Good business leaders often say they’ve learned more from their failures than their successes. These leaders have the confidence to know they can’t be right all the time and that mistakes come with the territory. For example, they might fail to communicate effectively or delegate properly. Perhaps they need to improve at seeking accountability or developing in the workforce.
But what’s the biggest failure of all, one that causes harm to the performance of a company? It’s hanging onto the wrong person, in the wrong job, for too long.
Ironically, a manager or small business owner is the last to understand the impact of not taking action on a poor performer. It’s employees, working alongside the poor performer, who quickly recognize the dire consequences of this situation. Leaving poor performers in place breeds negative employee morale and loss of productivity. It also can erode the confidence and effectiveness of those in charge. Many managers or owners won’t take action or take way too long to tackle the problem. Why?
THE PITFALLS
Let’s start with loyalty. Loyalty is important — employers encourage and value it. However, there are times when a manager hires a friend or relative for a job or gets too close to a worker. This makes it challenging to deal with performance problems because the manager has valued loyalty over performance.
Nobody likes to be wrong. So when a manager hires someone who is a bad fit for a position, letting that person go becomes a public admission that he or she made a mistake. Unfortunately, the fear of admitting mistakes often stalls or prevents the termination process altogether. Perhaps the manager keeps hoping that this person will get better, but since hope is not a strategy for success, there’s likely never any improvement. The situation festers, and everyone suffers.
Another reason managers often don’t do anything about ousting the poor performer is they don’t have a backup plan. They believe that any living, breathing body is better than no one at all. They accept mediocrity rather than take a risk that would enable them to create the opportunity to improve their situation. The solution would be to recruit proactively, always looking for someone who could be a better team player.
Dealing with the poor performer also comes with the perception that it always results in conflict. Most people don’t like conflict, so they avoid situations that might lead to it. But implementing a good performance management system eliminates the potential for conflict by creating an objective process for communicating with employees about their strengths and shortcomings. Many managers don’t have a good performance management system in place, so if they have to deal with the poor performer, conflict results.
START PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
What’s more, without an ongoing methodology to evaluate performance and give feedback, employees are often surprised if they’re suddenly reprimanded or let go. That’s obviously a conflict-ridden situation, one that can be avoided with a performance management system in place.
Most importantly, company leaders hold onto the wrong person, in the wrong position, for too long simply because they lack good performance management skills themselves. As a manager or small business owner, you need to understand how you deal with conflict. What should you do differently to reduce conflict when dealing with poorly performing employees?
A good accountability leader creates a culture in which open, honest conversations about performance can take place. Strong leaders are candid; they have no problem addressing poor performance, and embrace the opportunity to make such conversations productive for both the company and the employee.
In addition, they set clear expectations for their employees, measure their progress, coach them when necessary and conduct formal training. Furthermore, effective leaders sense when it’s time to draw a line. For instance, when they hear a voice inside their head saying, “I hope he or she gets better,” they take that as a cue to ask some critical questions about that person’s performance and take immediate, appropriate action.
YOU CAN TURN IT AROUND
The good news is leaders can easily change the potential for mistakes by addressing the problem of lingering poor performance. What’s the best way to do this? Position employees for success by establishing a proven system for accountability; properly delegating job responsibilities; providing them with clearly defined goals; making sure their skills align with the job, and implementing effective coaching and training.
Are you guilty of slacking off on a poor performer? If so, challenge yourself to uncover the reasons why you haven’t addressed the situation; develop a plan and take action now.
