DON'T Do the Limbo

On the way home this evening I heard a story on NPR about a group of people wanting to give schools credit for "trying" as it relates to the No Child Left Behind laws. I admit that I'm not educated enough on the law to debate it's merits, though I do feel like in a lot of cases we are failing our students and our nation when it comes to education.

Listening to the story got me thinking about something more general though -- lowering the bar. In this case, what I heard, was "you weren't able to make the grades that we set, and you complained loud enough, so we'll lower the bar and give you credit just for trying. Our goals were legitimate and reasonable, but that's ok, they don't really matter."

I've been in that situation a number of times before. Well intentioned, well thought out goals and measures are set in place for people to meet. Then someone falls short of those goals, usually for lack of trying, and so they come up with all sorts of excuses and the powers that be cave and allow them to pass. Whether in a corporate team, the executive ranks, our education system, or anywhere else. This is not the way to establish standards of excellence and build a better nation. All it does is reinforce that those that don't eventually get the same rewards as those that do. Then, those that do, figure out that there is no reward for doing anything and join the ranks of those that don't.

If you're going to set performance goals, make sure that they're realistic, obtainable, but challenging. then enable and expect people to meet them. If they fail, don't reward them (or dole out appropriate punishment if warranted), but don't cave. Don't reward the don'ts. Do reward those that rise to the challenge and accomplish the goals. If you find that you've not done enough of your own homework ahead of setting the goals and measurements and that the goals are not reasonably obtainable, or are restrained though outside forces outside of your control, don't reward. Finish the timetable set for the goals and reevaluate. Or add more, less ambitious goals that more people/teams can meet. But then make sure to reward based on those new goals. If the new goals aren't met, don't lower the bar.

Challenge teams to find creative, out-of-the-box ways to meet the measures even if they don't think that they can. You may be surprised with what they come up with, and the achievements you see even if they don't make the goals. Reward their effort with praise (don't forget that part), but if they don't make the cut, don't give them the reward.

Of course you need to tread a fine line here. They need to trust that the goals are achievable, or you risk alienating them from the start and then they don't even try to reach the goals. I've been in that boat too. You need to have the group's trust. Be open to honest debate about the value of the goals and their reachability before instituting them. But, once agreed to, keep them in place. You'll be surprised what you get rewarded with.