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February 8, 2004 – Nearly two-thirds of managers say they are spending most of their time with poor performers, according to a recent survey conducted by Caliper, a Princeton-based management consulting firm.
"This begs the question: Who should managers be spending most of their time with?" said Herb Greenberg, Ph.D., President and CEO of Caliper. "You have to ask yourself: ‘If I'm spending most of my time with poor performers, what's the best I can hope for? To bring my poor performers up to being barely average, at best?' The truth is that if you're spending too much time trying to resolve problems with employees, you're probably not focused on the future, on what your company can become," Greenberg added.
"You can't afford to spend too much time with your poor performers," he said. "If you've given them a clear sense of what is expected and the tools they need to succeed, but they're still not getting the job done, you've got to move on."
How can managers make the time they are spending with poor performers really count? Greenberg suggests, "First, determine whether an individual's poor performance is the result of not having the appropriate personality qualities. Or is something else afoot? Is the chemistry wrong between the manager and employee? Sometimes a simple move to a different area or providing more direction can improve performance. You have to determine if the situation can be improved and if that improvement can be measured. Otherwise, managers will be wasting valuable time."
Greenberg said, "Ultimately, an executive's time is best spent with their best employees. This attention will keep them engaged, knowing they're valued. Moreover, this allows the manager to gain insights into what is really working for the company. And the manager will feel a lot more energized and enthused about what employees are doing, as well as about his or her own job."
Kevin Clayton, President of Clayton Homes, agrees. "Succeeding is mostly about attitude and values – and they're the hardest to teach. Top performers are self-aware people. They are willing to talk about their limitations and ask for feedback. I naturally coach them more because they want and ask for feedback. The more you promote this kind of behavior, the more it will become part of your culture. And the more you surround yourself with top performers, the more possibilities you'll realize."
While poor performance can waste an enormous amount of time and energy for a manager, poor performers can occasionally be funny. In a recent survey we asked managers:
What is the worst excuse you ever received for poor performance?
- "There is nothing I can do about it. That's the way God made me."
- One woman called in three times this month, always with a "flat tire." I'm waiting for the fourth one to go.
- A guy called in sick, saying he had an eye problem. The next day, when I asked him how his eye was, he said, "I felt fine, I just couldn't see coming into work yesterday."
Caliper helps companies achieve peak performance by aligning the potential and motivations of individuals with the goals of a business. Our expertise and accuracy, combined with the depth of our personal approach, has enabled us to provide objective, adaptable solutions for over 25,000 companies throughout the past four decades. Caliper helps executives from Fortune 500 companies to some of the fastest growing smaller firms select the right people, manage individuals most effectively and develop productive teams.
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