In most organizations there is significant potential to increase performance. Traditional people management involves top-down communication of expectations. It spells out in no uncertain terms the results required and the tasks to be undertaken to obtain them. There is a huge bias towards annual reviews, managing out non-performance and rewarding results through subjective competition, commission, bonuses and incentives. This approach of management by results only motivates high performers because they know what they need to do and can consistently apply those behaviors. Low and core performers, the people with the greatest potential to improve, cannot be managed in the same way. Consequently, in many organizations there is significant opportunity to increase performance as the application of critical work behaviors is missing. We call the system for motivating people to adopt and maintain these behaviors “Effective Leadership”.
