It’s the big problem that everyone is talking about, according to surveys, research and my own conversations with managers. How do you ensure your team is performing now you no longer see them daily in the office?
A common mistake is building over-complex top-down monitoring systems. The more you check on people, the less trusted they feel, and this impacts negatively on how they feel about you and their work.
So how do you balance performance, trust and accountability?
1. Clear targets so everyone knows what is expected
It sounds pretty basic, but I’m still finding managers who struggle with doing this consistently and effectively. Get into a regular pattern (e.g. weekly 1-1 calls) where you agree the what, the why and the when.
Using SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-limited) may be commonplace, and that’s because it works – but only if leaders put in the effort to define the sought outputs properly, enable high performance and define success criteria.
2. Upward reporting to maintain accountability
When it comes to monitoring the output, the key is for the team member to be given responsibility for telling you how they’ve done. This builds trust and accountability.
You’ll need a simple structure so that you’re not bombarded with feedback from all your team members, and you can track performance consistently across the team.
3. A coaching approach establishes and supports the culture
A coaching approach is about people being more proactive, creative, engaged and empowered. Managers get great results from using non-directive conversations, focused on helping team members generate their own ideas and solutions.
What have you found to be particularly effective in leading for high performance?