Visual Performance
Most e.performence systems are negatively impacting the performance and productivity of our employee’s.
These new e.performence systems are highly visual tools. A visual tool is one which dominates one human sense when we are utilizing it. A video game is another excellent example of a visual tool.
Yet for a performance management process to be successful it requires a natural balance among the visual, the auditory and the tactile modes of communications. The visual, Auditory and Tactile are the 3 primary modes of communication for human beings. In my 25 years of experience in personal and organizational transformation I found a direct link between the primary modes of communication utilized within an entity and the success rate of that entities performance management process.
Having a natural balance of the modes of communication ensures the optimization of strategic, innovative and creative thinking; as well as creating meaningful connections with employees. All these elements are extremely critical to the success of the performance management process.
With the current visual dependency and dominance occurring in many of our organizations, compounded by the highly visual e.performence systems; this success is being jeopardized. Understanding the natural balance of communications and it’s relevance to both the visual e.performence system and the over all performance management process is the real key.
These new e.performence systems should make it a breeze to conduct the over all performance management process. They can help the efficiency of that process. However the visual e.performence system can certainly damage the effectiveness of the performance management process when they are not utilized properly. And that is a very frequent occurrence in many organizations. It starts with the managers.
So often when a manager starts the objective setting process; they stare at the visual form with limited strategic or innovative thoughts utilized in creating those objectives. It’s a visual exercise of looking at the performance management templates. The E.Performence systems are an impersonal visual tool. Performance management requires high quality dialogue and two-way interaction to get it right.
The visual system and tools can also give the manager the out from doing something they dread performing in the first place. Actively listening and truly connecting with their employees. The visual e.performence system supports and traps the majority of managers. Since their primary mode of communication is heavily visual and the system inhibits breaking free of that comfort zone.
In the end, what often happens is that there is limited discussion on the creation and review of objectives. The managers conduct this process in an impersonal manner; even though all the training and documentation on how to utilize the E. Performance system indicates the importance of meaningful one on one discussion and feedback.
It is much easier for the manager to pass an electronic visual form back and forth. This is very cold electronic and visual communications. It is not only lacking in strategic thought and creativity, however the all important commitment and ownership for both parties is sorely missing. The result is often completed visual templates, limited discussion on objectives and a decline in over all employee productivity.
If managers would utilize a more balanced approach with regard to the modes of communications when leading employees through the performance management process; then many of the problems that are encountered with the e.performence system would not occur. The narrow communication modes and resulting narrow thoughts being utilized by many managers when developing and reviewing objectives with employees could be avoided.
The e.performence system could then be effective as well as efficient. However it can not stand alone as just a visual system and tools. This is the hard dimension of change and promotes an efficient performance management process. Then performance management must progress from a hard change dimension being the visual performance; to that of a soft change dimension, listening for performance. Thus ensuring the effectiveness of the e.performence system and the over all performance management process.
This active listening is where the two way communications and vital connections with employees are created. The only way this can be attained is by utilizing a natural balance of communications. It is subtle; however, vital to any organization desiring dramatic productivity increases with the introduction of a new e.performence system.