Performance Management – “Big Disconnect”…Off Road Solution

A true leader has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He does not set out to be a leader, but becomes one by the equality of his actions and the integrity of his intent.

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Retirement has afforded me the opportunity to be with people my age more than any other time in my life ….since I was young and in my twenties.

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Most of my life has been spent in a multigenerational environment

..Managing, Mentoring, Researching, Teaching, Traveling

A Process of Giving -Leading- Helping- Encouraging- Inspiring

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One of the things I’ve learned in these last six month is how much my generation enjoy each other’s company

…taking away discussions of politics

?…..their mindset and thinking patterns do not vary …differ – by much.

?Most of us were products of Public Education and a generation of WW II born Teachers that had strong beliefs on Character Formation.

?Right is Right …Wrong is Wrong and never the two shall meet.

So within our Ethical GPS ….we know when we are not doing the correct action

Yes….many in my generation have done some improper things that they later learned their lesson from and improved.

As the other side of this Character Formation is this Aspirational Gospel of Performance Achievement

When Covey in Seven Effective Habits wrote

Learn- DO – GROW

….this upward spiral of Cognitive Improvement the formation of his public school education was the spark to that thought

Back in the 1980’s when places like General Electric created a Performance Ranked Management Review Process it was targeted to a demographic that was educated with these are the driving factors of their mindset.

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This management philosophy worked well for many decades as it presupposes certain psychological factors in both managers and their employees.

The process also made the assumption that employees were able to be motivated by long term objectives with rewards that are incrementally given over an extended basis.

Such a world has long passed as that once High Trust Society only exists with people in this older generation whom I interact with every day.

These Seniors lament the declining culture, poor standards, crappy work product, unacceptable attitude and what amuses me the most.

How Dumb most of the younger generations are …..Dumb as a Rock !!

So here we are

?….every day hearing about Scranton Joe and his cognitive decline …which now has been transferred to all older folks who have all been put in the same boat.

Such an unfair and inaccurate misrepresentation of a generation that created Ninety Trillion Dollars in Wealth …whose income makes their daily lives free from the worries that most younger people possess.

Being active in these “Management Things” still ….in the plethora of communication I have with a multigenerational group

These Seniors ask me --- what’s the Big Disconnect with these Young People?

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American Society has become a Low Trust Operational Environment

…forget the context of immoral – as that assumes a choice of Right and Wrong

….we have devolved into an Amoral Society which situationally does even know the difference between the two choices

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While nothing shocks me anymore--- it is truly astounding how so many companies’ management teams constantly manifests their contempt if not complete disdain for their employees.

Hard to believe ..the Good Old Boy's Club stuff is still going on with a generation of Millennial Men whom to old guys like me are such a total disappointment!!

Still more troubling – Progressive Professional Women Managers that have their own weird “Caste System” that they impose on their teams

Most Disconcerting of all …..are these “Woke Wonders” that have arrived in their place of authority through a hard struggle only to inflict the same inequality that they have been liberated from.

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If you look at McArthur’s quote…..

It’s Impossible to be a LEADER when?

You lack INTEGRITY- EMPATHY- LOYALITY

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?The Fish Stinks From the Head First …..

Here we are with the infrastructure of a Performance Management Process that no longer reflects the ability for the employee to work within its parameters.

Employees that their entire life …with each Participation Trophy or Certificate – whom were educated by a reward system of Instant Gratification lack the sophistication or mental wherewithal to think about anything more than in the next immediate thought

…this is not a cognitive deficiency but one of learned behavior on the iPhone

So, we have the Round Hole Performance Process with the Square Hole Employee Mindset.

This incongruence is managed by “Leaders” that have no clue about concepts of Character Formation as this has been deemed as Retro-Social Science of a passed age when things were awful and unfair in the Business World.

Add to this …..

These “Managers” that lack the basic leadership humanity of Honesty- Care- Commitment.

The stories that I hear from my own children, students and former clients are the core of my observation ……

How do you fix this….??

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First—The Annual Performance Review needs to become this monthly bite-size process of a group of Mini-Competencies ??

Second- With the growing proficiency of the employee’s performance – various forms of Gratification Compensation

…the modern day “Adulting” Participation Trophy will be magic

It will greatly provide a jumpstart of confidence and self-empowerment to many employees that struggle with Emotional – Mental Health Issues

It becomes the trail of “breadcrumbs” that leads the employee forward in the Covey – Learn – DO- Grow

This is nice start…in the correct direction

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Which is further amplified in Weekly Team Discussions – On-Line Happy Hours

All these things that build “community” in your organization and for the “Smart” manager manifests Concern- Care and Relational Investment

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Yet the greatest improvement needed to repair this breach is with management that maybe should find some emeritus execs ( aka- Old- Successful Manager) in their company to re-educated them.

These Entitled Boyzs in their 30-40’s, Perpetually Angry Females and Woke Fixated Warriors need remediation or even better summarily being terminated

…they cannot see the trees through the forest

For……..

… leadership is never a statement about yourself but about the people that you serve.

Good Managers are always Servant Leaders….

Tom Peters said it best….Good Managers create Leaders not Followers

This is why you are highly compensated

…..for you are a role model that requires this non-stopping giving of self with intense care for others.

….let me close by saying this

I do understand ..as older folks (like us) were surrounded by many many roles models of this level of selfless care all the time.

The leaders of today are a sorry lot whom inspire no such witness

Like everything in our current American Society

…you need to go “Off Road” …create your own vision …follow your heart

…and your good mind will do the rest

Don’t be afraid to be different …for that Confidence to Stand Alone

…is the #1 Qualification of being a Numero Uno Leader

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Good Luck !!

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