This is good direction, I think. But it requires maturity of leadership and individual contributors, and simply knowing how you contribute to company success (which is sometimes blurry.
I think you've hit the nail on the head with the last sentence- "working hard on what truly matters.".
I DO believe that praising effort is important, because ultimately there may be reasons why a project failed despite our best efforts. In that scenario we cannot focus solely on outcomes, because it could lead to a very cutthroat, results oriented culture.
It's a fine line, but I believe we need to reward effort in the right direction but at the same time shun busywork. The skill is knowing the difference between the two 😄
I don't know... In some ways, what you've written resonates with me, as this is a natural and often observed situation.
But in reality, I prefer working with people who don't overwork, are pragmatic, and save their energy for when it's needed. Every time I see effort being praised, this comes back in any performance reviews discussions - "I worked hard, carried out 10+ PTO days to another year, show up every day - it's not my fault wrong things were assigned to me... 🤷".
I see tons of frustration when they work hard and their project doesn't get traction. If they put your entire heart into something that is ultimately discarded, people will weigh the value of the wasted energy, dedication, and after-hours work.
This is obviously nuanced and varies significantly in early-stage startups, scale-ups, or large enterprises. But the pattern is very prominent - the most rewarded are those who engage in projects that matter to the company's success. If you're lucky enough to work on one, no one really asks if it took you 2 hours or 10 hours a day.
These are great points, and I also prefer people who don't overwork and are pragmatic and save energy. I'd even say that's the approach I try to take. I guess what I was trying to say that sometimes despite all of these things project just don't work out. And in these situations, I think a pat on the back is deserved, even if we didn't "win"
Focus on outcomes rather than outputs.
How about celebrating ROI, maximum effect with minimum effort?
This is good direction, I think. But it requires maturity of leadership and individual contributors, and simply knowing how you contribute to company success (which is sometimes blurry.
Love this :)
I think you've hit the nail on the head with the last sentence- "working hard on what truly matters.".
I DO believe that praising effort is important, because ultimately there may be reasons why a project failed despite our best efforts. In that scenario we cannot focus solely on outcomes, because it could lead to a very cutthroat, results oriented culture.
It's a fine line, but I believe we need to reward effort in the right direction but at the same time shun busywork. The skill is knowing the difference between the two 😄
I don't know... In some ways, what you've written resonates with me, as this is a natural and often observed situation.
But in reality, I prefer working with people who don't overwork, are pragmatic, and save their energy for when it's needed. Every time I see effort being praised, this comes back in any performance reviews discussions - "I worked hard, carried out 10+ PTO days to another year, show up every day - it's not my fault wrong things were assigned to me... 🤷".
I see tons of frustration when they work hard and their project doesn't get traction. If they put your entire heart into something that is ultimately discarded, people will weigh the value of the wasted energy, dedication, and after-hours work.
This is obviously nuanced and varies significantly in early-stage startups, scale-ups, or large enterprises. But the pattern is very prominent - the most rewarded are those who engage in projects that matter to the company's success. If you're lucky enough to work on one, no one really asks if it took you 2 hours or 10 hours a day.
These are great points, and I also prefer people who don't overwork and are pragmatic and save energy. I'd even say that's the approach I try to take. I guess what I was trying to say that sometimes despite all of these things project just don't work out. And in these situations, I think a pat on the back is deserved, even if we didn't "win"