I heard one of my teachers in college express a theory that really didn’t make sense to me at the time. It was just a statement made in casual conversation with another teacher as they were walking through the hallway. He said, “Some students will only perform up to the level you expect of them.” The other teacher simply shook his head and responded, “That’s right” with a deep sigh. That comment stuck with me, and I have been reminded of it frequently.
It is my observation that the same concept holds true for the workforce in general. Setting the right performance expectations can determine the success or failure of each member of the team. If you do not present enough challenges to keep the top employees interested, either they will go elsewhere to find excitement, or they will choose to stop excelling. At the same time, if you expect too much from someone who is a solid performer, he or she may become discouraged before experiencing the feelings of success that keep them motivated.
Throughout my years in the Healthcare Technology Management profession, I have had the pleasure of working with some really great people who were determined to drive positive change in the environment around them. I have also found myself wondering why some people still have jobs when the results of their actions are consistently below the performance level of others. I believe it’s appropriate to give an individual the benefit of the doubt until there have been specific, documented attempts to assure the employee knows what is expected. If unacceptable performance is allowed to continue without any efforts toward correction, it’s a clear indication that all fault rests with the supervisor or with the general culture of the organization. With that said, however, it is crucial to remember that the managers and Human Resources employees must be in compliance with organizational policies and be respectful of the individual rights of each employee. Translation – remember that unless you are one of the individuals involved in performance management activities, there may be efforts in progress that no one else in the department is aware of.
It’s never pleasant for either party to go through the feedback process when employees fail to meet the minimum expectations of their role. When that situation happens for me, my first thought is that I have failed to be effective as a manager. I may not have established or communicated clear performance objectives, or I may have expected some results that were not actually attainable. Either way, it’s critical that we discuss the situation, identify where changes should be made and clarify who is responsible for taking which actions. Then, it’s important to check back after a few weeks to further clarify any misunderstandings or address other barriers, whether real or perceived. The busier people get, the harder it is to make the time for these important steps in the overall evaluation of an employee’s contributions to the team. If there is a need to implement remedial action, it can be a lengthy cycle of improvement and regression before performance is sustained at an acceptable level, or not.
Another common failure when it comes to performance evaluations is to set expectations too low. It is always rewarding to work with individuals and teams who are focused on improving upon their own past results. As a manager, how should evaluations be handled when every employee is a top performer? Often, these individuals are referred to as “Type A” personalities or “Overachievers” because they are competitive, sometimes impatient, and diligent workers. They usually expect more from themselves than they expect of other people. While it is exciting to work with an “A Team”, they bring their own set of challenges, especially when it comes time to conduct the formal performance evaluations.
A typical system-wide measurement scale includes a range that is something like this: 1) Does Not Meet Expectations, 2) Inconsistently Meets Expectations, 3) Meets Expectations, 4) Exceeds Most Expectations and 5) Significantly Exceeds Expectations. How do you determine appropriate scoring when actions that would be viewed as “exceeding expectations” on other teams are now only perceived as “meeting expectations” because the bar has been raised for everyone on the team? The manager charged with completing the assessment may as well accept that whatever the score, and the explanations to support it, those high performing and perfectionist-like employees will always want their scores to be higher. If they are disappointed with an evaluation score, it is not necessarily assumed that the manager’s evaluation is unfair toward them. It is more likely that they have already pushed themselves beyond “normal” performance levels, yet somehow failed to reach the mark they were personally striving for.
Unlike the professors I remember who were disappointed with a student who elected to exert only the minimum required effort, we are fortunate to be part of a profession where there are so many individuals who want to be the best in their field. It can be a great problem to have as a manager, to try to find ways to keep challenging and rewarding an entire team of professionals who expect to excel in everything they do. The key there, as with everything else related to being a manager, is to make sure your own expectations are aligned with those of your employees, your customers, and your organization. If all are working toward a shared objective, then everyone benefits. It is easier to build and sustain momentum because no one has to stop and ask “What did you expect?”
Disclaimer Notice: All comments, ideas, opinions or suggestions expressed herein are those of the author and are not in any way representative of the author’s employer or of any organization the author may be associated with.