12. BEYOND CONFORMANCE TO PERFORMANCE
The work environment instrument that we use as part
of performance management is a planned process for
developing an organisational work environment in
which all employees can contribute to the strategic
and competitive advantage of the university.
13. The following steps ensure that a) problems are solved and appropriate
actions taken at the appropriate management level and b) a structured
framework for continuous feedback and communication between all
levels:
• Step 1: Individual discussions with the aim to
identify and solve work related problems.
• Step 2:The head/line manager analyses work
environment scores at institutional/ faculty
or departmental level.
• Step 3: Identify and solve 4 most problematic
items.
• Step 4: Report to respective head/line
manager
14. BEYOND CONFORMANCE TO PERFORMANCE
‘All animals (n=1404) are equal, but some animals
are more equal than others.’ (George Orwell)
15. BEYOND CONFORMANCE TO PERFORMANCE 2011
1stPerformance rewards(merit bonuses, promotions,
recognition) are applied unfairly.
2nd No promising career opportunities.
3d Unfair work load distribution among staff in
dept/faculty.
4th Performance feedback given by line is
inaccurate/destructive
5th Agreed upon performance indicators are
inconsistently applied
6th . Direct and indirect remuneration is not equitable.
12th. Within the context of diversity (black/white,
male/female/, cultural, disability) I do not experience a
‘sense of belonging’ at the UFS.
16. BEYOND CONFORMANCE TO PERFORMANCE 2012
1stPerformance rewards.(AGAIN)
2nd Career opportunities. (AGAIN)
3d Direct remuneration (AGAIN)
4th Unfair work load (AGAIN)
5th The assessment of performance at the end of the year
is based on the performance plan as negotiated
between myself and my line manager (NEW)
6th Performance feedback (AGAIN)
If I ask you to think of chickens, I am sure you will see some chicken in your mind, if I ask you to think of sheep I am equally convinced that you will see some sheep in your mind, same goes for cow, etc. If I want you to see all of them together, I will ask you to see ‘farm stock’. And you will see a collection of all these animals togetherOne word can link many entities/ideas together, take for instance - ....
IF I ASK YOU TO THINK OF A MANAGER, I AM SURE YOU WILL THINK OF SOMEBODY IN A FORMALLY DRESSED SUIT, OCCUPYING A CORNER OFFICE, HAVING A SECRETARY, PERKS, MONTHLY REPORTS, BUSINESS LUNCHES OVERSEAS TRIPS, AND HAVING PERFORMANCE APPRAISALS.GENERALLY NOT VIEWED AS A ‘NICE’ PERSON, OR AS A PERSON VITALLY NEEDED IN A TEAM.NUMEROUS PHONE CALLS OF PEOPLE WHO WERE TOO SCARED TO COMPLETE THE SURVEY...SOME TOLD ME THAT THEY CAN NOT LIE, SO IT IS BETTER FOR THEM TO NOT COMPLETE AT ALL.
THE ROLE OF THE ASTUTE MANAGER IS TO ENABLE PEOPLE, AS SIMPLE AND AS COMPLICATED AS THAT.IT MEANS REMOVING THE STUMBLING BLOCKS FROM THE PATHS OF HIS/HER PEOPLE TO ALLOW THEM THE OPPOPRTUNITY TO PERFORM THEIR TASKS TO THE BEST OF THEIR ABILITY. TO MANAGE THEIR RESOURCES IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT, TO MANAGE POLICIES EFFECTIVELY. TO ENSURE CORRECT STRUCTURES AND DECISIONS BEING TAKEN, TO MANAGE THE HUMAN ENVIRONMENT AND TO ENSURE THEY KNOW WHAT IS EXPECTED OF THEM AND HOW WELL THEY SHOULD PERFORM TO EARN THEIR SALARY.
BUT WE HAVE TO GO ONE STEP FURTHER AS WELL. AND THAT IS TO BE EXPERIENCED AS LEADERS.PEOPLE THAT HAVE THE FOLLOWING QUALITIES OF A LEADER:HUMANITY - HEART (TRUST, CONSIDERATION, DIPLOMACY)WISDOM – HEAD (PERSPECTIVE, TEMPERANCE, DILIGENCE,)COURAGE – GUT (CONFIDENCE, BRAVERY, INTEGRITY)RESILIENCE – SPIRIT (RECEPTIVITY, INSPIRATION, CREATIVITY)I FIRLMY BELIEVE THAT THE INSTRUMENT GIVES US RELIABLE INFORMATION TO TAKE ACTION ON AS MANAGERS AND AS LEADERS TO ENSURE FOLLOWER WELL-BEING AND POSITIVE SOCIAL EXCHANGES.
INSPIRING PEOPLE WILL MAKE THEM CROSS THE ATLANTIC BECAUSE THEY WANT TO. NOT BECAUSE THEY ARE SCARED OF THEIR MANAGERS. CAN REWARDS INSPIRE?DIFFERENT PEOPLE SEEM TO FIND DIFFERENT SITUATIONS REWARDING. EX. ONE PERSON GOES HOME FROM A CONFERENCE SAYING ‘that was good, I heard some interesting opinions’. ANOTHER PERSON SAYS ‘what a waste of time’. REWARDS ARE VERY PERSONAL. WHAT PEOPLE FIND REWARDING IS TO A GRET EXTENT A CONSEQUENCE OF THEIR MOTIVATION AND PERSONAL NEEDS, THE THINGS THAT INSPIRE AND DRIVE THEM IN LIFE. MOTIVATION IS A DIFFICULT CONCEPT TO DESCRIBE AND MIGHT BE BEST DESCRIBED A DRIVING FORCE WITHIN THE AUTHENTIC INDIVIDUAL. PASSION MAY BE REGARDED AS A POSITIVE FORCE WHERE THE INDIVIDUAL COULD EVEN DRIVE HIMSELF TO A POINT OF SELF-DESTRUCTION (LIKE ATHLETES). NEGATIVE FORCES (LIKE THE FACTORS IN THE WORK ENVIRONMENT) THAT REPEL THE INDIVIDUAL FROM A PARTICULAR SITUATION CAN ALSO BE RAGARDED AS MOTIVATION. IF YOU MANAGE PEOPLE YOU NEED TO BE SEEN AS DEDICATING YOURSELF PASSIONATELY TO THE CREATION OF A NEW AND BETTER REALITY FOR THE UFS, COMMUNITY, FAMILY.WE NEED A WORKPLACE WHERE THE ORGANISATIONAL CULTURE IS NOT ONE OF WAR, CLICKS, PASSIVE AGGRESSION OR WHERE WE HAVE A ‘US THEM’ SYNDROME.
TWO TYPES OF PEOPLE:1 SELF DRIVEN: here you have a person that is passionate about their job. See their jobs as a ‘Calling’. Living the authentic self. Work values and ethical boundaries are intact. For them you as the manager just use PM to acknowledge their own DESIGN/PLAN for the year ahead. Then you help them to achieve the destiny by managing the WORK ENVIRONMENT to take away the BARRIERS for performance. You acknowledge and recognise achievement at the end of the year.
What do we do when our children have conflict with one another or even with a spouse? Do we tell them...go to the IR office? Get yourself a lawyer? Or do we tell them...that's good, hurt the other one, get even, kill or be killed!No, we see them as Human Assets to be nurtured and supported but it is obvious that in the workplace people are seen as Human Remains- to be applied and discarded.
Unfortunately the second type is:MANAGEMENT-DRIVEN. Call them the ‘flatliners’. See their jobs as painful. These people have to be assisted to plan their performance in detail, execute their jobs on a daily basis. Monitored throughout. Coached throughout. In other words: micro managed. Painful for the manager, but what is the alternative? Normally the end result is to just get them to at least earn their salaries. At best you start to set performance improvement targets.
AS A REMINDER OF HOW TO GET A BEHAVIOUR CHANGE LIKE THE ONE WE NEED WHERE PEOPLE TACKLE THE PROBLEMS AND COME UP WITH SPECIFIC INTERVENTIONS OR SOLUTIONS. I WOULD LIKE TO REMIND YOU OF HOW WE GET PEOPLE TO WEAR THEIR SAFETY BELTS. REMEMBER, EVEN IF PEOPLE KNOW WHAT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO THEY STILL ARE NOT MOTIVATED, SO TO GET THAT MOTIVATION UP AND GOING, WE COULD MICROMANAGE BEHAVIOUR AND THE DECISIONS THROUGH THE PERFORMANCE PLANS AND DEPARTMENTAL OBJECTIVES TAHT WE MEASURE. PEOPLE DO WHAT THEY THINK THEY ARE MEASURED UPON.THANKS ANDBYE
IF WE LEAD WITH HEART (CREATING A ORGANISATIONAL CLIMATE OF TRUST), WISDOM (CO-DESIGN SUSTAINABLE SYSTEMS), COURAGE (INTEGRITY/BRAVERY) ,RESILIENCE (INSPIRE/SEEKING CREATIVE SOLUTIONS)...THEN WE APPLY THE FOLLOWING:RECOGNITION – the need to be noticed and valued, place under the sunRESPECT – the desire for unconditional dignity and the need for personal values to be respectedNEEDS FOR ACHIEVEMENT – the need to achieve targetsNURTURANCE – the helping handUNDERSTANDING – need to satisfy intellectual curiositySUCCURANCE – seeks advice, reassurance from others
See handout on analysis
From the data it is evident that the perceptions of negative inequity as well as the fears of new and existing staff should be acknowledged and managed properly- if not: we will create a organisational culture where negative patterns of behaviour like being negative towards EE, conflict, criticizing management decisions/ policies, and people forming cliques with others who feel, think and even look like they do. This will in return have a negative impact on overall performance as well as the effectiveness of implementing the strategy of the UFS.