Talent Magnet -Part III (Next Steps)

Got a few emails from the previous post that I would like to address in general terms.

Every company has these processes (Recruiting, Performance Management, Rewards, and Employee Development) in place.  But we all know from personal experience that some companies and some managers are better at implementing and leveraging these processes.

If you are a manager and you are just going through the motions with these processes you are not leading in an exceptional way.  If you are not meeting deadlines associated with these processes, you are not as committed to being an exceptional manager as you may think you are. If you are not seeing these processes as integral to your job as a manager you are missing the boat.

These processes are not ends in themselves.

Their purposes are to fully engage the employee and get the best performance out of them today and in the future.  Like anything in this world, these processes have flaws and limitations.  Great managers overcome these limitations.

If your company does not have a great Performance Management process you have some choices.  You can complain about and minimize the process or you can informally overcome the process and make it valuable through your own approach by adding your own checkpoints or conversations in your style. It is what great managers do.

And yes, I know that we are all very busy.  I also know that not all HR departments are facilitators to these processes.  But in the end, “so what?”  Great managers make every interaction count with their reports whether a formal review or informal conversation.  That is what we will build on for next time.