In times of stress people revert to what they know, which is why I think we’re seeing managers pull out the “No more Mr. Nice Guy” attitude. Elon Musk, anyone?
Gallup writes about the ineffectiveness of this beautifully in the article that I’ve linked below.
Here are some of the best quotes…
“Before the COVID-19 pandemic, it was clear that traditional performance management practices were a failure. According to Gallup research, only about 2 in 10 employees strongly agreed that their performance was managed in a way that motivated them to do outstanding work.”
“Traditional performance management mindsets and systems are destined to fail going forward. They were demotivating during the best times and nonsensical during the worst times. Why should we think the old command-and-control approach is going to magically fix our problems now?”
“What motivates employees?
🔹 Shared goals
🔹 Agile goals that are adapted to changing conditions
🔹 Two-way dialogue with managers
🔹 Frequent informal conversations about goal progress
🔹 Supportive managers who provide resources and remove roadblocks
🔹 Timely recognition for exceptional performance
🔹 Shared accountability
🔹 Future-oriented conversations that promote learning and development”
“Motivating employees requires adaptability, honesty and ownership, which means performance coaching must become more frequent and meaningful. Employees need to have a two-way dialogue with managers to understand the purpose and value of their work and what’s expected of them.
“Exceptional performance is ultimately fueled by employees who are motivated to take ownership of their work. This means they have a say in their goals — goals that make sense to them — and know why these goals matter to their development, their organization and the world. They also embrace the ability to adjust their goals to better reflect their most important work.”
“The future of workplace leadership is at a tipping point. Ironically, the “tough guy” approach is the easy way out. It may be tempting for leaders to revert to old patterns that feel comfortable, even if those ways of doing business are ineffective or counterproductive.
Good leaders hold people accountable, but that accountability begins with themselves, and now is the time to elevate their leadership in a way that serves people rather than breaks them down. It’s time to outline a new path for how to work together more effectively and create shared accountability for team performance and cross-functional collaboration.”
