Performance Management
From Cuttings to Dead Heading

Performance Management
How to get plants to perform
The Plant Performance
Management (PM) Cycle
Take a typical sunflower and think about how you would manage their
performance over the summer. Assume they have a 6 month objective to
achieve . You will therefore performance manage the situation and the
sunflower using the performance management cycle.
Set goal of
expectations and
growth targets
“To grow 6ft tall
by August 31st”
Take Action when Develop and
required deliver the support
More or less water required,
and feed, move to Soil condition, right
shelter or increase environment ,feed,
sun, cut off side water and provide wire
and cane support
shoots etc when required
But what
Review and
measure progress
against the goal /
about a
target
Check against growth
chart, check and
person…???
compare with other
sunflowers , check ph
of soil etc

Performance Management
How to get plants to perform
The Person Performance
Management (PM) Cycle
Now take a typical person and consider how you would manage their
performance over the summer. Assume they have a 6 month objective to
achieve. You will manage the situation and person using the same cycle as
the Sunflower.
Recognise the Set goal of Targets are
good expectations and stretching
growth targets
Deal with not so “To achieve 50% sales
good growth in sunflower
seeds by Aug 31st”
Take Action when Develop and
required deliver the support
Check training and required,
improve Right tools and resources,
communication, right environment,
eliminate unhelpful training, coaching and
tasks, reward great communication/updates,
effort and provide provide support and
recognise milestones /
direction if things slip progress
Review and measure
progress against the goal /
target
Measurements
Check against growth
Loads of
targets , check and
keep you
compare with other sales
performance data, check
methods and record
Support &
“clued up” and progress against timelines
etc. Check for feedback
Encouragement
In touch

Performance Management
G = Goal – What needs to be
First things first – setting targets achieved, be very specific and
detailed
Setting targets and objectives is the
most critical part of the Performance
Management Cycle to get right. R = Results – What will the
results look like, be like and feel
like when they have been
Quite often, a breakdown in the cycle achieved. How will the results
- a lack of or a surprising increase in be evaluated and measured?
the level of performance can be placed
on the quality of the target or goal
setting right at the beginning. O = Ownership – Who
owns the goal? Who else is
involved like stakeholders and
Try to see it as an investment in time interested people?
early on which should save you lots of
time later on to prevent under
performance / achievement of things W = Will – What is their will
to succeed and achieve this
going wrong. target? What is their motivation
and engagement to make this
Ican Growth
happen?
T = Timed – How long will it
Targets take? What are the short,
medium and long term
Involve,
timescales and milestones?
challenge and H = How – How will they do
nurture
this? How will plan B’s be
developed? How will challenges
and problems be overcome?

Performance Management
Dealing with Poor Performance
Things don’t always go to plan and even though you put a lot of
effort into setting the targets and goals for your people there’s no
absolute guarantee that you will get a return on that investment.
People, like plants are complicated machines and sometimes you
have to deal with the situation of underperformance or far less than
perfect results.
Why do managers generally
manage poor performance challenges
less effectively than gardeners manage
the poor performance of the plants?
Well, this is a real people issue and
not a plant one. Unlike plants, when
we deal with people we are
immersing ourselves in personalities
and emotions. The consequences of
our actions start to modify our beliefs
and values about the situation and
also our confidence to be able to deal
with it in the right way. Although we
don’t really admit it to ourselves it is
much easier to deal with under
performance issues in a way that takes
the emphasis away from tackling the
situation head on and face to face.
Do you recognise any
of these?

Performance Management
Dealing with Poor Performance
Poor performer v
The Poor Performing Plant…
…the common tactics?
Ignore it and hope it goes away
Over react – make a mountain out of a garden lawn molehill
Hide it! Force a motivated person to cover for it or lock it in the cupboard!
Get rid it / them quickly without thinking of the consequences.
Cover the performance gap and start growing petals yourself.
Tell someone else to deal with it
Find loads of excuses and focus your energy on trying to explain why it wasn’t your fault
Blame the person or external forces such as the customers or your boss
Deny it is even a problem and pretend that these things “just happen” and can’t be helped.
Give the problem to Human Resources
Make a big deal out of it and tell all the other people in the business what a disaster they are.
Punish the person in covert ways like ceasing to water and feed or making them work late
Punish all the plants openly so that everyone “gets it”
Reduce their hours and wages at short notice to increase your feelings of power, status and self esteem
Disclaimer – we do not endorse any of the tactics above.
What other tactics could you use? Take a fresh approach or
reverse (create opposites) of the tactics above.

Performance Management
Dealing with Poor Performance
Why do we think, feel and behave this way?
Is it because;
“It will reflect on me, I’ll look bad”
“I don’t have the skills to deal with this”
“I don’t have the motivation to deal with, or sort this out”
“It’s “safer” to avoid it or deal with it in this way”
“There are negative consequences of dealing with it... So why bother”.
Grievance?
They won’t like me?
They may leave?
It will make things worse?
View any action you take as an improvement and correction rather
than as punishment or worsening the situation.
Remember to stay within the law Effective managers use their
too. A plant will feel uncomfortable experience and some simple
but live with any decision you make techniques to deal with poor
but a person could shout, fight back performance.
and put in a grievance if they felt they They remain positive and calm.
were being unfairly treated. Gardeners remove themselves from
the baggage associated with the
problem, remain solution orientated
and stay firmly focused on the
particular situation, the
performance improvement, outlook
and desired results. The following
stages will help keep your tactics
structured.

Performance Management
Dealing with Poor Performance
Typical stages of Managing Performance in a structured way where
an escalation in seriousness and consequences is required.
1. Informal conversation - Let the plant know you are observing it – study
the plant closely – collate and rationalise the facts and any progress, or not
2. Verbal Warning – talk and (listen) or in a plant “pick up any signals”, is it
down to the ability to grow / bloom or their motivation to grow /
bloom
3. Written Warning – record and set new goals or standards
4. Final Written Warning – Emphasise the consequences of no change
5. Dismissal – through the exit gate!
Very Important!!!
At each stage offer
and provide
additional support to
improve skills,
knowledge,
confidence and
motivation to get
them back on the
right track.

Performance Management The gloves are their protection in
Dealing with Poor Performance the form of policies, procedures, rules
- both written and unwritten that the
Your Gardening Performance manager can use as a shield from
Management Gloves getting personally attached or caught
up in the often thorny and muddy
areas of managing performance. The
more you know about the rules,
policies and standards etc, the thicker
the material and protection you will
get from your gloves.
Effective gardeners reduce as Most poor performance issues can be
much time as possible from sorting out dealt with through constructive
the unending needs and concerns of feedback. However a more structured,
the problem plants who continuously process driven and action oriented
cry out for attention. They know system may have to be implemented to
when plants have to stand up for get better results and make progress
themselves a little bit more and know towards a solution that is best for you
when they need give more support or and your business.
get their hands dirty. Effective Performance management is not all bad
managers avoid getting personally and you should not forget to seize the
dirty and having mud sticking from the opportunities to recognise a great
situation by putting on their effort, contribution or result. Try to
“performance management gloves” place more effort on positive
which protect them from poisonous reinforcement of the good stuff rather
plants, nettle stings, thorns and sticky than pointing out mistakes and flaws
slimy slugs. and highlighting only the bad stuff.

Performance Management
Dealing with Good Performance
Positive affirmation rather than
negative retribution
Work with your team to discuss what
went well regarding task completion,
communication, team working and
results etc. Capture their thoughts and
ideas about why it all went so well so
that you can store these essential
ingredients for when they are needed
next time.
Get into the habit of praising someone personally with a detailed explanation of
why it was good so they “get it” for next time. For example “Thanks for today
Jonny, you did really well”. Although it was a nice thing to say Jonny is probably
none the wiser as to why he did well.
How about “Thanks for today Jenny, you did really well. I didn’t think we
would get all that filing done in time. But you were so organised and the logging
system you created was pure brilliance. It saved us so much time which means we
are now going to be ready for the customers in the morning, which makes me
feel a lot better and I’ll be able to relax tonight. I’ve really valued your ideas
today and thanks for remaining energised when we were lagging after lunch as it
kick started my energy levels as well”.
Jenny now knows what good looks
and feels like and will be more
motivated to achieve in the future
following the same template for
success that she used on this occasion.

Performance Management
Yield & Yield Potential Patio
The Gardening performance and potential patio
A way of looking and plotting the With plants we measure their yield
performance of your people is to (what they are giving now) against
utilise your outcomes or measurements their yield potential (what they could
from the Performance Management give back in the future).
Cycle to provide a picture of how
much value and contribution your The aim of management is to get as
people are having within you garden. many people as possible performing at
their best or towards their potential.
Current Results / Return on
Investment = Yield What they are
capable of doing in
the future = Yield
Potential
Plants & People often fit
in one of 9 boxes and can
move, over time, from
one to another

Performance Management The aim of managing
Yield & Yield Potential Patio performance is to get as many
people as possible performing at
their best or towards their
potential.
The Gardening performance and potential patio
There are many strategies for
maintaining each part of the patio.
here are some examples –
What others can you think of?

Performance Management
Yield & Yield Potential Patio
All gardens have a mixture of
Best in bloom and prize winners
• Show off to other employees, clients and customers
• Give them the best rewards and recognition
people in all the boxes.
The well maintained have
Prize blooms
• Feature in the most critical / important parts of your garden
more at the top and the
• Reward well and develop engagement strategies to keep them
blooming (with you) for a long time. Retain!
Established plants and wise Oaks poorer gardens more at the
• Encourage them to share their knowledge and experience
through projects, initiatives and the development of ideas bottom
• Use in Mentoring programmes
Seasonal blooms
• Some plants will come and go. Ensure you get the best out of
them while they are here. Be directive and disciplined with them
• Prepare for the next lot early - don’t allow them to just fade and
stay
Established Plants
• A valuable, reliable and sustainable part of the garden
• Should contain a high percentage of employees, provides
stability and loyalty. Maintain well
Seeds in the greenhouse
• High potential based on the quality of the genes in the seed
• Lot’s of care and attention required, can be high maintenance in
the first few weeks. Transfer to the big garden carefully. Get rid
of duds early!
New plants, cutting and acorns
• Based on the quality of your selection and promotion process
these could be the best route to growing prize blooms
• Look after in the early stages of growth. Provide support but
know when it is time to take the support away.
Fading plants
• Watch out! There’s something going wrong here. Find out why
they are fading. Where did they perform before?
• Skills training and/or improve motivation. Only 3 routes from
here… back to seasonal bloom / established plant or compost!
Compost Heap
• Whilst some parts grow and thrive, other plants fade away and
die. Sometimes it is time to say goodbye
• Exit from here should be “green” and ethical. Toxic Dumps = Bad
Press!

Performance Management
So, in summary… What a refreshing change!
Gardeners are always a little Gardeners provide stages or
disappointed with a weak plant support to hold them up when
and often blame themselves for a the plant feels that it is carrying
poor show rather than the plant the weight of the garden on its
for not putting enough effort in. stem.
Gardeners try to find out why Gardeners go back to basics on
the plant is weak before taking feeding and watering and keep a
any drastic action. close eye on them, always
checking for a little bit of
Gardeners review the needs of improvement. When even a slight
the plant, they look back at the improvement is made they feel
history and they try to find any good inside, “thank” the plant and
root cause or effect from the past share the success with people they
and the present. know will endorse the
improvement.
Gardeners also put a lot of effort
into trying to revive the plant and
get it back on the road to
recovery. The greatest sense of
achievement comes from turning
a weak and failing plant into a
strong, purposeful and blooming
lovely one!

Performance Management
So, in summary…
Gardeners know the only way Gardeners know that a weak
they can motivate a plant to get plant is one that is growing
stronger is to provide the perfect outside of its targets and
environment for the plant to do it. expectations because something
They know they can’t do anything isn’t right. When you buy a pack
else. The plant then has the of seeds it describes the expected
chance, and the choice, to respond results you should see later on,
and it is up to the plant to do it. ...height...width/spread and also
when it will bloom, seed or fruit
Gardeners also know when the etc. As mentioned previously
amount of effort put in to turn a people should have targets! Only
plant around far out ways the by setting targets and standards
amount of return given back by will you know if your plant is
the plant. Even if the plant did weak or not. Lack of expectations
survive, the gardener knows when and performance ambiguity can
to call it a day and yanks the plant lead to expecting and accepting
out to replant with another! less from your plants and you will
do more to make it a weak plant
than the plant will do itself.

Performance Management Above all else, try not to
Dealing with Weak Plants blame the plant or
Avoid picking out weak plants and
yourself. It may be that
passing them onto someone else you they just haven’t found
know. They may think initially you the right gardener or
were doing them a favour but they’ll garden to reach their full
soon realise what you were up to.
potential
Be honest! Tell them straight!... “This
plant didn’t like it here but they may
like it with you but I can’t guarantee
it”.
Find out why they are weak;
P = f (A x M) Performance is the function of Ability x
Motivation
Skills and knowledge development will improve Ability
Supporting and engaging people will increase Motivation
Any deficit in Ability and Motivation (less than 100% on each) will
affect the performance you can expect and will get.
And so don’t make the mistake that a lot of managers make which is to
“fill in” and compensate for anything less than 100%. You will just
become a busy fool, tired and stressed.

Performance Management
Dealing with Weak Plants
Some plants grow too quick and Performance is a chance to
can’t support their own weight . bloom, to flower to mentor
This is like being promoted before other similar but younger and less
the time and capability is right – experienced plants to be
when a person will concentrate on recognised by your performance
the weight on their shoulders and contribution.
rather than how to get the job
done. We will now look at Ability and
Motivation
The opposite is also true. By not
Developing Ability through
allowing your plants to spread and
training and support
flourish you could make them feel
Increasing Motivation through
“pot bound”
GROWTIVATE TM