Many companies build cultures that are focused on controlling the output of low performers, rather than growing and unlocking everyone’s skills. This approach is low-ROI and ultimately problematic for high-performance cultures. Leaders spend an inordinate amount of time handholding their least productive colleagues, instead of helping their strongest contributors move faster and do more. Meanwhile, because these tactics are focused on pushing the work forward rather than figuring out how to get better, they fail to turn low performers into high performers. Ultimately, by failing to nurture skill or motivation, low performance cultures stunt growth and repel top talent. Organizations need to build cultures that are obsessed with high performers, focusing the culture on keeping high performers and making new ones. First, reduce meetings down to the minimum viable number, so top talent can spend their time on more interesting, impactful work. Second, ask questions to measure your team’s motivation and conduct monthly health checks. Finally, mentor high performers on concrete, high-leverage skills.
Source: 3 Ways to Build a Culture That Lets High Performers Thrive
In this very complete article by Lindsay McGregor & Neel Doshi, several Intentional Learning OrganizationTM tenets are illuminated. One, in particular, is the need to continue growing leaders by having them establish their own Radical Adult Learning Development plans.
The article specifies that new learning be around new or expanded skills directly related to current job scope and performance. I’d also suggest (insist) that organization-supported new learning, guided by the contributor, also comprise new areas of knowledge and expertise, even if unrelated to the current job scope.
This approach yields at least two important benefits: 1) as a high performer, the individual leader/contributor will always look to apply new learning to accelerate organizational goals – perhaps in ways that are not immediately discernible if confined to the current job scope; and 2) the individual feels honored, trusted, and supported, thus remains engaged (is less likely to leave) and continues to provide a high level of productivity directly related to organization objectives and culture.
Your thoughts?