In HR, performance-driven culture is a non sequitur

Reading a blog post, I recently came across the phrase “performance-driven culture” applied to human resources.

The original concept of performance-driven culture is great — moving from a rearview-mirror perspective to a focus on forward-looking indicators. But re-purposing it for people management (from the original context of business management) is counter-productive.

And it’s a contradiction in terms. Let’s look at it logically.

The race-car metaphor

Let’s take our cues from racing — a high-performance field. What gets a Formula One car across the finish line?

• The driver has experience. Drivers train for years for their moment of truth. Performance is driven by deep and consistent on-the-job training.
• The pit crew operates flawlessly. Performance is driven by collaborative teamwork.
• The car is outfitted to a T. The components are top quality and — more importantly — reduced to those that are needed. Performance is driven by well-designed, perfectly honed systems and structures.
• The fuel is top-grade. The car is not going anywhere with all of the above alone. Performance is driven by effort, by power and by concentrated energy.

Performance does not drive the car. Performance is the result — crossing the finish line.

Certainly, high performance is an adrenaline rush that feeds back into culture. Culture and performance trigger each other in a virtuous circle. But performance is not something that magically appears by wishing for it or talking about being “performance-driven”.

The race-car example illustrates just a few examples of the concrete mechanics behind performance. Each people culture in a company will be different, and there are myriad factors at play in workplace performance. The point is: Let’s name the factors that drive us rather than talking about “performance” per se.

Motivation is the motor

The engine of performance — or the heart of the matter — is tapping into intrinsic motivators by aligning the twin pistons of personal purpose and corporate mission. If we’re looking forward, let’s also look at the bigger vision. “Performance” in and of itself is not a goal but rather a measure of how well we have made progress toward that goal.

The true concept

Real performance-driven culture also fits into the race-car metaphor. The rear-view mirror is much smaller than the windshield because drivers focus more of their attention toward the front. This perfectly fits the original meaning:

“The concept of a performance-driven culture is a change in management style that shifts from a ‘rearview-mirror perspective’ focused on financial measures to a perspective that balances this with the use of leading performance indicators and weak signals to actively seek and then act on patterns to drive better business outcomes.” — Gartner IT Glossary

As managers, let’s make sure we don’t give people the wrong impression by using the term “performance-driven” in an HR context. Let’s take our cue from Dan Pink’s Drive. Let’s talk — as Zalando does — about purpose-driven culture.

Photo by Spidertrax