“Please tell me how to go ahead forming the team you want me to for the annual conference.” reads a reply from a qualified lady, with over 10 years of experience in a managerial role! (Really?!!)
“ Please approve the email i have written to our vendor, I am not sure if this is how it should sound” another email from an experienced buyer in the procurement team, to his boss. (Haah, you don’t know??)
“I am not sure I am fit to continue in this role, I would like to resign”…a desperate resignation from a young turk, from a premier management institute. (giving up already?!)
This is what too much measurement and review can do to an individual.
It is true that when you put measurable goals for individuals, it becomes a clearer target and also progress can be tracked better, issues can be spotted earlier and overall, things get done! however, what i also see is too much measurement . Meticulous and constant review of goal versus achievement, on-going identification of even the smallest errors and deviations from expectations can all become signs of a pathological manager.
A leading company that recruits management trainees from leading IT and MBA schools is suffering high employee turnover as well as poor employee performance. This in spite of having the ‘best brains’ in the industry and a demanding placement process. When investigated, it appears that the management trainees work on several small projects throughout the first year, some lasting 90 days to 6 months. Each project has a mid-project and end-project review done by the project manager, analysing the performance of the employee. on that project. Their participation in every meeting they participated in is evaluated…did they speak enough, did they contribute, did they ask the right questions, did they present themselves well enough etc. And each time, true to human nature (and of course a boss’ “responsibility”), the focus is on the ‘improvement areas”! Imagine receiving a ‘critique’ of your work almost every week! What else can it do but leave these people feeling paranoid about themselves. Many end up with feelings of low self worth, insecurity and inadequacy. Many who are more sensitive than the others, give up and quit, often to join at lower positions and salaries because of their now diminished self confidence.
Take this other organization, with a high priority on performance and financial success. They want to ensure that every rupee they invest yields a return. Productivity is given so much importance, that every slip in performance, every small error and every small delay is noticed, ‘reviewed’ and feedback is provided. Very clear monetary and non monetary targets are set, and these are continuously scrutinised to ensure like a Six sigma human productivity. This leads to a debilitating sense of fear, anxiety and pressure. and like a vicious cycle, these feelings perpetuate the very mistakes and slips the organization is trying to avoid! It leaves even senior managers, experienced individuals feel afraid to take decisions, bring in their own ideas and creativity and makes them walk on egg shells constantly. Then they are accused of not taking the inititative, not showing ‘entrepreneurial spirit” and making too many errors!
Its true that feedback presents a mirror to oneself and can aid in self awareness. But you can’t do anything meaningful standing in front of that mirror! it can only make you super self conscious, making you focus on your blemishes, your double chin, your paunch!
The solution lies in allowing people to work un-self-consciously, allow them to immerse themselves in their work without judgment or measurement and you will see in that individual, more self assurance, self confidence and hence better performance and motivation.
So what is the magic balance? I’d say, do measure, but not from a perspective of finding what’s not working but to appreciate what is. Praise as much as you criticise, operate from trust and belief in people rather than doubt and scepticism. Don’t keep measuring performance, breathing down people’s necks. Let people be, allow them their learnings curve, give them time to grow into their own and demonstrate their competence. Do set measurable goals, but dont keep measuring feverishly.
Its true, what gets measured gets done…but we must also know that too much measurement: feedback, correction, evaluation, can get people un-done!