One of the great myths of corporate life is that incentive pay leads to better performance. Corporate leaders often speak with great moral conviction of creating pay for performance cultures that only reward people when they meet performance expectations. The logic suggests that if organizations provide a big enough carrot, people will work harder to … More The Truth About Paying for Performance
Dave Berzack loves his career. Check out his website, www.daveberzack.com, and you will see more evidence of the passion, and talent, he has for his chosen profession. (Shout out to Dan Schawbel for pointing me to this video.) Droppin science (here’s the secret) for live (for a great) 9 to 5 (career): It’s about finding your passion. Said … More Killa Appz: Droppin Science for Live 9 to 5
The economic crisis has called into question the pay practices of some of the nation’s largest financial services companies. In particular, the Federal Reserve and other regulatory organizations have found that many of the bonus and incentive programs led executives to make decisions that not only contributed to the worst financial crisis since the Great … More Motivation Is Not About the Money
Why don’t we get the best out of people? It’s simple, really. Most “modern” corporations kill human capability the way we strip-mine and deplete the earth of natural resources. Think about it. We hire bright, ambitious, enthusiastic young people fresh out of the hope and idealism of school. We stick them in cubicles under fluorescent … More Getting the Best Out of People
“It’s all about talent,” declared the SVP of Human Resources as she announced the purchase of a new talent management technology that included selection, performance management and succession planning modules. “This integrated talent management solution ushers in a new era for our company that’s about improving how we think about and manage talent. These new … More You’re Not a Leader Until They Perform
The new reality show Undercover Boss from CBS should be required viewing for every corporate executive and everyone who aspires to be one. It follows CEO’s as they slip anonymously into the rank and file of their companies. While working alongside their employees, they see the effects their decisions have on others, where the problems … More Undercover Boss: Listening to the Heart of Your Company
Nicholas Kristof’s column in yesterday’s New York Times shared that the origins of political judgments may in part be the result of our fundamental personality type and even in the hard-wiring in our brains. While even the researchers agree there is more work to do to validate these findings, it is consistent with the growing body … More It’s All In Our Head
“We need to discuss your performance.” There are few phrases that cast more fear in the hearts of employees. I was talking with a client last week about managing change for their implementation of performance management technology. After a quick technical chat about scope, the vendor, the timetable, resources and current tools and process, I … More The Folly of Performance Appraisal
I am often asked by executives and project leaders to share the results of the latest research studies on change management. Sometimes they are interested because they want to understand the risks associated with not budgeting to address the human side of change. Other times they know the risks all too well and are looking … More Statistics, Studies and Denial
It’s always reassuring to see outstanding business executives who understand the importance of the human side of change. All too often, organization leaders feel so much pressure to get the technical components of an initiative in place, they forget to plan for and manage the human dynamics. Fiona MacLeod, president of BP’s Convenience Retail USA … More BP’s Fiona MacLeod on Change Management
Erik Van Slyke 