Rewarding OverPerformers with UnderPerformers’ Work – An Employee Engagement Buster

By Michelle Malay Carter on April 9, 2009 

Leaders Ignoring Non PerformanceIgnoring NonPerformance
You’ve seen it.? I’ve seen it.? I’ve lived it, and you probably have too.? Why is so pervasive?? Instead of addressing the issue of employees not performing in a role, managers simply give the nonperformers’ undone work to their outstanding performers.

Why Not Take the Easy Way Out?
Is it human nature?? Yes. ?It is certainly easier to give work to a “go-to” employee than it is to performance manage someone who is not delivering.? But what does this say about our managerial leadership systems?

It’s the System!? Or Lack Thereof
What managerial leadership system you say?? Exactly.? Far too many organizations do not explicitly hold their managers accountable to exercise managerial leadership.? They have not defined what requisite?managerial leadership behaviors are expected, nor do they appear on job descriptions, or performance appraisals.? What gets measured is whether managers get the work done, not whether they abuse some?team members?and coddle others to do so.

Why Engagement Sits at About 20%
This is just another of many reasons why engagement sits at about 20%.?

I’m OK.? You’re OK.? Let’s fix the system.

Have you ever been rewarded for your high performance with the undone work of a nonperformer?

Filed Under Requisite Organization

Comments

2 Responses to “Rewarding OverPerformers with UnderPerformers’ Work – An Employee Engagement Buster”

  1. Chris Young on April 12th, 2009 11:10 pm

    This is an engagement killer indeed, Michelle! Great post! I’ve featured your article in my weekly Rainmaker ‘Fab Five’ blog picks of the week (found here: http://www.maximizepossibility.com/employee_retention/2009/04/the-rainmaker-fab-five-blog-picks-of-the-week-1.html)to share this slippery slope with my readers.

    Be well Michelle!

  2. Michelle Malay Carter on April 13th, 2009 8:13 am

    Thank you Chris. I am well, and trust you are too.

    Regards,

    Michelle