As organisations continuously evolve, it is crucial that once talented executives are selected, they are developed, retained and provided with opportunities to optimise their performance.
The diagram below, at first glance, presents a simple proposition. An executives manifested behaviour on the job is a function of their style and the environment within which they operate. Intuitively this makes sense. If, for example, we place, either through recruitment or promotion, a generally extroverted individual in the back office with little or no engagement with stakeholders on a day to day basis, it is likely adjustment problems will arise. The converse is also true. If for example, we place an introverted individual in a Sales role with high levels of face to face contact, it is also likely adjustment problems will arise. Problems will arise as these individuals struggle to reconcile their innate characteristics with an environment which for them causes any combination of boredom, discomfort and anxiety.
The pivot point of the diagram below is the notion of employee engagement, but before we get to that we need to understand the person. Appropriate levels of skill, knowledge, experience, cognitive strength and flexibility, and aligned familiarity and interest are measured through targeted interviewing and through the use of psychological assessment tools. Careful consideration of these factors ensures the employee can do the job. But will they? The working environment outlined in yellow, namely structures, performance management systems, organisational flexibility, power, politics and culture and the calibre of organisational leadership also play a key role. Taking these environmental factors one by one:
Working Structures
Identifiable sources of executive effectiveness include; role clarity, autonomy levels, degrees of recognition/involvement and the individual’s sense of achievement, accomplishment and mastery. The extent to which these factors are negative or positive determines to a significant degree the executive’s self concept within the organization. Is it characterised by open confronting, two way communication, high commitment and responsiveness, or low creativity, blaming, intragroup conflict and low risk taking.
Performance Management
Effective performance management depends on the organisations ability to translate business and human resource strategies into readily identifiable, tangible behaviours and outputs on the ground. Once again role definition and clarity are important. It is impossible to build an appraisal framework on shaky foundations. The interaction between business strategy, the role and financial and non financial rewards is also critical. This dynamic sets the stage for the executive/employer interaction and also creates opportunities for skills development and ultimately, intelligent career management.
Organisational Flexibility
So the organisation purports to have a strategy, the roles are clearly defined and performance management appears to be working. How does the organisation respond to its results? Do mechanisms exist which enable business performance to be monitored, evaluated and benchmarked? Is the organisation nimble enough to redefine business strategy in response to changing internal and external factors? These are the characteristics of a flexible organisation, a key element in fully engaging executives.
Power Politics Culture
Power, politics and culture can act as either blockers or enablers of sustained development and retention in the business. Power can be coercive, legitimate, personal or sanctioned through ownership and structure. Politics is really about formal and informal frameworks in the organisation, the underlying assumptions held by management and employees about the business, and the symbols and messages which reflect both day to day and long term reality. These elements combine to create a value structure which enhances or retards executive engagement.
Calibre of Leadership
It is no understatement to suggest leadership is the priceless commodity which differentiates the average from the excellent organisation. The relationship between calibre of leadership and the capacity for executives to perform optimally is all pervasive. Contemporary leadership is about providing both visionary and change leadership, establishing strategic direction, building trust and building business partnerships.
As outlined in the diagram above, leadership is the lynch pin which connects the organisations environment with both the “can do” aspects of the individual and their temperament. Obviously many executives do not perform optimally. “If only the leadership was more insightful”, “My role is ill defined”, “I need to be recognized and valued”, “I have no autonomy”, “There is no future here and reward structures are hopeless”. The product of the above connection is executive engagement, which if positive, leads to strong levels of personal motivation, abundant job satisfaction and ultimately excellent executive performance.