It may sound like a distinction without a difference, but these are separate concepts that produce wildly different results. Managing for performance is tracking and measuring; accountability and planning; direct supervision and explanation. Coaching for development is guided exploration of possibilities; allowing what is important for an organization to emerge through mindful conversation and discussion; expanding the capacity of the individual and the organization.
Coaching for development does not take the place of managing for performance, but it makes it less important. Staff who are being coached and developed properly will find it in themselves to set goals and take on new initiatives. The measurement system becomes obsolete and the leader's time is spent on more developmental concerns. It creates a virtuous cycle.
Managing for performance is a rat race. Especially if there are members of the staff who deflect and resist, even passively. Understanding the energy required to manage performance effectively, disengaged staff can hide behind policies and rules, co-workers and clients and simply claim, once the failure is duly diagnosed, that he did not understand the expectation. The manager failed. Again.
Even after the leader recognizes and understands the patterns that are emerging with disengaged staff, it takes a commitment to 'insist' to begin to change the patterns. The follow up becomes the key, because it is here that the experienced and passive-resistant staff live - the land of no follow-up and accountability.
It means building systems that are easily measurable and represent the values of the organization and the leader. For me, this has more to do with effort than with actual results. It sounds odd to say that as someone responsible for the output of a department, but there are so many variables in what will produce results. The value that weaves its way through all results, however, is effort. Finding a way to emphasize work ethic and effort and building faith that the results will come are critical to moving staff and clients away from the existing, non-productive dynamics.
These dynamics do not exist in a vacuum. They are self-reinforcing and have, over the decades, created a vicious cycle of inertia. Both parties have low expectations for each other and then live up to those standards. If we achieve that low bar.
To reach the goals I have set for this year means a new approach. Leading with heart and backbone. Building in accountability and follow up without micro-managing. Setting the minimum entry fee, measure it and provide feedback on the basics. Do this as efficiently as possible so that coaching for development and building capacity can move in and take over.
I'm starting with me.
