On People Management (5/11)

The Player Support Newsletter - 9 FEB 2024

Introduction: Real Learning Takes Time and Effort

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It has always been important for companies to align their business goals with their learning goals and performance evaluation systems. Learning is important for employee satisfaction, engagement, and increasing the ability of each employee to deliver value towards the organization’s goals. Performance evaluation systems must be based on this value delivery, not on relationships and check-box forms that give the appearance of meritocracy. These two systems should have a close relationship to be more effective.

My experience with corporations of all stripes has been, however, that each of these major functions creates their own goals and priorities. I am not advocating for the so-called breaking down of silos. We human beings love our silos. What I promote instead is finding better ways of working and communicating across silos. Executives who never require their different job functions to collaborate are neglecting one of the most important functions of their role - to build connective tissue throughout the company where it belongs.

From what I see, we also have a problem of perception that is obfuscated by how most performance evaluations are done, which is infrequently and lacks evidence. The forms, however, are still filled out and so you can generate reports that make it look like proper management is being done. Most executives are probably unaware of much of dysfunction in their companies, especially at massive global scale. Everyone is incentivized to only report good news upwards, so it is not necessarily the executive’s fault that they are partially blind. It is, however, their responsibility to find a way to mitigate and manage this powerful human tendency.

In this week’s post, I share what we call Section 3 of the management framework, which is focused on competency development for each job class and how it relates to an employee’s learning experience and professional growth. At Player Support we see professional development as an imperative, even if that may lead employees to other companies in the future. A company never owns anyone - people are free. We would rather be a very pleasant stepping stone than a roadblock in your professional journey. And yes, for those who want it, of course we would love it if you stayed with us for very long time.

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Skills

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Relevant Hard and Soft Skills

Skills are about what a person can do, not who they are. The focus is craft, the skills we hope to gain through rigorous practice, thoughtfulness, and costly reinvention. They are typically a mix of hard and soft skills based on the person’s entire professional experience. Some skills will be more relevant to the current role than others and it is up to the employee how comprehensive they would like this section to be. Our foundation, however, must be the core competencies that are essential for their current job class. I might be a great underwater basket weaver, but that competency will not directly help me in an accounting position.

Start Estimating Skill Level

Managers will want to ask employees to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and skills they do not currently have, but want to develop. If someone has a long-term goal, it will be important for the manager to suggest relevant skills that have not been called out. If an employee does not have a long-term goal, then this exercise can be