taking a Different Approach
According to leadership blogger Dan Rockwell, “the only way to achieve greater success using old methods is to work harder. But doing more with less has a limited lifespan.” Moreover, “working harder only works when you aren’t working hard already.”
Great maxims, perhaps, but what should managers actually do in situations when, despite their best efforts, they’re simply not seeing the improvements they’re looking for?
In the example we give above, and in many real-life situations, managers often fail to get the most out of their employees because they are forcing a process on them. Maybe that process worked great for the manager and helped him or her get to his or her current position. But not everyone works the same.
Different Strokes for Different Folks
Some people need and relish in structure, carefully planning their days, documenting everything, and religiously sending reports up the chain. Others may find they are at their best when given the flexibility to agilely adapt to new challenges as they arise without having to be tied down by unnecessary procedure.
Again, Rockwell says, “Encourage people to find THEIR way forward, not yours. Everyone must agree on the vision and goals, but how to get it done is up to individuals and small teams who are closest to the work.”
When managers start to get frustrated with the success and the output of their employees, it’s easy to think externally and assume it must be the fault of the employees. But often, the problem or the bottleneck comes from the managers themselves, trying to force a process or a structure on someone for whom it simply doesn’t fit.
Are you, or other managers in your organization, focused too much on process and not enough on outcomes? Some simple shifts in approach can lead to better results for the company and greater satisfaction for employees.