What is Everyone Doing?!
October 6th, 2008 by Cali & Jody
You rarely hear this question in a traditional work environment. It’s assumed that everyone is hard at work doing…well, something. If you show up at 8:00 and stay until 5:00, you’ve met expectations, right?
When all of a sudden you stop tracking time, stop putting in time, and stop talking about time, all that’s left is the work you’re actually getting paid to do. When you stop using time as a measure of performance, everyone starts scrambling because the majority of people don’t know what “the work” is supposed to be.
We’re living in a world where it’s okay to meander through the work day, literally unclear about what you’re actually being measured on, and what you’re supposed to be delivering. A world where employees set their goals the week before performance appraisal time (don’t deny it - we bet at least half of you out there have done this). We’re in work environments where HR sends out e-mail after e-mail reminding us to complete our goal-setting activities and we move that activity to the bottom of our list. The urgency to set measurable goals in a traditional work environment rarely exists because using time as a measure of loyalty, dedication and good work, in most cases, wins out over evaluation of the actual work.
Or, if we want to tell it like it is, we feel like this about goals.
Here’s the fact of the matter: Until we own our own time and have complete control over how we spend it, goal-setting will be just another useless activity that fills our time in the work environment. And, a workforce with clear, measurable goals for each and every person will never happen. Ever.
This is a real-life example:
Pre-ROWE
Manager: “We’ve been working on this strategy for awhile, and I really want you to crack the nut this year.”
Employee: “Got it. I’ll do my best.” ["I have no idea what you're asking for, but if I show up every day, stay late, and come to you next year with something that I think you might like, I should be okay."]
Post-ROWE
Manager: “We’ve been working on this strategy for awhile, and I really want you to crack the nut this year.”
Employee: “Let’s define ‘the nut’. How will we know if I’ve cracked it? How will it be measured? What’s ‘meets expectations’ and ‘exceeds expectations’ on cracking the nut?” ["If I can get clear on how to exceed expectations on cracking this nut, I can figure out the activities that will get me there and also plan how I'll volunteer at my child's school, coach her basketball team, and take a vacation to Miami."]
Our bet is that most of you have great goal-setting tools at your companies, but people aren’t actually using them. Or, you use them, and then file the completed activity away - and 3 months later, you scratch you head and say “Where did I put that completed goal-setting guide?”
Goal-setting is not an activity. Goal-setting is not an action on a quarterly checklist. Getting clear on what you’re getting paid to do, and how to measure it is, and should be, status quo. It should be the way business is done. We can’t tell you how many times we’ve heard “If I let my people control their own time, how will I know if they’re working and what they’re supposed to be doing?” to which we exclaim “How do you know NOW?”
If you knew your team was going to migrate to ROWE within the next 3 months, would you feel clear enough about your goals and expectations to be comfortable? If you’re a manager, would you be comfortable that each and every one of your employees knows exactly what their expectations are and that each expectation is measurable?
This week is the time of the year for annual reviews in my organization. In a previous post, I discussed all that this process entails, to include a massive amount of “self-assessments” that we submit to the supervisor in essence to help them do their job of reviewing us. So, as I’m writing my self-assessment, I realize that only one of the seven “core” criteria is called “Achieving Results”. So apparently in my organization, achieving results is only, what… 14% important compared to things like “planning and coordinating.” Then as I read the description of what “Achieving Results” entails (because of course me and my managers have NEVER sat down and detailed exactly what I’m supposed to do), I read this:
“Actively participates in identifying and setting relevant goals and objectives for own work; takes initiative to set additional goals.” (So, in essence I alone am responsible for deciding what I should be doing! Hurrah!)
“Puts forth effort necessary to exceed established goals and objectives; anticipates and proactively plans for contingencies and competing priorities, resulting in increased contributions to the mission.” (So, basically its more important that I actually put forth effort than actually to achieve results. Excellent!)
“With much less guidance than would ordinarily be expected, produces results that exceed standards for quality, quantity, and timeliness, and which may have a positive impact beyond what would ordinarily be expected at his/her level.” (This would all be fine and dandy if they would also tell me what “exceeds standards” means, etc).
Also today, I had a conversation with the “sub-boss”… we are undergoing massive organizational change, and I said that one thing I was concerned about was that there would be measurable, controllable objectives in place, rather than vague uncontrollable objectives that we currently have. He was actually dumbfounded by the idea that we should have complete control over the work we are measured on. He and others like him believe that the “metrics” like those I quoted above are perfectly perfect…
We have such a long way to go to get to ROWE…
When I first discovered a ROWE, I was immediately sold on the “freedom” associated with it. However, since following it for over two years now, reading the book (not quite finished yet > slow reader), and totally digging on this blog, it is the business philosophy which has truly captured my interest. So much so, I find myself asking, “How is this not the norm?”
The basic philosophy seems to pull on two others – one a supposed staple of a traditional work environment and one which is still viewed as radical as a ROWE. I am referring to Total Quality Management (TQM), which is focused on continued improvement by seeking out new tools/resources/processes/procedures and/or refining existing ones. The other is the concept of Participative Management (Brazilian businessman mentioned in a prior post), which basically includes all employees in the decision is making process – at least the decisions pertaining to that employee.
I apologize for the glossary post, but I can’t help but make some correlations between all three and more importantly wonder why they are not common to the work environment today???
The freedom aspect of a ROWE is what truly scares management and organizations, but that speaks to a fundamental breakdown of business practice. It would probably be easier for me to digest an organization rejecting the freedom of a ROWE if (and that is a federal bail out sized if) the other facets of the business were proactive or….umm…..sensible.
No freedom? Fine. How about technology advancements? How about true efficiency standards? How about metrics based on accomplishments and accountability not time?
I really like how in a ROWE the employee and employer must always concentrate on the business expectations = results. Time is a factor in a ROWE, when it is wasted. I remember being graded on whether I “use time wisely” in elementary school….what happened?
[...] the full article here: http://caliandjody.com/blog/2008/10/06/what-is-everyone-doing/ *Results-Based Work [...]
Our latest strategic plan was just rolled out today! Yippee!
My favorite excerpts for your reading enjoyment:
“…effectively measuring work outcomes and deliver real value…”
“…effective employment performance evaluation…”
“…management techniques that foster a creative environment for all employees…”
Sounds like we need ROWE…
Maybe a bit off topic, BUT…
In my organization, the goals and expectations are fairly clear yet there is no clear incentive to achieve said goals or meet said expectations (aside from keeping your job, of course, however, lack of achievement never results in termination - usually a simple slap on the wrist for encouragement).
In my case, the beauty of ROWE is that it promotes goal-setting on a weekly (and even daily) basis. Perhaps I want to get up extra early to finish those tedious work tasks to free up my afternoon to watch the game. Maybe I want to get this project done this week so I can play golf one day next week.
Achieving these self-imposed, short-term goals and being rewarded with short-term rewards (e.g., a round of golf) is far more effective than the once-a-year “Performance Review”. You know, the review where you’re fed the same lines that you heard during last year’s review and you’re getting the same percentage for your salary increase for the 4 consecutive year.
These short-term goals, in time, become increased results for the organizations designated goals and expectations.
@PersephoneK - the conversations you’re having are tough, but necessary. As we’ve mentioned before, it very, very difficult to be the the first voices that try to infuse new thinking into an organization or work team. You, and all of our readers, are doing just that. The dumbfounded looks will continue because what you’re saying goes against the last 50 years of work practice. When we first started having teams ask meeting facilitators what the outcome of a meeting was, they looked at us like “We can’t say *that*!” Questioning what results we’re driving toward, and questioning why we can’t be trusted to reach those results is a must. A *must*.
@Michael Barata - TQM and participative management can’t reach their full potential because in order to do so, trust must be given to make decisions and question authority/outdated rules and processes. The trust part of the equation is the thing that companies/managers fear most…but it’s the thing that will reward them the most.
@Mad Guy - wow, sounds like ROWE would certainly ensure those meeting points were reached. Part of what drove us to create ROWE was our nausea after hearing leaders talk that kind of talk over and over, but never seeing any action that backed it up. ROWE forces leaders to walk their talk - in a big way.
@Matthew - this is *exactly* right. Companies are working under the assumption that employees value their year-end performance evaluations with their measly raises. In reality, just as you pointed out, so many employees would value their TIME far more. The short-term rewards are motivating, to say the least, and a key part of why productivity in a ROWE goes up.
Does a survey exist of CEOs, managers, supervisors, directors, managers asking if they trust their staff (employees)?