Improving Georges Performance - Essay Example

Introduction Reflective practices are important ingredients of performance metrics that help identify weaknesses and strengths of individuals andworkers which can be addressed to improve and improvise performance outcome (Schon, 1991). They help to understand emerging new situations and evolve new techniques for managing critical situations. Thus, reflection on the team work and team members greatly promotes the understanding of issues that adversely impact productive performance. 2. Summary reflection The scenario as enacted by team members highlighted issues that are faced by common man on a regular basis. The responses of management of the organization were significant in its scope for understanding knowledge management and how organizational leadership can become the anchor for a motivated workforce. Reflecting on the work of various workers within the bank where I had gone as a customer hugely helped me to identify organizational issues that are detrimental to efficient delivery of organizational goals and objectives. The scenario was analysed and three interpretations with two evaluations for each interpretations came up which were further reflected on for improving the performance of the organization. 2.1 Reflection on first interpretation In the first interpretation, manager was lauded for positive and strong decision when she transferred the erring executive to another branch. It was deduced that due to available information, the managerial leadership was able to make quick decision which also served as example for others to be efficient. On deeper reflection, I believe that the managerial decision was too hasty that not only creates insecurity amongst the workers but also adversely reflects on the style of leadership of the manager. As a leader, manager has the responsibility of creating a cohesive and high performance team that thrives on constant learning and new challenges. She lacked effective leadership qualities like effective communication, lack of vision, empathy and most important, an inability to exploit information judiciously (Forster, 2005). She had used just latest information to transfer and not tried to analyse past information and feedback that could have been exploited for improving George’s performance. George was a new recruit who should have been adequately trained for the role. Two months is relatively short time for new workers to become part of organizational culture and understand the importance and duties of his position. Moreover, effective communication is intrinsic part of good leadership traits that I believe, the manager was lacking. Had there been constant communication and feedback of workers’ performance, George’s inability to grasp the working mechanism would have been identified and addressed early. He was struggling with his work and his transfer on his first mistake sends a wrong message through the workforce. He was not given a chance to improve and improvise. Learning environment and effective communication empowers workers for higher productivity which was not given to George. 2.2 Reflection on second interpretation The interpretation is correct because leaders have responsibility towards their followers and must lead by example. This is one of the most critical characteristics of exemplary leaders which fosters trust and strong relationship that motivates for higher efficient delivery of goals and objectives. High performance work practices are beneficial for workforce and the management because they are mutually complementary (Armstrong & Baron, 2005). When management inculcates strong team performance through in-house training, effective communication and incentives, it helps create a strong team of workers that thrive on hard work for improved performance. Moreover, effective communication promotes mutual respect and understanding for building workplace relationships that rely on sharing of knowledge. Manager had failed on both these accounts. Kolb (1984) asserts that team performs better when each member learns from each other’s experience and improves and improvises his own actions. There was no feedback system and mutual sharing environment that could motivate George to work better. He kept on fumbling with the demands of the job that resulted in dis-satisfied customers. His inadequacies could not be totally contributed to his inabilities to cope with job demands. Proper in-house communication, training and regular feedback and sharing knowledge would have been major motivating factors to enhance George’s performance and organizational productivity. Leaders possessing integrity and strong sense of care and empathy are better equipped to inculcate a sense of security within the organization (Adair, 2003). They promote a sense of togetherness and collective responsibility. It reflects in the increased output and improved performance of the organization. Moreover, professional self-efficacy encourages workers to take on the challenges of the job with more confidence. Thus constant learning equips them better manage the demands of the job. 2.3 Reflection on the part of customer representative, George The manager was indeed wrong to make such quick decision. But the first evaluation that she should have ‘slept on’ is absolutely wrong. A leader is one who acts promptly after rationalizing issues and events. The informed choices empower him/her to make correct decision. In this instance, the manager had only grabbed the excuse of low performance of George and not actually looked deeper into his problems that were adversely impacting his efficiency. The second interpretation is partially correct. Participatory approach greatly empowers workers to act responsibly and be accountable for one’s actions. A feedback from other co-workers would have been right step which should have been used to give second opportunity to George so that he could have improved his performance. A facilitating environment of learning is important ingredient of empowered workers which not only encourages personal and professional development for higher achievement but it also serves as major motivation for higher productivity in the workplace. 3. Conclusion Knowledge management is inherently linked to improved performance. Creating a knowledge sharing culture helps to exploit human competencies and provide organizations with competitive advantage (Davenport, 2005). When workforce is provided with opportunities to develop new skills and knowledge base, an effective organizational leadership is able to exploit the explicit and tacit knowledge greater organizational output. In service based organizations like banks, satisfied customers become the critical elements of success. Strong leaders become vital part of organization that provides security through regular communication and feedback, motivation and most importantly, empowerment to workforce by providing them with constant learning environment. The reflective practice has therefore greatly helped me to rationalize actions and interpretations in critical manner so as to identify areas where improvement are needed and can be addressed. Baud, Keogh & walker (1999) believe that reflective practices help to evaluate one’s performance and learn from their own and others’ experience. Reflecting on the interpretations and evaluations has facilitated better understanding of effective communication and importance of knowledge management that are strong tools for higher performance outcome. (words: 1090) Reference Adair, J. (2003) The Inspirational Leader: How to Motivate, Encourage & Achieve Success, London: Kogan Page. Armstrong, A. & Baron, A. (2005) Managing Performance, London: CIPD. Boud, D., Keogh, R. and Walker, D. (1985) ‘Promoting reflection in learning: a model’, in D. Boud, R. Keogh and D. Walker (eds.) Reflection: turning experience into learning. London: Kogan Page. Davenport, Thomas H. (2005) Thinking for a Living: How to Get Better Performance and Results from Knowledge Workers, Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Forster, N. (2005) Maximum Performance: A Practical Guide to Leading and Managing People at Work, Cheltenham, UK: Northampton. Kolb, David A. (1984) Experiential Learning: Experience as the Source of Learning and Development, Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, Inc. Schon D. (1991) The reflective practitioner: how professionals think in action, Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing. Read More