Question: “How do you deal with people and teams who are average performers but who rate themselves as exceptional?”
This question came up on our last Member coaching hour call and I decided to write about it.
Since the call I’ve dug out the performance rating definitions I created to add to whatever corporate ones existed. I found these helped to me clarify the difference between the levels. Use them if they are useful to you!
Nothing about performance should come as a surprise at the time of the performance review or ranking. As a manager you should be communicating expectations and sharing yours and others view of the performance of an employee 2-3 times a year.
As an employee, if you are not getting this from your manager you should ask, “How am I doing?” How am I doing compared to your expectations? Compared to others? Do you see me as meeting achieving or overachieving on my goals? Here is what I think, are we on the same page?”
Not all managers do this regularly with all their employees. I did my own performance review and drove the discussion about my performance with my boss in 17 of the years in my career.
So the answer to the question, “How do you get people and groups who think they are all exceptional to accept lower ratings?”
You need to have the conversation ahead of time.
Create a set of ratings like these, that work for you, that you can defend. Then share them with your organization long before you do the ratings.
Let everyone know well ahead of time that most people will be in the Level 3, the Solid performer rating – and explain, up front, what it takes to go beyond.
Share the requirements for level 4 and level 5 – for excellent and exceptional performance. Give examples of things that go above and beyond the job description in your environment.
Clearly define exceptional performance
Set the expectation that high performance includes strategic thinking, communicating, mentoring, cost savings, and other things that raise the bar in your business.
That way when you get to the ranking process it is not a surprise, and people who want to be considered exceptional know what they have to do to be seen as such.
Increase Motivation
And because most of the difference beyond being a solid performer is about adding more value without being asked, it is up to them to prove and show the extra improvements and value they have added over and above their job description.
So explaining this ahead of time actually drives higher performance.
I have also found this to be a motivator because people like to be in the loop and they like the rules to be open not hidden.
Give people permission
Also communicating that exceptional performance requires you do to more than asked, gives people the expectation and the permission that it’s OK to stretch themselves and excel.
I find that many people don’t know this, and artificially hold themselves back.
Another issue managers face is that once someone is rated a 4 or 5 they sometimes consider that as a lifetime status.
If your organization is developing as it should, the bars for all the levels should be raised each year.
So it becomes important to share the news with everyone again. What got you a 4 last year, may not get you a 4 this year, if you do not show yourself to be developing.
Your job description is not a life sentence
This is a good example of why I always say that big success requires breaking free of the constraints of your current job description and taking it upon yourself to find ways to add more value to the business.
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About Patty
Patty Azzarello is an executive, best-selling author, speaker and CEO/Business Advisor. She became the youngest general manager at HP at the age of 33, ran a billion dollar software business at 35 and became a CEO for the first time at 38 (all without turning into a self-centered, miserable jerk)
You can find Patty at www.AzzarelloGroup.com, follow her on twitter or facebook, or read her book RISE…3 Practical Steps for Advancing Your Career, Standing Out as a Leader, AND Liking Your Life.
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