When Performance Slips

There are some key differences between managing good performance up to reach high performance, and managing poor performance back up to good performance. There is lots of advice available on how to build great performance, and how to stretch, improve, grow and excel. However there will be times when we feel we have done all of those things, created an environment or a legacy that is sure to succeed, and yet performance levels slip and remedial action becomes necessary.

A common mistake under such circumstances is to resort to a "command and control" style of leadership in an effort to get things back on track. I say mistake, because whilst that approach may be appropriate in the short term, it can become the "new normal" and if that happens it will ultimately restrict the ability of the team to return to high performing ways.

How can this risk be avoided?

Well it is always important to remain true to the core leadership principles, or ideals, that we believe in. If culture, environment and people engagement are the cornerstones of our high performance success then we must stick to these even in challenging times. Getting back in control of a teams activities by stating a few home truths is fine - but rather than stifling future creativity for fear of letting performance slip again, we should approach this with the goal of strengthening the team culture. By helping people to learn from their mistakes they will grow into a stronger unit that is more committed to high performance than ever before.

There are five areas to consider that may prove useful when faced with such circumstances.

Root Cause - Can we identify the specific reason why the performance has slipped backwards? We may have to ask some smart questions, or be prepared to "dig deep" - but getting to the real facts is the only way to successfully plan the recovery.

Mindset - Was mindset a contributory factor to the performance challenge? Do the team have the right mindset to tackle the performance issue and get back on track towards high performance?

Standards - Are the underlying standards in the team high enough to underpin high performance, and secure enough to stand up to pressure? We have to consider the possibility that slipping standards could be the catalyst for poor performance - and that addressing the cultural standards of the team will still be the most effective way to drive the transactional results of the group.

Communication - When the pressure is on, communication can become fragmented. Urgency takes over, and clarity can be lost. This is where the leader may have to take a temporary "command and control" approach to ensure that the deliberate, planned communication is clear and focused for all. However maybe the biggest risk, and often overlooked aspect, is the "inadvertent communication" that can be so damaging to a team performance without people even realising it. Team members can fail to stay "on message", taking their own approach to avoid being held responsible personally, and a blame culture could develop.

Consequences - Both the consequences for getting into the current position, and the consequences of not getting out of it must be made clear. If these are penal, then the whole team must face up to that fact. However there are a broad range of possibilities, and the leader must be able to articulate the specific consequences at any given point in order to get the focus of the team back onto achieving high performance standards.