7PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT

Introduction

In a recent ‘Puja’ (religious ceremony) in my house, the pandit ji chanted – ‘dhoopam, deepam, naivaidyam samarpayami’ (I hereby offer incense, light & food to God). This was done. Then he said, ‘Vastram samarpayami’ (I now offer cloth to God). And lo & behold, what was offered to God was not a piece of cloth, but a piece of thread. It became, ‘dhaga samarpayami’.

Here is a very representative example of ‘Symbolic Performance’ that a large chunk of Indian population believing in Hindu religion are a party to frequently.

The author has often wondered why many senior executives while participating in the review & design of a new policy nod their heads rather quickly, but drag their feet when it comes to implementing the same.

Whether it is a question of revised organization structure with lesser number of levels, for better communication within the organization or a policy for promoting faster response to the market, or whether it is a question of ensuring a more balanced distribution of the annual performance appraisal ratings, the above approach is clearly discernible.

Perhaps, at the back of their minds all along was that they will get away with, ‘dhaga samarpayami’.

Coming to the basics, To perform is to deliver a product or a service to a customer, of desired Quality so that it performs the function it was designed to, for a minimum expected period, at a price he is willing to pay at a time & place of his choosing.

38 || Human Resource Management

“Court pulls up MCD for absolving senior offi cers in house collapse”, reads a headline in the Times of India of Oct 11, 2000. “We are perplexed to see that you have left all the higher offi cials concerned and absolved them of the responsibility...” it continues.

Yes, to perform means to be responsible and be accountable for the results.

The aversion to accept accountability for results on our part is illustrated by the following experience. In one organization with the aim of promoting performance culture the policy was announced after consultation with the group of senior executives that every year top performers and poor performers should be identifi ed and certain minimum percentage of the numbers on roll was agreed as a guideline for the purpose. It was also laid down that the top performer group would get about double the normal annual increment and that the poor performers would not get any annual raise. In practice what happened was that only very few were identifi ed for the namesake – a symbolic adherence to the policy, in spite of having been a party to the framing of the said policy.

Queering the pitch for us is also perhaps the fatalism syndrome. ‘What is destined to happen, happens’, is a pronouncement that many of us resort to in highly philosophical tones – either as part of our genuine belief system and/or using it as a cover for our failures/mistakes or lack of effort, either consciously or sub-consciously. The intent being crystal clear – fudge accountability.

After Symbolic Performance, let us now consider another Indian speciality–

Ritualistic Performance

Most of us would have at one time or the other added ‘Ahuti’ – a ritualistic offering to ‘Fire’ during a religious ceremony – when the Pandit chanted ‘Om Swaha’. Did we understand the meaning of the mantras he was chanting prior to the command for making your offering to the holy fi re?

When we carry out a task, without understanding the ‘Why’ of it, the purpose behind the task, are we not performing the task only as a ritual? Can I be committed to do some thing to high standard of excellence without understanding the purpose behind?

Do we as managers take the trouble and time to explain the ‘Why’ of our instructions, to those expected to carry these out? Do we tell the operators as to why the specifi cation is ± 5 mm and why it cannot be ± 6 mm? Do we believe that it will help and is very much worth doing? Do we care to fi nd out as to why the technical department has laid down such a specifi cation?

One interesting example of ritualistic performance. One person was named in the succession planning exercise as ‘Ready

to take over the superior’s job now’ which meant that no planning for his development was needed & that he had the suffi cient competencies for the

higher job. A few months later the same name featured in the list of poor performers who could be separated. Now which of the two decisions was arrived at seriously and which one as a mere ritual, it is hard to tell.

Activity Orientation

Combined with symbolic performance & ritualistic performance is the problem of Activity Orientation. The author has in many training programmes on Performance Counselling, done a brief exercise with groups ranging from senior executives to junior managers – asking them to write down 5/6 of their important responsibilities. The bulk of the responses invariably are a listing of activities like:

� inviting quotations � fi nalizing the purchase order � conducting/attending daily production meeting � issuing ads. � conducting training programmes � recruiting � fi nalizing the balance sheet � preparing/reviewing strategic business plan at a given frequency....

etc.

Some would include the processes of management like Planning, Controlling as their responsibilities, without considering that management processes of planning and control are only means to an end and are not the results we are after.

Look at many position profi les/job descriptions, even that of senior executives, and you would fi nd that some of these would be full of a list of activities or talk about, ‘Responsible for coordinating with chambers of commerce’, without an indication as to what end results are aimed at by this activity of coordinating with different chambers of commerce.

The roots of this lack of result-orientation are ascribed by some to the well known ‘shloka’ in the Bhavad Gita on ‘Karma Yoga’ [doctrine of action]:

“Karmanye vaadhikaraste , maa phaleshu kadaachana…………”.

That is a very wrong interpretation. The shloka on literal translation means:

‘You have a right to perform your duty,but not to the results thereof,do not consider yourself as the cause of the results,also do not get attached to non-performance.’

The fi rst and the last line clearly and strongly emphasize the need to perform one’s duty. The tendency to misinterpret the 2nd and 3rd lines comes when the word ‘phala’ is translated as the result of your actions/your ‘karma’.

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Managing Performance —A Simple Model

PERFORMANCE leads to RESULTS – Desired

Please do make absolutely clear to the employee, as to what is expected from him. WHAT IS EXPECTED?Do not assume that it is understood.

ESTABLISH MEASURES

� What gets measured, gets done � Quantitative targets, as far as

possible � Involve the performer in setting

targets � Balanced Score Card – leading

indicators – lagging indicators

COMMUNICATE � In writing as well as orally – one approach is never enough

THE ORGANISATION THE INDIVIDUAL

� Establishes Processes capable COMPETENT of delivering desired results. – should have requisite � Provides Resources needed timely FOCUS ON Knowledge� Delegates Requisite Authority Training & Skills� Gives timely Feedback, Counsels, Helps Practice Attitudes� Has MIS for Self – Control by Habits individual performers. � Retains Focus on Results & Accountability� Rewards Performance FOCUS ON Other Factors - fi nancial - performance linked bonus Selection e.g. Abilities/Talents

Traits of Personality - non fi nancial - recognition - opportunities for challenge, Learning & growth - displays tolerance for Mistakes � Discourages Poor Performance Consequences of Poor Performance well known. Clear message – Symbolic/Ritualistic performance is Not – Acceptable.

Box 1

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