subject: How a Leader Can Increase an Employee's Performance [print this page] How a Leader Can Increase an Employee's Performance
Most employees under-perform in the workplace because their designated work leader under-utilizes his/her capacity to manage others. It could just simply be one of two things, the employee has exorbitant mental distractions (i.e. stress) or tiresome physical impediments that results to them under-performing.
Mental Impediments to Effective Performance
(1) A Perfect time for the employee's leader to step up his/her Emotional Intelligence (E.I.) game
This is where a leader needs to evaluate themselves, before attempting to help the employee perform better. It begins with a basic understanding of emotional intelligence. Most commonly we can infer that transformational leaders (leaders who inspire change in their followers and their respective organization), are able to identify their own feelings as well emotional states, effectively express those feelings to others, distinguish the emotions of others in the workplace and lastly monitor and manage both positive and negative emotions in both themselves and others. There are a multitude of E.I skills that make up ones ability to fully utilize their E.I skills. So, it is suggested that they start by being self aware; in this case being fully aware of what is ultimately impeding the employee's performance. This would enable the leader to spot and understand the follower's moods, drives and emotions, and most importantly the impact these can have on those around them especially in the work environment.
(2) Demonstrating to the under-performing employee 'empathetic listening'
Empathic listening is the leader's intent to understand the employee's situation, often displayed through one on one discourse. That they are first seeking to understand, to really understand what the under-performing employee is saying. Most people typically seek first to be understood, that is why the leader's Emotional Intelligence and empathetic listening skills come handy; the leader should just naturally try to understand the employee's reasons for under performing. The essence of empathic listening is that you attempt to fully, deeply, understand the speaker, emotionally as well as intellectually. Let me repeat this one more time; the essence of empathic listening is that you attempt to fully, deeply, understand the speaker, emotionally as well as intellectually.
Physical Impediments to Efficient Performance
(1) Job rotation can get the muscles and mind working in different ways
If there are no mental impediments disrupting the employee's performance, it is quite possible that the employee does not resonate with the assigned work task; in this case, a leader could include the employee in a job rotation plan. It is possible that the employee cannot physically do the work task further because their body does not permit so. Repetitive work tasks, can take a serious toll on the body. Job rotation, specifically in a production/manufacturing environment, grants the employee ample opportunities to stretch, and work different muscles as well the mind in miraculous ways.
(2) Assist the Employee with beneficial auxiliary equipment/aids
This could be a tad bit costly for employer, but it is the responsibility of the employer to supply their work force with the best of equipment to make their employee's job less physically burdensome. It is possible that the employee is under-performing because they lack sufficient work provided materials/equipment. Employers should meet frequently with under-performing staff to assess impediments to performance, and here take inventory of what they can personally contribute to the under-performing employee to make their work output much more efficient.
Greg Procknow has been working in leadership roles for the last five years. Greg is currently working for Kwantlen Polytechnic University, and works extensively with the Canadian Cancer Society.
