6♥️ The three pillars of performance: Skills, motivation, and systems

I don't know whether you've heard that song by Meat Loaf, Two Out of Three Ain't Bad. But it's a useful reminder of a tip that was given to me by a sales management guru called Lars Taves.

When facing underperformance in your team, it's easy to jump to conclusions about individual capabilities or motivation. However, a more holistic approach is often necessary to identify the root cause of the problem.

Problem or challenge

Lars suggests that too often, particularly with sales teams, we rush in all guns blazing and fire them too quickly. We decide the poor performance is down to them, and they're no good, and we've got to get rid of them. It;’s easy to do that because identifying the root causes of underperformance can be challenging. It's easy to assume that employees are simply lacking motivation or ability, but there may be other factors at play.

Complexities

The challenge lies in recognising that performance is a multifaceted issue influenced by multiple factors. Simply addressing one aspect, such as skills or motivation, may not be sufficient to improve results.

Solution

The "Three Pillars of Performance" framework provides a structured approach to analysing and addressing underperformance. Contrary to Meatloaf's song, two out of three IS bad. For employees to perform you have to have all three dimensions right. 

1. Skills and knowledge: Assess whether the individual or team has the necessary skills and expertise to perform their roles effectively.

2. Engagement and motivation: Evaluate their level of commitment, enthusiasm, and willingness to succeed.

3. Systems and processes: Ensure that the necessary systems and processes are in place to support their work and facilitate success.

Benefits

By applying this framework, you can:

• Identify root causes: Accurately pinpoint the underlying reasons for underperformance.

• Implement targeted solutions: Develop solutions that address the specific needs of your team or individual employees.

• Improve performance: Drive positive changes in productivity, efficiency, and results.

• Retain talent: Avoid unnecessary turnover by addressing the root causes of performance issues.

Why it works

The Three Pillars of Performance framework is effective because it recognises that all three elements are essential for success. Addressing any one pillar in isolation is unlikely to yield lasting results.

Measurement

The effectiveness of your approach can be measured by:

• Improved performance: Track changes in productivity, quality, and other relevant metrics.

• Reduced turnover: Monitor employee retention rates and reasons for departures.

• Increased employee satisfaction: Conduct surveys or one-on-one meetings to gauge employee morale and engagement.

• Enhanced team dynamics: Observe changes in team collaboration, communication, and overall effectiveness.

My story

Sadly this is a case where I look back and realise I got it wrong in my main career. I was a hard driving leader and had high expectations of my expensive sales people. And being paid so well, my view was that the quid pro quo for the high salary was that they had to perform and overcome whatever held them back. Looking back now I wonder whether I could’ve got a better return by accepting that they weren’t all perfect all the time and spending more time identifying the root cause for the poor performance and helping them overcome that.