Partnering for Performance
"The difference between a boss and a leader: a boss says, 'Go!'
- a leader says, 'Let's go!'" E. M. Kelly
Are you a boss or a leader?
Do your employees see you as part of the team or as
looking over it?
How would your team members define your management
style?
I ask these questions as a challenge, and offer the opportunity
to take a look at your manager/team member relationships.
Merriam-Webster states that a boss is someone who exercises
control or supervision; someone who dictates policies. A leader
is someone who guides or directs operations, activities, or
performance; someone who goes at the head or goes first.
Now think about the bigger picture - how your management style
affects your direct reports and Call Center team. Which person
are employees more likely to trust, go to with problems and
concerns, or listen to?
I'm guessing that you, as well as your team members would be
more likely to approach a leader. Although there are times when
a manager must exercise authority, on a day-to-day basis a
leadership approach will foster a team feeling and eliminate the
"us versus them" perception often associated with the
manager/subordinate relationship.
The relationships you develop with your direct reports can make
or break the success of your team. Developing solid
relationships with your employees creates an environment of
teamwork, productivity and success. This environment encourages
feedback for improvement. Performance issues and areas of
opportunity and achievement are no longer an uphill battle, but
rather an effort between partners. This is referred to as
"Partnering for Performance".
What is Partnering for Performance?
A partner is someone who participates in a relationship in which
each member has equal status. The partnership for performance
focuses on the actions of manager and team member for successful
achievement of workplace goals. These goals can be related to
areas such as improved quality, efficiency, or even ongoing
career development. As partners, both manager and employee work
together to create the solutions.
Partnering for performance is centered on building
relationships and allows managers to create a relationship with
your subordinate that harvests success. Communication is one of
the key elements to building relationships and tools for
building relationships through communication may be easier than
you might think. Communicate to Foster Relationships
Ask questions and get to know your team members
Show interest in their personal and professional success
Verbally recognize performance and achievements (Be
Specific)
Listen to the employee
Set expectations for your team members
Ask your team members their expectations of you as
their leader
Discuss how you will support team members in their
performance, and what you expect in return
Conduct regular one-on-one meetings to discuss
performance, successes and future direction
Set goals together
Agree upon what both partners will do to achieve those
goals
What Partnering for Performance is NOT
Partnering for performance is not placing individuals on an
action plan or performance improvement plan. Although these
plans are components of management and necessary tools, without
an established relationship you may meet resistance or be
unsuccessful when enforcing them. Managers cannot create
relationships with employees if the only conversations between
them occur when there are problems or issues.
When partnering for performance, it is counter productive to
deliver directives such as telling someone what they will do to
solve the problem. Instead, a manager who is a partner would ask
what he could do to help, what the employee's thoughts are for
solving the problem, or what they think the next steps should
be. Benefits of Partnering for Performance
The benefits are extensive. The partner relationship:
Creates accountability for the team member as well as the
manager.
Defines responsibilities in the improvement or
development processes.
Establishes trust.
Invites two-way dialog.
Develops approachability for the manager.
Involves the employee in their development path.
The message partnership sends is "I am on your side." "We are on
the same team." and "We will work together to accomplish our
goals."
When a Partnering Does Not Exist
Managers who do not create a partnership often encounter
resistance to coaching. More often than not, there will be an
attitude of "us & them" toward management. The environment will
look like a disconnected group of individuals working together
rather than a team. The manager who does not build the
partnership with their team members also may be perceived as
unapproachable, which creates a dangerous territory. Team
members will not feel comfortable discussing career goals,
bringing up work environment issues, or makings suggestions and
that negatively affects the work experience. Finally, this
manager will be revered only as a boss rather than a leader.
Reaping the Benefits
In Call Centers, managers often spend 90% of their time dealing
with the most challenging employees. Mangers work to improve
performance, attendance, and overall productivity, but the risk
taken in focusing too much time on low performers is neglecting
high performers or even steady performers. Like a snowball
effect, the top performer may resent your neglect and cease to
perform up to what has become expected. It is imperative for the
manager to help low performers improve, encourage steady
performers to become high performers, and inspire high
performers to maintain their standards. One way of juggling all
these tasks is to partner for performance. As a team leader,
your job responsibilities include evaluating your team's
performance and taking action based on that performance. A
performance partner identifies employees on three levels (high
performers, steady performers, and low performers) and
determines a course of action to raise the bar performance
standards.
By partnering for performance you can sustain the high
productivity of top performers and develop your steady
performing team members into top performers.
Top performers
* Approach them about their success.
* Learn what they do well and share it with team members who are
not as efficient.
* Discuss where they would like to go in their career.
* Ask their overall career goals and help them acquire the
skills they need to move forward.
* Partner with them to make a plan for their ongoing development.
Steady performers
* Acknowledge them for their ability to meet goals.
* Learn what they do well too.
* Provide them with the necessary support to exceed performance
goals.
* Ask about their career interests and determine what skills
they will need to acquire.
* Partner with them and establish a plan for continued
development.
Low performers
* Continue to work with them to improve their skills.
* Determine if the obstacles to their success are related to
SKILL or WILL (Is there more knowledge they need to succeed or
more motivation?)
* Establish if they need more knowledge or motivation to succeed.
* Partner with them to plan for their improvement in skills.
Partnering for Performance is a tool like any other in the
manager's tool box. It is a philosophy for success. Building
relationships, commitments and productivity are the tangible
rewards of the partner relationship. Partnering for performance
is a worthwhile challenge that enables you to become a team
leader. Go out there, partner for performance, and say "let's
go!" Watch and see how many people will follow.