Perspective on thePerspective on the Performance GapPerformance Gap

Jill E. CarterCarter Consulting801/581-9910

In a Perfect WorldIn a Perfect World

What might a perfect “collaborative” environment look like for a supervisor and for an employee?Supervisor Employee

The Supervisor’s RoleThe Supervisor’s RoleTo create competent, confident

people who own their performance.

The “slinky” and systems thinking.

Deming and the Performance Deming and the Performance GapGapEdwards Deming* suggests

◦94% of the “Performance Gap” is a function of: Process Leadership

◦6% is employee-based (individual will/accountability)

*Aguayo, Rafael. Dr. Deming, What Every U.S. Business Person Should Know About Successful Management and Bringing Quality Back Home. First Fireside Edition, Carol Publishing Company, New York, New York, 1991.

A Supervisor’s Response A Supervisor’s Response To Poor Performance

◦First time: Hope the performance will go away

◦Second time: Get angry because the performance expectations are still not met

◦Third time: Transfer ownership of the problem to the will/attitude of the employee

What is the Supervisors “frame of mind”?◦Anger and Dread?◦Problem Solving and Accountability

Transactional AnalysisTransactional Analysis

Supervisor EmployeeAdult-Collaboration-Accountability

Adult-Collaboration-Accountability

Parent-Nurturing (good news/supportive)-Judgmental (critical: anger/dread)

Parent-Nurturing-Judgmental

Child-Playful (positive/innovative)-Whiny (negative)

Child-Playful-Whiny

White Bead/Red Bead White Bead/Red Bead ExerciseExercise

Let’s try it!

White Bead/Red Bead White Bead/Red Bead ExerciseExercise

How did the employees respond during this exercise?

Can’t Do(structure)

Won’t Do

Performance Expectations

Employee Will

Procedures and Processes

Employee Skill/Competency

Leadership/Culture

Basic TruthBasic Truth

“Organizations are perfectly designed to get exactly what they are getting.”

--Vivian Harrington, Student WSU

Narrowing the Narrowing the Performance GapPerformance Gap

Desired Outcome Methodology

Have the employee feel validated & respected

Specifically recognize what the employee is doing well

Encourage the idea of behavior aligned with successful performance

Create an environment where people can make mistakes and learn from them

Move to problem solving rather than defensiveness

Jointly define the problem, the root cause and the solution with the employee

Collaborate on problem-solving (transfer accountability to the employee)

Ask the employee for insight & recommendations to resolve the issue

Narrowing the Narrowing the Performance GapPerformance Gap

Desired Outcome Methodology

Transfer solution development to the employee rather than the supervisor

Facilitate the discussion for potential solution options

Facilitate the outcome/ownership to the employee rather than the supervisor

Look at the pro’s and con’s of all solution options against the performance standard

Give outcome/ownership to the employee

Ask the employee for recommendation on the best solution

Foster an employee implementation

Ask the employee for steps, milestones, etc.

Clarify joint roles and expectations

Recap root cause, solution & requested resources

“People do the best they can do or else they would do better.”