Hi there,
In the world of leadership, where leaders guide and plan the direction of organizations, there are common challenges that can disrupt the smooth running of things.
These challenges aren’t just small mistakes; they are big problems that, if not dealt with, can weaken the very foundations of good leadership.
1. We want to recognize our best talents (and get them to do the underperformers’ jobs too)
Leaders adopting this approach often believe in maximizing efficiency by leveraging the strengths of high-performing professionals.
They may see it as a strategy to showcase and capitalize on the capabilities of star performers, expecting that they can handle additional responsibilities while motivating underperformers to improve.
However, over time, this strategy can lead to burnout among the high-performing employees.
They may feel overworked, undervalued, and resentful, potentially leading to a decline in their overall performance.
Meanwhile, underperformers may not be motivated to improve, as the core issues affecting their performance are not directly addressed.
This imbalance can create a toxic work environment, adversely affecting team dynamics and overall productivity.
When leaders acknowledge their best performers but fail to address the root causes of underperformance in others, a division in workforce is inadvertently created.
The division within the workforce becomes apparent, and rather than fostering collaboration, it perpetuates a cycle of dependency that hampers overall team productivity.
The implication for leaders and HRBPs is clear – a strategic approach to talent management involves not only recognizing top performers but also addressing the underlying causes of underperformance through proper investigation and intervention.
Failure to do so can result in a toxic work environment and a breakdown in team dynamics.
Recognition is the most effective and least expensive form of reward in organizations.
It really does work magic. We can even say that recognition and appreciation are the currency of a thriving workplace, and you can make deposits in the emotional bank accounts of your colleagues and request a withdrawal when you need their help.
However, one common way that managers can screw this up is to recognize their best performers and then ask them to do more until they burn out.
In some organizations, they inadvertently perpetuate a cycle of underperformance by asking best performers to take on more work instead of addressing the root causes of the underperformance.
This division in the workforce creates dependency, and the dependency leads to resentment and burnout.
In most cases, underperformance requires an investigation to see if the problem comes from the job design or if it is an issue with that individual employee.
The answer is always “both” but knowing what you can do to set up your employees for success is critical to your business.
2. I want this task done yesterday
While urgency can drive productivity, consistently demanding tasks be completed at an unrealistic pace can lead to rushed and subpar outcomes.
Team members may feel pressured and stressed, affecting their ability to think critically and produce high-quality work.
This pitfall may compromise the overall effectiveness and health and wellness of the team and hinder their long-term success.
Having a strong sense of urgency is probably one of the most underrated competitive advantages you can have.
However, putting urgency on every mundane task leads to chronic stress and burnout.
Not to mention, in some cases, the emphasis on quick results can lead to a compromise in safety and cause significant accidents or errors.
3. We only care about the outcome of your work; it doesn’t matter how you do it
While outcome-focused leadership can inspire creativity, neglecting the process entirely can lead to a lot of leadership concerns.
Without clear guidelines, employees may resort to unhealthy, or unsafe or unethical practices to achieve results.
This can damage the organization’s reputation and erode trust among team members.
Outcome-based goals (aka KPIs, lagging indicators, etc.) are crucial for organizational success.
However, the exclusive emphasis on outcomes can lead to cutting corners, risk-taking on safety practices, and neglecting self-care.
That’s why a good mix of leading and lagging indicators, as well as over-communication over work procedures, can help strike the balance in this case.
4. As your employer, we don’t want to intervene in your personal life. You must figure out your work-life balance yourself
While autonomy is important, a complete lack of support can lead to burnout.
Employees may struggle to establish a healthy work-life balance without guidance or resources.
Effective leaders recognize the need to provide tools, resources, and flexibility to help employees navigate the demands of their personal and professional lives, promoting overall well-being.
Respecting personal boundaries is important. Being a supportive leader is critical.
Sometimes, it can become a little bit tricky to provide individualized support without overstepping boundaries.
The best path forward is to create a supportive environment, be a good role model, set an example, and double-check the narrative around asking for help in your team.
Your written words don’t matter. In many cases, employees know that asking for any type of help equals losing their job due to stigma, politics, competition, etc.
The takeaway here is that investing in initiatives focused on increasing the maturity of your organizational culture can be fruitful and worthwhile.
5. Sometimes we must make sacrifices to do good. Our job is essential for humanity
While a sense of purpose can inspire dedication, consistently demanding sacrifices can have detrimental effects.
Employees may be asked to work excessive hours, compromise on personal health and wellness, or even compromise ethical standards (which can cause moral distress).
Over time, this can lead to burnout, increased turnover, and a tarnished organizational reputation.
Effective leaders balance the pursuit of a greater purpose with ethical considerations and employee health and wellness to ensure they are providing an environment that is conducive to healthy high performance.
Positive contribution to society is commendable. But overloading workers with the excuse of making sacrifices for the greater good is just an evil plot (and it is not sustainable either).
We should all know doing good doesn’t justify suffering. When self-sacrifice is the only way of doing a job, workers have no option but to quit that occupation.
Then, leaders are left with a turnover/attrition problem when all those employees who came in with great passion and ambition for the greater good are left with apathy and cynicism.
Effective leadership requires a balance between achieving results and fostering a healthy work environment.
Leaders must consider the well-being of their team members, ethical considerations, and the long-term impact of their decisions on both professionals and the organization as a whole.
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I don’t want to go into too many details here, but I think it worth mentioning that if you want to make an extremely stressful job less painful for its incumbents, one effective approach is to think of three factors:
Meaning (Why am I putting myself through this pain?),
Autonomy (Can I choose the way I am doing this job or can I stop this whenever I want?),
and Hope (What are the potential future rewards and how likely are they?).
When you find meaning in your work, you have high control and autonomy over it, and you have high hopes for its future rewards, it becomes easier to go through stressful situations.
The necessary disclaimer here is that the main focus should always be on improving the job elements and the environment to make it conducive to sustained healthy high performance.
Successful leaders navigate these challenges by prioritizing a balanced approach that considers both the outcomes and the health and wellness of their team members.
Striking this balance fosters a healthy work environment that is conducive to healthy high performance.
Want to create a work environment that supports Healthy High Performance in your organization? Click here to learn more about our Enterprise Solutions and talk to our team.
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