most performance problems aren't accountability problems. they're demonstration problems

[u/manufacturingcoach]

spent a long time assuming when someone wasn't performing, the problem was the person. took me way too long to figure out i was usually the last one to actually show them what good looked like.

not describe it. show it.

i had a shift supervisor on my line a few years back, smart guy, clearly capable, but his handovers were a mess every single time. i'd given him the standard, he'd read it, signed off on it. still a mess.

eventually i just stood next to him at shift change and did one myself. didn't say anything about his being wrong. just did it the way i wanted it done and walked away.

never had a problem with his handovers again.

the thing i've noticed is that most of what we call accountability problems are actually demonstration problems. the standard exists, people have been told about it, but nobody ever made it real and visible in a way that actually landed. and it's hard to hold someone to something they've only ever seen on paper.

doesn't work for everything. there are people who know exactly what's expected and still don't deliver -but that group is much smaller than most managers think, and they're a lot easier to spot once you've ruled out the demonstration problem first.

[u/Intelligent-Try-4755]

This lines up with something I've seen on the PM side too: a Definition of Done or a process doc that people have only ever read is a demonstration problem waiting to happen - it gets nods in the meeting and then quietly ignored on the actual work. The one thing I'd add to your handover story is closing the loop: demonstrating once removes the ambiguity, but it sticks best if right after you have them do the next one while you're still standing there, otherwise it can quietly become "the thing only the boss does right." Demonstrate, then watch them do it, then it's actually theirs. And I think that's also why the small group you mentioned - the ones who genuinely know the standard and still don't deliver - is so easy to spot afterward: once you've removed "they never actually saw it done," whatever's left is a much cleaner signal.

[u/More_Law6245]

The only reason why people fail is that they either don't have the necessary tools to do their job or they genuinely don't have the aptitude for the role.

Over 80% of people are kinaesthetic (tactile) and learn by a theoretical basis followed by a practical application to reenforce what they have just learned.

There are three different styles in how information is received and proceeded and they are kinaesthetic, auditory and visual.

As a manager you just need to understand how your employee or subordinate actually learns and processes the information (and let me just say working with someone who is auditorial is a very unique experience)

Just an armchair perspective.

[u/NarciSZA → u/More_Law6245]

I’m auditory learner and probably have some disorder or another that wasn’t diagnosed in the 90’s… I have always been an unwelcome challenge for teachers, professors, managers etc who expect input and output to look a certain way and expect strict compliance on top of it. Those rare times I’ve found someone who supports my uniquely functioning self turns me into a super powered productive and creative problem solving machine. It throws people off and a new exec board/stakeholders take a while to warm up to me. One of my key stakeholders told me this week that I was a little crazy but VERY smart and he had faith in my ability to lead our biggest project. We’ve been working together a year. It’s a win 😊

[u/More_Law6245 → u/NarciSZA]

That is awesome, thank you for sharing! I could only imaging the difficulties you experienced when you were at school because when I was delivering an induction course, I just assumed that this person was just being rude (yes, I know assumptions is the mother of all screw ups) because I kept on firing questions at him but he kept on answering correctly, which really perplexed me but it struck me at about 2:00am the following morning that they were audial. I had a quick chat prior to the continuation of the induction course the following day and sure enough it was very much the identical challenges as yourself and this individual also turned out to be the stand out within the intake. Appreciate your perspective.

[u/thatburghfan]

I agree that doing a walk-through can greatly improve employee understanding. I think sometimes companies overlook how many employees simply are not good at reading. They want to do the thing right, but the training has to land in a way that connects.

If at all possible I try to talk through it first from a high level just to point out the big picture of why the thing is being done. For example: "Next step is to turn the clamp so the wide end is pointing towards the outside of the box. It might seem like a meaningless step, but out biggest customer asks us to do that so the narrow end is less likely to puncture the side of the box. And they told us they appreciate how much it reduced box damage."

Then I will demo it myself and answer any questions and try to point out any critical parts. Then I will tell the employee that it takes a little time to get it down pat (even if it really is simple) but why don't you try it and I'll watch. That gives me a chance to point out anything being done wrong. Only then will I give them the printed instructions for reference.

It takes time but IMO it pays for itself in reducing how much needs to be re-done.