We are currently engaged in the process of training all of our managers in the leadership practices defined in the book The Leadership Challenge by Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner. We have completed a 16-week in-house training program utilizing The Leadership Challenge textbook, workbook, and LPI 360 survey for all our senior managers. We are now repeating the same program for all our middle managers and team leaders. Ultimately, our goal is to integrate and sustain the principles and practices of exemplary leadership as defined in The Leadership Challenge, into our Company’s culture and daily management routines.

To support this effort we have taken a closer look at our performance management program and the management tools it employs (i.e. Performance Appraisals, Job Descriptions, Progressive Discipline Forms, etc.) We have come to the realization that these performance management tools reflect a philosophy based on traditional management ideals, concentrating on enforced control and compliance with a focus on tasks and rules. This approach is inconsistent with the principles espoused in The Leadership Challenge. The concepts of shared values, passions, aspirations, goals, vision, and commitment are conspicuously absent from our tools.

We recognize that forms, documents, and programs don’t manage performance, leaders do. But these instruments if designed correctly, provide leaders with a vehicle to convey support, to facilitate communication, provide feedback, and focus employee attention in ways that strengthens competencies and builds confidence and commitment.

Rather than reinvent the wheel, we were hoping that another like-minded company, traveling along a similar path of transformation, but a little further ahead of us, might have already tackled this obstacle. If so, we were hoping that they might like to share their thoughts, ideas, and solutions. We are looking for performance management tools that reflect the principles expressed in The Leadership Challenge. Specifically, we are looking for templates of performance management tools designed to promote employee ownership, accountability, and commitment through shared values and goals. Tools like job descriptions designed to articulate shared values and connect them to duties, task, and responsibilities in a manner that brings purpose and meaning to work; or performance appraisals designed to assess how well and consistently an employee’s actions and behavior align with their expressed commitment to shared values and goals.

If your company has already addressed this issue or if you know of a resource that would be helpful in guiding us to a solution, we would be very appreciative of your assistance.

Respectfully yours,

John A. Kurzeja
Senior Vice President Human Resources
Epicurean Life

quote:

Originally posted by Jkurzeja:
If your company has already addressed this issue or if you know of a resource that would be helpful in guiding us to a solution, we would be very appreciative of your assistance.

John

In addition to The Leadership Challenge suite, some other resources you may wish to consider include:

Catalytic Coaching : The End of the Performance Review

Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They Backfire and What to Do Instead

The Leader's Handbook

Discipline Without Punishment

I mention these because, apart from hyperbole about scrapping performance review, I think they are reasonably consistent with your new philosophy. The books also include templates for the types of tools you're looking for.

Usual disclaimers apply.

Regards

Scott G. Welch

Sorry,
I forgot to mention, we are in the hospitality business (restaurant, bar, gourmet market, catering business.)

A Fredrick Taylor, “scientific management” approach with a focus on process and skill is not necessarily the answer in a service business. Ron Zemke in Service America wrote, “The degree of employee discretionary performance at the moment of truth, defines your competitive advantage in the service industry.”

In my opinion, inspiring discretionary performance requires more than skill development. Just because you know how to do something, doesn’t mean you will voluntarily choose to do it that way when nobody is watching and you know you won’t get caught.

Discretionary performance requires commitment, and I believe that people only commit to things they care about, such as values, goals, and aspirations. Skill, competency, and confidence are certainly part of it, but without employee commitment an organization will never develop customer service beyond the level of ordinary, no matter how skillful the employees are.

The example I like to use in our training classes is the government program of “Drive 55”. For a long time this was the national speed limit. For the most part people only drove 55 when the State Trooper was in their rear view mirror or sitting on the side of the road. If drivers were really committed to this program, there never would have been a market for radar detectors. Also, I believe that the cost of enforcement for programs that lack commitment is ever escalating, whether it’s buying new police radar guns that are harder to detect, employee turnover or more supervisors and surveillance technology to watch employees. In my opinion, in the service business, enforced compliance, although easier, is a more costly and less fruitful approach than developing commitment.

Scott, I truly appreciation your guidance. This is just the kind of direction I was hoping for. It looks like it might help us get started on tackling this issue in our Company.

Thanks for your assistance.

John

quote:

Originally posted by Jkurzeja:
Scott, I truly appreciate your guidance. This is just the kind of direction I was hoping for. It looks like it might help us get started on tackling this issue in our Company.

John

Delighted to have been helpful in this small way. Sincere best wishes for a successful program.

Scott
TrainerBase