I appreciate the nuance, precision, and humanity you're calling for here, in how assessments are framed.
I'd add that you're describing a scenario where managers care to try to assess and measure "performance" and maybe even do accurately measure "performance" ... and then fail to frame that assessment fairly in their language -- sadly, I think this low bar is often not even met: where managers care to measure, and accurately. More often these assessments are full of motivated reasoning, politics, favoritism, double standards, ego, vibes ... and then spun into a facade of objective measurement.
There is always power dynamics in play as you know John..specifically when someone is bitten by the executives by labelling underperformer and the individual trying to resist against all the odds. Have been in this situation, but had to shut my mouth and exit.
I was made aware of how the environment shapes most of our experience and performance from Edward Deming's work. My perspective on individual performance was different from then on
Environment has certainly an element to play, but it doesn't necessarily mean the environment is bad. I know that in some environments where others excel, I barely crawl, scrapping my health and my will on something just not adequate for me. But in other environments, where others panics and despairs, calling it toxics and cruels, I'm just like a fish in water.
We have to accept that not all works, all environments, are made for everyone. The dream of the perfect environment that is fitting for everyone is as absurd as the one of the perfect employee able to adapt to any situation. It's our differences that makes us great, not the sterile concrete of uniformity.
The sad thing is that we have known for over 50 years that the way we label and talk about people can have a profound effect on their behaviour and self-perception. That's why, for example, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) emphasise separating a person's actions from their identity. Putting someone's performance in context, rather than labelling them, recognises their potential and the influence of their environment. In NVC, this leads to more empathetic and constructive interactions, while in CBT, it helps individuals reframe negative thoughts and promotes healthier cognitive patterns.
Nice articulation of the problems with "performance management" ! I really like how you phrased the problem of managerial and employee expertise as dependent on progressing and perpetuating the dysfunctions. Very Deming-aligned...
I experienced this in my first job out of college. I had a boss who “couldn’t wait to get rid of me”. When I applied to a new role, they asked my new manager if they were sure they wanted to hire me as they didnt think i was very good at the job.
My manager of the new role, who i’m still friends with today, still tells this story and laughs 12 years later saying that i was amazing. That new role was the springboard for my very successful career I have today, leading to all types of positive labels about my abilities.
My career could’ve been very different depending on which set of labels stuck.
I like to think of it like growing weeds. A harsh environment grows weeds quite successfully. Extremely rough, competitive plants thrive and are tough to pull from the hard soil.
A well cultivated garden on the other hand makes it easy to spot and pull weeds, but you have to constantly tend it. You also need to consider what type of garden you’re growing and do some companion planting.
And then many of the most valuable plants don’t even produce fruit the first, second or even third year but become unbeatable crops later. (I’m thinking of asparagus at the moment) Recently I heard that cork trees can only be harvested every nine years and take twenty five for the first harvest.
Imagine if more companies had the attitude of needing to create a ‘healthy soil’ environment for employees and to hold space for those people for multiple years.
What an exceptionally hard challenge but so rewarding. I love hearing about companies who hire junior folk and cultivate them, emphasizing promoting from within. I guess this is why.
I appreciate the nuance, precision, and humanity you're calling for here, in how assessments are framed.
I'd add that you're describing a scenario where managers care to try to assess and measure "performance" and maybe even do accurately measure "performance" ... and then fail to frame that assessment fairly in their language -- sadly, I think this low bar is often not even met: where managers care to measure, and accurately. More often these assessments are full of motivated reasoning, politics, favoritism, double standards, ego, vibes ... and then spun into a facade of objective measurement.
I hope the owners and executives of a certain tax software company are listening. Their statement this week was both cruel AND a massive self-own.
There is always power dynamics in play as you know John..specifically when someone is bitten by the executives by labelling underperformer and the individual trying to resist against all the odds. Have been in this situation, but had to shut my mouth and exit.
Far from trivial, context and environment make or break just about everything. And the way we describe it, can help make - or break - each of us.
I was made aware of how the environment shapes most of our experience and performance from Edward Deming's work. My perspective on individual performance was different from then on
Environment has certainly an element to play, but it doesn't necessarily mean the environment is bad. I know that in some environments where others excel, I barely crawl, scrapping my health and my will on something just not adequate for me. But in other environments, where others panics and despairs, calling it toxics and cruels, I'm just like a fish in water.
We have to accept that not all works, all environments, are made for everyone. The dream of the perfect environment that is fitting for everyone is as absurd as the one of the perfect employee able to adapt to any situation. It's our differences that makes us great, not the sterile concrete of uniformity.
The sad thing is that we have known for over 50 years that the way we label and talk about people can have a profound effect on their behaviour and self-perception. That's why, for example, Nonviolent Communication (NVC) and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) emphasise separating a person's actions from their identity. Putting someone's performance in context, rather than labelling them, recognises their potential and the influence of their environment. In NVC, this leads to more empathetic and constructive interactions, while in CBT, it helps individuals reframe negative thoughts and promotes healthier cognitive patterns.
Nice articulation of the problems with "performance management" ! I really like how you phrased the problem of managerial and employee expertise as dependent on progressing and perpetuating the dysfunctions. Very Deming-aligned...
I experienced this in my first job out of college. I had a boss who “couldn’t wait to get rid of me”. When I applied to a new role, they asked my new manager if they were sure they wanted to hire me as they didnt think i was very good at the job.
My manager of the new role, who i’m still friends with today, still tells this story and laughs 12 years later saying that i was amazing. That new role was the springboard for my very successful career I have today, leading to all types of positive labels about my abilities.
My career could’ve been very different depending on which set of labels stuck.
I can’t like this enough.
I like to think of it like growing weeds. A harsh environment grows weeds quite successfully. Extremely rough, competitive plants thrive and are tough to pull from the hard soil.
A well cultivated garden on the other hand makes it easy to spot and pull weeds, but you have to constantly tend it. You also need to consider what type of garden you’re growing and do some companion planting.
And then many of the most valuable plants don’t even produce fruit the first, second or even third year but become unbeatable crops later. (I’m thinking of asparagus at the moment) Recently I heard that cork trees can only be harvested every nine years and take twenty five for the first harvest.
Imagine if more companies had the attitude of needing to create a ‘healthy soil’ environment for employees and to hold space for those people for multiple years.
What an exceptionally hard challenge but so rewarding. I love hearing about companies who hire junior folk and cultivate them, emphasizing promoting from within. I guess this is why.