Improving Performance

Focus, the Key to Performance Improvement

When working on improving performance, do you focus more on what is missing / not working well or what is right and can be magnified?

Common sense will say on both, as there is a compounded effect when the focus is to enhance and highlight continued growth of what is going well, while polishing the aspects needing adjustment.

Unfortunately, it is very common that during performance assessments, especially at the workplace, most of the time is spent on what is missing and/or not working.  The focus is not necessarily on boosting the strengths and skills already in alignment to job performance but on the expectations of what the person should or should not have done.  It forces people into a predetermined mold.

 Often, the performance improvement feedback becomes the justification of an assessment more than an intentional plan to improve.  Then, if focus is what creates our reality and most of the time is dedicated to the non-desirable aspects, the probability of repeating them is high.  Again, where focus goes energy flows…

Framing performance discussions on actionable phrases that connect the strengths while reflecting the tune up of what needs improvement has demonstrated to have a more positive effect.  It empowers people to anchor their focus on the positive aspects to continue building up their strengths instead of starting from a brittle position that instills fear of making a mistake.

You have control over HOW a performance improvement message gets delivered. Share your experience below,
What would you like to aim for: fear or empowerment?

What do you focus on when managing the performance improvement?