Don't Treat Performance Problems with Roundup

I'd like to lay claim to this idea, but that would be disingenuous. It came from a colleague while waiting in line at the Beijing airport (which is still interestingly identified as PEK, but I digress). We were talking about structural changes required in the sales organization to increase our win rate in an increasingly complex selling environment - become the trusted advisor, win in the c-suite, solution selling...all that good stuff. The conversation drifted to resources, and that's when he shared this nugget, "Employees are like plants in the garden. There are few bad ones, just the right place for each."

Many years ago I was on the receiving end of a seminar about servant leadership. I remember the speaker claiming that he had never fired anyone, but rather, had made many moves to ensure struggling employees were given the right conditions to thrive in. I was skeptical. And while I still don't necessarily believe there is a place for everyone in every organization all the time, I have come to realize the incredible leverage a leader has by planting the right employees in the right conditions at the right time.

So what's the equivalent of sun, water and soil acidity in terms of human capital? Is it placement in a commercial versus operations versus R&D role? Front line versus back office? Individual contributor versus manager? Strategic versus tactical assignments?

And within any garden there are microclimates. While the garden may only occupy 100 square feet, the south end may get just a bit more sun than the north end, as it lay just beyond the shade of a nearby oak tree. The equivalent in the workplace? Maybe it's a late shift versus an early start. Maybe it's matching the employee to the right team within the department, or slotting them in the right training program. Or perhaps finding them the right mentor to smooth out some rough edges.

So, can you say you like hostas more than day lillies? That you prefer roses over ferns? Pines versus oaks? By now you get the point - there's likely a place for each to thrive, for each to contribute to the larger garden. And there's a beautiful garden for each spot.

But I'm still not sold on the fact that there are no bad plants. Admit it - we've all made a bad hiring or placement decision or two. Some plants are just plain deceiving or difficult. Poison ivy is beautiful in a shady woodland garden. And just ask the bug about the venus flytrap. Nor is there a replacement for a strong garden designer to choose and site plants properly in the first place. Or a gardener with a sharp hoe, full watering can or bag of fertilizer when a plant is spreading out of control, wilting in the heat, or in need of some encouragement. And as painful as it is to admit failure, there is the occasional need for Roundup. Just be sure it's the last resort, and not a crutch substituting for good gardening.

Copyright @ Keith Chaitoff 2010