The Issue - Performance Motivation by Using Public Scoreboards
Regional Director- "The environment is a little stale lately. We need to invoke some
competition."
Ricky, the Underling Location Manager with limited experience - "Let's post the monthly results. That'll make them compete."
Director - "Good idea, make it so..." (while reading blackberry)
Results - Scenario #1 - Sales Team
Ricky posts scoreboard for sales team first. Intensely competitive sales types jockey for position. Performers give 100.5% to gain position on scoreboard. Non-performers quietly fade away and resign two months later, heads lowered in shame because they couldn't "get it done".
Ricky gets pat on the head from Director. Feels good...
Results - Scenario #2 - Accounting Team
Emboldened by success with Sales Team, Ricky develops productivity scoreboard for Accounting team. Ricky sends out an email. Ricky posts results. Nothing happens for Ricky. Accounting team's lack of sensitivity to Ricky's motivational techniques is driving Ricky crazy. Ricky acts erratically. Accounting team doesn't notice Ricky.
Ricky complains to Director. Director tells him he needs to be more intense about his expectations of underlings.
Results - Scenario #3 - Call Center Team
Ricky figures the Accounting team just doesn't get it. Ricky moves to next department. Ricky posts scoreboard of call center stats on call center floor, ranking call center reps. Top 10% of call center reps jockey for position. Middle 70% ignore the scoreboard. Bottom 20% of call center reps jockey for best protection against getting fired. Half pick EEOC charge with questionable merits. Other half pick reaching out to local union rep for thoughts on organizing call center.
EEOC charges and internal organizing campaign reach corporate in the following 3 months. Subsequent focus groups reveal call center believes Ricky wants to fire them, accounting feels Ricky doesn't understand what they do, and the Sales force is motivated by compensation and doesn't know who Ricky is.
Ricky leaves company.
Moral of Story
1. Perception is reality.
2. PR is a component of managing.
3. One size doesn't fit all.
4. Measurement is not a replacement for coaching/dialog.
5. Don't be Ricky.
Excellent post, Kris. I'd suggest another moral. Competition is significantly overrated as a motivational tool.
Posted by: Wally Bock | November 06, 2007 at 07:41 PM
Influencing behavior, as you have pointed out, is dependent on the individual. For some people simply posting standings influences their behavior - for other not so much.
However, motivation and influence are not one-weapon wars. Effectively aligning vision and direction with behaviors requires an entire arsenal - each weapon with a different target - no different than a real military engagement.
Wally says competition is overrated. I disagree. Competition can be very effective - but only if it is used in conjunction with other tactics. It can be a problem if it is the ONLY way you influence behavior.
Kris - you do a good job of pointing out that listing performance works in some areas and not in others. Done correctly listing results communicates what is possible. No one thought the 4-minute mile was possible - until someone did it - then runner after runner broke the record. The only thing that changed was that we knew it was possible.
Listing performance milestones can have similar effects. Showing others what is possible.
We all will be better managers if we remember that each person has different motivational and influence triggers and our goal is to find them and help to engage them for the good of the person and the company.
Posted by: Paul Hebert | November 07, 2007 at 04:49 AM