Sammari
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Almost all executives found themselves in an awkward position when their team included a person who believed that he was doing great, when in fact his job was just normal (and maybe even worse). I have been in the consulting business for 30 years and this is the most common problem (and also more debilitating than any other).
What is causing the mismatch between the actual performance of employees and how they perceive their success? Sometimes, team members don't get the resources and feedback they need to grow and be more productive. Others simply cannot accept the fact that they can barely cope. Whatever the reason, if leaders fail to fix things, the performance of the lagging employee will not improve and the team will lose a valuable member who could thrive if given the support they need. There is a risk that the manager will put up with poor quality work, and competent employees will simply lose motivation and leave. If you can figure out the reason why an ineffective employee has such inflated ideas about their work,these five tips will help you solve this problem (or see if it can be solved in principle).
The nonprofit client had a supportive work environment and a culture of listening to other people and their needs. Their chairman was unhappy with the lack of results from one of the vice presidents, who thought she was doing well (because she was making an effort). The chairman of the board reminded the vice president's line manager that he is accountable for results. The manager spoke to the vice president about her performance requirements, but he didn't want to blame her or hurt her feelings, so he didn't talk about her job being at risk. Management continued to lose confidence in the vice president and ultimately reduced her responsibilities, implicitly acknowledging a lack of progress. Later, the manager and chairman of the board admittedthat no one spoke frankly to the VP about her productivity issues.
Provide staff with resources and support
Most employees need leadership, mentoring, and strong oversight for development (especially if these employees take on a new function for the company or are promoted to fill gaps). If their skills are not sufficient to fulfill their job responsibilities in a new role, they may not even be aware of their shortcomings.
The client company appointed a new director to fill a gap created by the departure of a director who was two levels higher. None of the senior management even thought about the fact that the newly minted director needs significant development - despite the fact that he suddenly became responsible for many people solving various problems. Because of the promotion, the new director thought he was doing well. The fact that his old methods did not work in his new position turned him into an exhausted micromanager, who often had bottlenecks in his team and who were constantly unhappy with employees.
Decide if you are willing to continue investing in one employee
If not, it's easier to lower your expectations. When the chairman of the board in the story above had a lot of frustration with the lack of productivity of one of the vice presidents, whose actual productivity was at odds with what was required, he turned over the most risky (but interesting) aspects of her work to another leader. The vice president was offended by this decision, but she kept her job, and the reduction in the range of responsibilities increased her productivity.
Evaluate whether this employee is ready to accept help
It's very hard to pretend you're doing well (or vice versa). Unlike those who suffer from impostor syndrome, many fall prey to the Dunning-Kruger effect, a cognitive distortion that prevents people from realizing that they are doing poorly and that they need help. One middle manager in a client organization disagreed that he had much to learn and ignored the coaching offered to him. He found fault with everyone who asked him any questions and began to cheat their colleagues, undermine work processes and began to underestimate the contribution and deny the fears of their colleagues. When business representatives found out about this, he had to be released.
Be careful with praise
When an employee with an overestimated sense of self-efficiency is performing well or contributing well to teamwork, praise is important. But if you just praise him, then he decides that he copes perfectly with everything that he undertakes. Link positive comments to the areas you want to touch on. For example, you might say, “You did a good job with an ABC presentation, next time I would like you to [do what needs to be improved]. This is important because ... ”Make sure you clearly explain the need for development and why it is necessary to work effectively. This employee may retain an overly good opinion of himself, but this way you will have a better chance of achieving the desired result.
Helping an employee who is not productive enough and is unaware of it requires attention and engagement. Understanding what caused this lack of awareness will help you either determine how to help this employee, or help you understand that this person does not meet the requirements for the position.
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