Transform your workplace from one of mere survival to one where employees thrive. Discover actionable steps to combat employee burnout and foster a culture of growth, connection, and wellness.
There’s a cool phenomenon with fireflies that impacts the way I think about workplace performance. The journal Science published research that showed when groups of lightning bugs light up at the same time, they exponentially increase their odds of attracting mates compared to lighting up individually. By shining brighter together they increase the number of possible mates and improve the success of the entire group. This counters displays of dominance and competition often seen in the animal kingdom (and many workplaces for that matter), but it works for fireflies. We believe it could work for us, too.
Author Shawn Achor first connected this firefly behavior to the human pursuit of success in his book, Big Potential. There is a case to be made for applying the concept to organizations. To unleash our teams’ performance, we must first acknowledge the influence leaders can have on two key factors:
- Helping individual performers recognize that when others shine bright it elevates everyone, and
- Helping individuals shine bright without burning out.
The former can’t happen until we solve for the latter―if our lights go out, there’s nothing left to elevate. Leaders are in a powerful position to either help bring out the best in people or hinder their individual and collective potential.
By changing the conversation around performance we can help our team members not just survive, but thrive. Every organization needs their people to perform, yet we manage performance with processes and tools designed around scoring, productivity, and competition.
As more studies are conducted and new evidence comes to light, indicators suggest that the goal-setting process, scoring, frequency, and general effectiveness of traditional performance management should all be in question. Growth conversations in all forms are some of the most human conversations we have at work. They require an immense amount of trust, vulnerability, and empathy on both sides. To help a person fully realize their potential is to appreciate their whole life journey, not just their professional journey.
Surviving or thriving?
The topic of burnout has taken center stage in recent years, and it is no surprise that, according to a 2020 Gallup report, 76% of employees experience burnout on the job. Rather than think of an employee’s mental state as binary―burned out or thriving―it’s better to recognize that people often fall along a spectrum. The spectrum of thriving is complex and is experienced differently by everyone as they move through different seasons and challenges in life. If you can learn to recognize the indicators, you can tailor your support to your team as individuals.
Consider where you and your team members fit on the thriving spectrum.
There are signals that can help leaders recognize team members in survival mode. They might show up as questions like these:
- Why is this person underperforming?
- They used to be my go-to person, why can’t I depend on them anymore?
- I feel there’s more potential in this person… how do I help them see it?
- Why don’t they seem themselves lately?
- I asked what they need and provided coaching. Why can’t I get at the heart of the issue?
- Why did they leave? I thought they were thriving here?
In survival mode, performance doesn’t happen; and it ultimately deteriorates team success. The question then, is how do we help individuals thrive?
Thrive conversations
To embrace the human side of the experience, our job as leaders is to create space for people to open up about their world and identify ways to navigate what’s within their control. Our parent company, TiER1 Performance, developed a tool called the THRIVE Reflection. (THRIVE stands for TiER1 Health Reflection on Individual Engagement.) It’s a series of questions related to performance, work, life, growth, connection, and wellness―the aspects of life that contribute to a thriving individual. Download a copy.
Here’s how it might go:
Start by showing you care.
The most honest conversations happen when people feel secure (but the trust is not built overnight). By keeping their best interests at heart and being responsive to their needs, you build equity into your relationships. When things get tough, your team will know you come from a caring place, and can confidently approach you with concern.
Set up a 45-60 minute one-on-one meeting with every team member.
Set a clear expectation that the meeting is about understanding their world and what they need from you to be successful. (It’s not about performance.) Provide the Thrive Index to complete and return in advance. If your team is large, start with those you know are struggling or need special attention.
Review reflections and withhold any judgements.
It’s easy to jump to solution mode or be quick to disagree and defend. Instead, get curious about their reflections. What is consistent with your own observations? Are they too hard, or too easy, on themselves? Take note and be open to letting these observations influence your conversation.
Have the conversation as a caring leader, not the boss.
It’s important to position your team member as the driver of the conversation. Warm up the conversation by catching up or telling stories. Thank them for completing the reflection and celebrate things you noticed. Remind them that this is not a performance review.
Be present and be responsive to their needs. It’s natural to want to find solutions for them, but try to ask clarifying questions or solicit ideas they might already have. Help them see a path forward. End with a recap of what you heard, highlighting areas they want to work on, any strategies you discussed, and any areas where they need support from you. Don’t be afraid to leave without a plan. The conversation itself is creating the path for action. Go through each section in whatever order makes sense. Try asking questions to get them talking and taking the lead, then listen and ask probing questions.
- Where would you like to start?
- When you did the reflection, what stood out to you?
- Is there anything in particular you’re excited to share?
- What’s your takeaway from this reflection?
- What do you need from me?
Be responsive.
Follow up quickly with something from the conversation and check in as needed to let them know you care about them and their journey.
The Benefits of a Shift
As new studies show that companies are questioning the effectiveness of the traditional performance management model—with only 8% believing their process is highly effective in driving business value1—the time may be right to try a new approach. Before embarking on the journey of helping people thrive at work, reflect on mindsets and actions that might be getting in your way. Here are some questions to explore:
- Do we give up on people easily? Do we see them as replaceable?
- Am I quick to place blame when there’s a problem?
- Is it difficult to be vulnerable and open-minded at work?
- Do we resist the ‘soft stuff’ at work?
- Do we set team members up to compete with each other?
In the tension of delivering results and caring for our people, we can take another lesson from the fireflies. To get the benefits that come from syncing flashes with the group, a single firefly only needs to see one or two others. Your entire organization may not be ready for a performance management overhaul, but you can choose to be the pulse that helps others shine. When you help the individuals in your group find a better place on the spectrum, they will begin to perform better collectively. In time, your whole ecosystem will be influenced.
Be patient with yourself and your team as you embark on a new way to talk about growth. Wherever you are on your journey—when we are able to join with our people in their journey, they are willing to go the extra mile because they know we care. That’s how we unleash potential and shine brighter. For the journey ahead, please consider downloading the THRIVE Reflection tool and using it on your own or with your team.
This blog post was originally published on parent company, TiER1 Performance’s website here.
Footnotes
- Global Human Capital Trends 2014: Engaging the 21st Century Workforce. Deloitte Consulting LLP, Deloitte University Press