All of us who worked in organisations are quite clear on what poaching is ? It could simply be termed as taking away your best team member into their teams without you even realising it. It happens in organisations through transfers, internal advertisements or even by financial incentives and so on. We may not be able to prevent it totally but can always give it a try. Everyone one of us love to work with an exciting team leader. We want to enjoy our work and life as if there is no tomorrow. So, if we want to retain our best team members, we need to be the best team leader. The day someone else is better than us, they may attract people to them as we did in the past.

This phenomenon of poaching happens in every walk of life. We may recall our school or college days. We were friendly with members of the opposite sex and thought we attracted the best to us due to our behaviour and nature. But, suddenly we find that one of our best friends take away our best partner. This is poaching of another type. We sometimes get over it and at other times rue our friendship.

It happens in other walks of life too. We have the best driver at home. He is skilled and very courteous. Suddenly we find our neighbour taking away this driver from us. It could happen to our maids , cooks and so on. So poaching is not restricted to the precincts of an organisation only. It happens in communities and societies at large.

We see political parties poaching the best legislators to their party even from the opposition camps. They lure them with money, position or power and are able to withstand all the past criticism from the same people whom they have taken into their fold today. Shame gives way to shamelessness when such a phenomenon occurs.

So, if we look back, poaching cuts across all spheres of life. It happens within families, friends, neighbourhoods, societies, governments and so in organisations. We may then wonder if it is possible to prevent poaching in any way ? While we may not be able to prevent it completely, we can definitely reduce the probability of its occurring through some positive measures at our end.

The first question we need to ask is – “Why would people want to leave us ?” It could be money, name, fame, promotion, location or simply the way we treat them every day. If we study small family enterprises, we realise that normally the loyalty is very high. It is not because they do not face this phenomenon called “Poaching” but because they take care of their people like their own family members. They may not pay high salaries or provide the best working conditions but they care for their people and are around when are in trouble.

So, if we need to retain the best, we need to love and care for them. We need to treat them as if they are own family members or friends. If they sneeze, we should catch cold. It is this symbiotic relationship, which may enable us to retain our best employees, maids, drivers or cooks. It is not money, position or power which can helps us retain them. However, inspite of our best care, we may lose some of our best. Let them go. If we are authentic and care for them, we need to continue to be in touch with them and once they experience the outside world, they may one day return to you. This is not because that the new place pays them less but because nobody cared and love them as you did.

Life is ultimately about trust and loving relationships. We need to trust people around us. We need to evolve and build sustaining relationships. It is love, respect and positive relationships, which may help us retain the best. The day we realise this basic tenet of life, we may surprise others and even surprise ourselves. After all money, position or power cannot buy love or care. Today’s world, you can possibly buy everything around you except health, love, care and happiness.

If we care for them they will care for us always.

S Ramesh Shankar

15th Sep 2021

I have been asked this question multiple times in my career. Is managing performance an art or a science ? I would say both. While some aspects of it is a science, other aspects could be an art.

Lets look at every aspect of performance management process. If we take goal setting as the first step, then it is definitely a science where you can link organisational and functional goals to individuals and make them measurable. Many wonder if all goals are measurable. I believe so and it depends on how you set them.

Then if we move to mid term review of performance, it is both a science and an art. Without doubt, the review of performance metrics is a science. But the way we conduct the review is definitely an art.

If we then move to self appraisal, it is also both a science and an art. The ability to introspect and present your performance based on data and metrics is a science but the ability to communicate the same during a dialogue process is an art.

If we move to annual performance review – it is again a hybrid of science and art. We need to be objective and fair in assessment based on data and metrics and hence it is definitely a science. But our ability to have a dialogue with the Appraisee and present it to a performance review group is possibly an art.

Development planning and potential assessment could again be a combination of art and science. While planning has to be scientific, the ability to communicate and enforce the plan is positively an art.

Last but not the least is the feedback diagoue. This is more of an art than a science. While feedback again has to be fair and objective, it is our ability to make it an inspiring dialogue , which enhances its effectiveness. Hence, it is more of an art than a science.

Now one may ask what is difference between science and art in a performance management process. Science is logic, while art is to make the process inspirational. Science makes it fair and objective through use of appropriate data and metrics. Art is our ability to have an open and inspiring dialogue where we can tell the truth without demotivating an employee.

While it may be easier to write on the art and science of performance appraisals, it may be more difficult to practise it. After spending almost four decades practising performance management processes, I can easily state that I am yet to master this art of science.

The day we realise that it is is combination of art and science, we may become more effective as appraisees and appraisers. It is almost like the interview process. Even if a potential employee is not selected, he or she should feel that they just had the best experience of their lives and would definitely love to join this organisation.

As in the photo above, most of us behave like the lion, especially when we play the role of the manager of the appraisee. 

Similarly both the appraisee and the appraiser should feel that they not only enjoyed the performance management process but also felt that is objective, fair and inspirational. This possibly comes from diligent preparation and authentic skills in conversations.

Lets try this year and make a beginning.

S Ramesh Shankar

3rd May 2021

All of us have genes of brilliance ingrained in us. It is like the diamond hidden in the carbon below the earth. We need to keep looking within and one day we may find to our surprise what we are brilliant at.

It is generally our parents or teachers who find the gems in us. They look at every child as a potential and look for what we are good at. As we grow up, they make us realise our potential. However, as we become adults and work in organisations or even on our own, we either tend to forget our potential or do not find a mentor who can see that in us.

I realise that everyone of us has sparks of brilliance and it is upto someone to help us discover it. So, all of us as parents, teachers, friends, colleagues, bosses or even neighbours have a responsibility to help individuals discover their full potential.

Every child is born with innate talent. If someone in their life is able to help the child realise that capability through careful mentoring and support, then they become gems in life. Otherwise, that potential goes waste and neither we nor others benefit from it.

It is like any team game. In football, cricket or hockey, it is the coach, who helps every player reach their full potential. If the coach is not a great motivator, a true friend, a wonderful teacher or a mentor who never gives up, the best of every player is never seen. On the other hand, ordinary teams show sparks of brilliance when they have a great coach.

I have seen repeatedly in life that great parents or teachers transform the lives of children and bring out the best in them. Similarly great coaches make ordinary teams look extra ordinary. Similarly great bosses, make ordinary employees perform superbly.

On the other hand, a negligent teacher, an impatient parent or poor boss can make individuals less confident of themselves and we may never be able to discover our true worth.

As an employee throughout my life, I have learnt that the best in me came out when I was given the freedom to experiment, the luxury to fail and the time to discover myself. Every manager has a role to play to treat every individual in their team as an unique potential talent.

Every one of us has something within us. We need the right environment to flourish and encouragement to fail and learn. The recognition that we are capable of much more than we have done so far will be of immense help.

Every word of encouragement motivates us. Every act of support enables us to try our best. Every recognition of minor accomplishments makes us excel in whatever we do. It is people around us who make us what we truly are. Of course, we need to put our best foot forward.

As in the photo above, every mother discovers the brilliance in her child.

The light within us is always burning. We just need to ignite the spark and then we realise that the flame can be brighter than we thought and makes us realise our best.

Let us discover the best in us today.

S Ramesh Shankar

21st February 2021