Leadership Beyond Performance Management: How to Empower and Support Your Team
Leadership is More Than Managing Performance — It’s About Understanding and Empowering People
As managers, we often face situations where team members are falling short of performance expectations. The default reaction is typically to place them on a performance improvement plan, and if no progress is made, to terminate their employment.
But is this really leadership?
🔑 True leadership goes beyond simply "hiring and firing." It requires us to take the time to understand why someone is struggling. Is there an underlying personal issue? Do they feel disconnected from the team or the work? Are they lacking the necessary resources or support to perform at their best?
In many cases, with the right approach, a disengaged or underperforming team member can make a significant turnaround. Effective leadership in these moments involves:
✅ Open and honest communication
✅ Genuine empathy
✅ Providing guidance, training, and support
✅ Aligning their strengths with tasks that inspire and motivate them.
Before rushing to conclusions or resorting to termination, we should remind ourselves that leadership is about empowering others—not just managing outcomes.
Let’s aspire to be the kind of leaders who help people grow, not just move on.
Leadership Beyond Performance Management:
Leadership is about much more than simply overseeing tasks and evaluating performance. It's about understanding the needs, challenges, and potential of your team members. True leaders don't just measure outcomes—they invest in their people’s growth, providing support and resources to help them reach their full potential.
Example:
Imagine a team member who is consistently missing deadlines. Instead of immediately putting them on a performance improvement plan, a leader might take the time to have a one-on-one conversation to uncover that the employee is facing personal challenges that are affecting their work. By offering flexibility, support, and new resources (such as adjusting workload or providing mentoring), the leader helps the employee improve without jumping to drastic measures.
Example Breakdown for Leadership Beyond Performance Management:
1. Leadership is About Understanding, Not Just Managing Outcomes:
Example: If an employee’s performance dips, a great leader will seek to understand the root cause.
- Instead of immediately imposing consequences, they’ll open a dialogue to discover if there are external factors affecting their work, such as family issues or health concerns.
- This leads to a more empathetic approach, rather than simply focusing on performance metrics.
Example: If a team member is struggling, providing extra resources, like additional training or access to mentorship, can help them improve.
A leader who focuses on the employee’s development rather than solely on the numbers fosters a more loyal and motivated team.
3. Empathy in Leadership:
Example: An employee might be feeling disengaged because they don’t find the work fulfilling.
A compassionate leader can explore ways to realign the employee’s tasks with their passions or strengths, leading to a more productive and satisfied team member.
By focusing on empowerment and support, leaders can drive better outcomes, not just for individual team members but for the organization as a whole. Leadership isn't just about managing performance metrics—it's about building relationships and fostering growth.
