| Some managers call them "dead people walking," | | | | unhappiness. Though most anyone can be upbeat and |
| others call them "retired-on-the-job." You know who | | | | motivated for a short time, sustained exceptional |
| they are - employees who do little more than show up. | | | | performance always requires that we be both |
| They do the minimum, offer little or no ideas and are | | | | intellectually and emotionally connected to what we do. |
| the first ones out the door. They are disconnected, | | | | Let's review how to get recommitted and re-energized |
| disengaged and disinterested. All businesses need | | | | from two perspectives: first, from your perspective - |
| significant contribution from each employee, particularly | | | | you are a "retired-on-the-job" employee, second from |
| in this period of being forced to do more with less. | | | | a manager's perspective - you are managing a |
| Great, profitable employee performance requires | | | | "retired-on-the-job" employee. |
| motivated, excited and passionate employees - not | | | | You are the retired-on-the-job employee |
| those who are retired on the job or checked-out. It is | | | | To live and work in a more dynamic, engaging and |
| time to either get them actively performing or help | | | | inspired way, you must first invest in yourself by |
| them formally do what they have informally | | | | spending the time learning what you are good at, what |
| done...retire. | | | | you love and what makes you successful. The |
| Today's get-more-done-with-less economy has | | | | intersection of these three areas is your power |
| revived the focus on accountability and performance. | | | | performance core - you are good at it, you love it and |
| Organizations invest in their employees; for this | | | | it makes you successful. To start this analysis, |
| investment, they expect a return. The greater the | | | | complete a talent assessment; this will help you see |
| return, the greater value the employee has to the | | | | what you are good at. Then list the things that you are |
| organization. Fired up!, excited, passionate and | | | | passionate about. Finally, list what makes you feel |
| energized employees create great returns. | | | | successful. Identify where the three areas intersect. |
| Retired-on-the-job employees offer little or no return. It | | | | Ask others to be part of your discussion and process. |
| is critical for managers to assess who they are and | | | | Address all three areas and create a plan to |
| why they act as they do. | | | | reenergize your approach to work and life. |
| Who are the retired-on-the-job employees? | | | | You manage a retired-on-the-job employee |
| These employees are visibly disconnected from their | | | | A manager can help an employee reconnect to great |
| work and the workplace. Generally, they are the first | | | | performance. Start first with a look at intellectual |
| to leave and the last to arrive. They have little or no | | | | connection. Is the employee good at what he does? Is |
| sense of urgency; they have less accountability. They | | | | he working in a job or role that matches his talents and |
| have limited friendships; most are superficial. They do | | | | strengths? If not, identify opportunities that would be a |
| only what they are told and take little initiative. They | | | | better fit; consider realigning the employee. Assess the |
| have checked out but someone forgot to tell them to | | | | employee's talents. Find out more information about his |
| just stay home. | | | | values, interests and potential. This will help you see his |
| Why are there retired-on-the-job employees? | | | | confidence and competence areas and guide you to |
| Before I can address this, I need to address what | | | | know where and how to reconnect him intellectually. |
| drives performance. All great performance is based on | | | | Once reconnected intellectually, it is important to work |
| both intellectual and emotional connection. Intellectual | | | | on the emotional connection. In many circumstances, |
| connection refers to what an employee is good at - | | | | employees working in their talent areas are also |
| what talents, strengths and natural aptitudes the | | | | passionately connected to the work. A chef who |
| employee has. Emotional connection refers to what | | | | loves to cook is inspired to work as a chef. An |
| the employee loves to do - what makes an employee | | | | accountant is engaged when the day includes financial |
| passionate and excited at work. I call these two | | | | analysis and creating financial statements. A retail |
| components the "maxperformance formula." All great | | | | sales employee is passionate about connecting with |
| performance (personal or professional) always | | | | other people and building relationships. |
| includes both an intellectual and emotional connection. | | | | Managers can maintain and encourage this level of |
| A high performing athlete has the abilities (is | | | | engagement with "job sculpting." Job sculpting is the |
| intellectually connected) and has the passion (is | | | | process of customizing each employee's jobs to allow |
| emotionally connected). A high performing chef is one | | | | more of their personal values, interests and passions |
| who is good at what he/she does (intellectually | | | | into their work. It looks to engage and inspire |
| connected) and is passionate about cooking | | | | employees in areas that both appeal to the employees |
| (emotionally connected). A great musician, manager, | | | | and make a difference in the business. It may be an |
| doctor, truck driver, parent or spouse is first good at | | | | employee who loves to write and can help the |
| what they do (intellectually connected) and passionate | | | | business create a customer newsletter. It may be an |
| about doing it. This combination is the key to all great | | | | accountant who is great at coordinating events and is |
| performance. | | | | given the responsibility to host the next customer or |
| The reason for retired-on-the-job performance (in | | | | employee event. Each task or responsibility appeals to |
| work and in life) is because most people don't invest | | | | the employee (emotional connection) and drives a |
| the time to understand what they are good at | | | | business response. This activates an employee's |
| (intellectual connection) and what activates their | | | | emotional response and moves them from average, |
| passions (emotional connection); they don't know | | | | bland and retired-on-the-job, to passionate, engaged |
| themselves well. Not only was a requirement to "know | | | | and excited. |
| yourself" core thinking of Plato and the early Greek | | | | The key to performance is connection - both |
| philosophers, but it is still the foundation of great | | | | intellectual and emotional. We are thinking, feeling, caring |
| performance today. We must learn what we are | | | | and complex people - at work and at home. For |
| good at, and what engages and inspires us. Spending | | | | performance to soar, we must address both areas of |
| time with our "self" is the key to reversing the | | | | connections - we must focus on what we are good at |
| retired-on-the-job syndrome. Without this knowledge, | | | | and what we are passionate about. This requires |
| most of us work in jobs (or live lives) that are not a | | | | self-understanding and the time and interest |
| good fit; we do not feel capable, nor inspired. | | | | commitment to understand our employees. When they |
| Performance is therefore consistently average. In the | | | | are fired up! and passionate (at home and at work), |
| workplace, this average performance leads to weak | | | | they perform. Only then can we help to end the |
| customer relationships, weak results and less return on | | | | retired-on-the job response. Only then can we activate |
| every payroll dollar invested. In life it can lead to boring | | | | their real performance power. And in this economy, |
| lives, troubled relationships and a general state of | | | | we need it. |