How to get the most from your staff

It’s a new business year, a fresh start so why not start as you mean to go on and make sure you get the most out of your staff with the WHAM approach? Fortunately, this doesn’t mean playing Club Tropicana each morning – just remember What How Able Motivated and you’re on the right track to transforming your people.

1. What – what they are expected to do

Telling people what to do doesn’t lead to excellent performance; to get the best out of people you need their enthusiastic and passionate commitment to perform well. This can only happen if your people share your desire to achieve great results.

It’s essential to persuade people to do what you would like them to do. Explain the reasons for doing something and involve them in deciding how you do it. Listen to your people and be flexible about how you achieve your goals. You never know; they may come up with better ways of achieving an outcome than you had in mind!

In order to achieve your expectations, a performance statement is an excellent tool. This should be a written agreement that is jointly agreed what an individual will do. It is not a job description but a precise description of the outcomes an individual will achieve, the tools they will use and the relationships they may wish to draw upon. You should aim to have a performance statement for each objective and each standard.

2. How – how they are doing

This is the next stage of performance management and is crucial in allowing people to measure their performance. In essence it is giving feedback! Giving feedback (good or bad) may sound scary but follow these guidelines and it will make the process easier and more effective:

Be respectful and consider how you would like receive the feedback –

  • Discuss the feedback rather than dictating
  • Focus on the facts, not the person
  • Gain agreement
  • Keep an open mind

3. Able – able to do what they are expected to do

Do your people have the skills and knowledge to fulfil the performance statements i.e what it is that you’ve asked them to do?

Obstacles to performance may include; time, disability, people, authority, cooperation from others, budget restrictions.

If your employees are not performing as required, begin by asking the individual why they think they are not performing as required and listen carefully to their answer. Be aware that their assessment may not be objective. It is rare for people to admit their performance shortfall is due to them. Work with the individual to reach an agreement with them as to how to proceed.

4. Motivated – motivated to do what they are expected to do

Although many managers attempt to address this first, it is the last part of the process. The major reason for a person to appear unmotivated is that they are not engaged in their work. They show up to work but just aren’t committed. Taking them through the first three stages of WHAM! is likely to create engagement and motivation, or at least it should raise the reasons for their motivation being low. If this is doesn’t work then there are some possibilities to consider:

  • Mismatch with the job
  • Personal problems
  • Health problems
  • Grievance (with employer or colleagues)

Be prepared to support the individual but not relieve them of their responsibility to perform. Make it clear to the individual that you expect them to perform to the agreed standard and that failure to do so will result in further action that might include disciplinary action.

For more advice on ensuring you draw out the best of your team’s abilities, strengths and attributes, speak to P3 People Management.