7

PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Introduction
In a recent Puja (religious ceremony) in my house, the pandit ji chanted
dhoopam, deepam, naivaidyam samarpayami (I hereby offer incense, light
& food to God). This was done. Then he said, Vastram samarpayami (I now
offer cloth to God). And lo & behold, what was offered to God was not a
piece of cloth, but a piece of thread. It became, dhaga samarpayami.
Here is a very representative example of Symbolic Performance that a
large chunk of Indian population believing in Hindu religion are a party to
frequently.
The author has often wondered why many senior executives while
participating in the review & design of a new policy nod their heads rather
quickly, but drag their feet when it comes to implementing the same.
Whether it is a question of revised organization structure with lesser
number of levels, for better communication within the organization or a
policy for promoting faster response to the market, or whether it is a question
of ensuring a more balanced distribution of the annual performance appraisal
ratings, the above approach is clearly discernible.
Perhaps, at the back of their minds all along was that they will get away
with, dhaga samarpayami.
Coming to the basics, To perform is to deliver a product or a service to a
customer, of desired Quality so that it performs the function it was designed
to, for a minimum expected period, at a price he is willing to pay at a time &
place of his choosing.
38 | Human Resource Management
Court pulls up MCD for absolving senior ofcers in house collapse,
reads a headline in the Times of India of Oct 11, 2000. We are perplexed to
see that you have left all the higher ofcials concerned and absolved them of
the responsibility... it continues.
Yes, to perform means to be responsible and be accountable for the
results.
The aversion to accept accountability for results on our part is illustrated
by the following experience. In one organization with the aim of promoting
performance culture the policy was announced after consultation with the
group of senior executives that every year top performers and poor performers
should be identied and certain minimum percentage of the numbers on roll
was agreed as a guideline for the purpose. It was also laid down that the top
performer group would get about double the normal annual increment and
that the poor performers would not get any annual raise. In practice what
happened was that only very few were identied for the namesake a symbolic
adherence to the policy, in spite of having been a party to the framing of the
said policy.
Queering the pitch for us is also perhaps the fatalism syndrome. What is
destined to happen, happens, is a pronouncement that many of us resort to in
highly philosophical tones either as part of our genuine belief system and/or
using it as a cover for our failures/mistakes or lack of effort, either consciously
or sub-consciously. The intent being crystal clear fudge accountability.
After Symbolic Performance, let us now consider another Indian
speciality
Ritualistic Performance
Most of us would have at one time or the other added Ahuti a ritualistic
offering to Fire during a religious ceremony when the Pandit chanted Om
Swaha. Did we understand the meaning of the mantras he was chanting prior
to the command for making your offering to the holy re?
When we carry out a task, without understanding the Why of it, the
purpose behind the task, are we not performing the task only as a ritual? Can
I be committed to do some thing to high standard of excellence without
understanding the purpose behind?
Do we as managers take the trouble and time to explain the Why of our
instructions, to those expected to carry these out? Do we tell the operators
as to why the specication is 5 mm and why it cannot be 6 mm? Do we
believe that it will help and is very much worth doing? Do we care to nd out
as to why the technical department has laid down such a specication?
One interesting example of ritualistic performance.
One person was named in the succession planning exercise as Ready
to take over the superiors job now which meant that no planning for his
development was needed & that he had the sufcient competencies for the
higher job. A few months later the same name featured in the list of poor
performers who could be separated. Now which of the two decisions was
arrived at seriously and which one as a mere ritual, it is hard to tell.
Activity Orientation
Combined with symbolic performance & ritualistic performance is the
problem of Activity Orientation. The author has in many training programmes
on Performance Counselling, done a brief exercise with groups ranging from
senior executives to junior managers asking them to write down 5/6 of
their important responsibilities. The bulk of the responses invariably are a
listing of activities like:
inviting quotations
nalizing the purchase order
conducting/attending daily production meeting
issuing ads.
conducting training programmes
recruiting
nalizing the balance sheet
preparing/reviewing strategic business plan at a given frequency....
etc.
Some would include the processes of management like Planning,
Controlling as their responsibilities, without considering that management
processes of planning and control are only means to an end and are not the
results we are after.
Look at many position proles/job descriptions, even that of senior
executives, and you would nd that some of these would be full of a list
of activities or talk about, Responsible for coordinating with chambers of
commerce, without an indication as to what end results are aimed at by this
activity of coordinating with different chambers of commerce.
The roots of this lack of result-orientation are ascribed by some to the well
known shloka in the Bhavad Gita on Karma Yoga [doctrine of action]:
Karmanye vaadhikaraste , maa phaleshu kadaachana.
That is a very wrong interpretation. The shloka on literal translation
means:
You have a right to perform your duty,
but not to the results thereof,
do not consider yourself as the cause of the results,
also do not get attached to non-performance.
The rst and the last line clearly and strongly emphasize the need to
perform ones duty. The tendency to misinterpret the 2
nd
and 3
rd
lines comes
when the word phala is translated as the result of your actions/your karma.
Performance Management 39
Managing Performance A Simple Model
PERFORMANCE leads to RESULTS Desired
Please do make absolutely clear to the employee,
as to what is expected from him. WHAT IS EXPECTED?
Do not assume that it is understood.
ESTABLISH MEASURES
What gets measured, gets done
Quantitative targets, as far as
possible
Involve the performer in setting
targets
Balanced Score Card leading
indicators lagging indicators
COMMUNICATE
In writing as well as orally
one approach is never enough
THE ORGANISATION THE INDIVIDUAL
Establishes Processes capable COMPETENT
of delivering desired results. should have
requisite
Provides Resources needed timely FOCUS ON Knowledge
Delegates Requisite Authority Training & Skills
Gives timely Feedback, Counsels, Helps Practice Attitudes
Has MIS for Self Control by Habits
individual performers.
Retains Focus on Results & Accountability
Rewards Performance FOCUS ON Other Factors
- nancial - performance linked bonus Selection e.g. Abilities/Talents
Traits of Personality
- non nancial - recognition
- opportunities for challenge,
Learning & growth
- displays tolerance for
Mistakes
Discourages Poor Performance
Consequences of Poor Performance well known.
Clear message Symbolic/Ritualistic
performance is Not Acceptable.
Box 1
Performance Management 41