So, today I tried it…
I was in a conversation regarding an employee that is underperforming and is looking at a new role within their company (not my company, but a friend’s company).
I stopped the conversation.
“What do we want?”, I said.
“What do you mean?”, the manager said.
“Well I don’t think this person is right for the job. I don’t think they are suited for the new role.” – I heard (I wish this person was a different person).
“We are going to give them a sales goal for next year.” I heard (We want more sales.)
“Ok, I said – so you WANT more sales, and you WANT this person to become a successful sales person?”
“YES”, ok – that is a place to start. Now we have a goal that we are holding ourselves accountable for and that we can collectively control.
So, “What is the reality of the situation?” I said. (What is the absolute truth?).
“This person has not been a sales person before.”
“We have a new strategy.”
“This person is very smart and dedicated.”
“We don’t know if they really want the role”…
STOP!
So step 1 is – does this person share in the WANT? Because if they don’t, game over! Move the person out of the organization and get more sales some other way. The absolute truth is that this person doesn’t want to be in sales.
Assuming this person wants to be in sales, make the goal more explicit. What does success look like for this person in sales? Make that clear and make sure that is the goal that you both WANT.
If it is, get everyone involved in the absolute truth… there is concern about their ability to perform (speak constructively as to why?). Share the new strategy of the company. Share the importance of growth. Speak to what skills are needed to be successful in the role. Understand what the individuals concerns are regarding the role. Those are all things that define the absolute truth – the collective truth.
Dispell the perceptions that are not true - and build a plan on the ones that are.
Let’s create a plan for developing the right behaviors and skills to sell.
Let’s identify some targets.
Let’s go to work!
And, then lets look at our progress every day and reassess our plan as it makes sense to reassess.
In EVERY moment, lets work to make this person successful in the role, until some new truth is uncovered about their ability to get it done.
Ultimately, if this person can’t sell – they wont and it will be visibile quickly. And, at that point the reality is that they cant get you to where you WANT to go, and thus they need to leave the company.
HARMONY doesn’t dictate “success” on the tactics. It delivers success at the highest level. And, to the extent that there are difficult decisions to make along the way (i.e. terminating someone)… it allows you to do it in a transparent and constructive way.
My experience is that while terminations are never “fun”, separations of people from companies can be respectful, consistent with our values, and ultimately liberating to both the individuals and the company. When people are in the wrong role – everyone loses.
If you don’t apply the principles of harmony to those situations, you spend energy creating bad feelings, distrust and ultimately you sever ties and relationships that could ultimately be successful.
Just because we terminate someone, doesn’t mean they aren’t going to be a source of business in the future. Maybe they end up working at a client. Maybe they end up working somewhere they can influence clients. I want them to know we treated them right all the way along.
AND, the concepts of harmony – give you the HIGHEST PROBABILITY of success at keeping that individual in the company in a constructive and productive role.
Harmony doesn’t guarantee that everything will work out… it gives you the HIGHEST probability for things to work out – and when they don’t, it gives you the HIGHEST probability that they will be amicable, respectful and constructive in separation?
Why wouldn’t you do it this way?
Only because either –
you don’t know that its an option (you can no longer claim ignorance ;-)
Or, because candor and harmony requires effort, and creating disharmony is often easier in the immediate term. “It’s all their fault, so lets terminate.” It allows us to move along to the next problem… pretending the truth isn’t the truth… not taking your piece of responsibility and accountability in the reality of your business.
You choose ;-)
Obviously, I am a little biased.
Choose harmony… it’s hip and happening!
Nestor