Holding people to account with kindness

By Kath Howard, author of People Not Paperclips: Putting the human back into Human Resources

“Can I hug people into high performance? No. But, can I make them feel safe and supported whilst they navigate their way to high performance? Yes.”

I’m a major fan of holding myself and others to account. Setting and meeting fair expectations makes the world an easier place to exist in. And, I would argue, it’s far kinder than turning a blind eye to underperformance until it’s too late.

I’ve just written a book called ‘People not Paperclips: Putting the human back into Human Resources’; a call to action for leaders to build workplace cultures on foundations of compassion and kindness. When introducing this concept to fellow HR leaders, I’ve noticed some cock their heads whilst making some form of comment about how we can’t hug people into high performance. It is perfectly possible to hold people to account with kindness. In fact, the two go hand in hand perfectly.

Whilst the world can’t be put to right in four bullet points, I think we can take a step in the right direction with the following:

- Start with setting fair and transparent accountabilities. This is not about ‘getting the job description right’ (sure, it can be helpful, but this is a starting point and not the end in itself). Tell people what you expect and talk to them about the support required to achieve this.

- Don’t sidestep your responsibility to share open feedback. olAs a leader, it is your role to give fair and honest feedback to your people. There is respect and dignity in holding people to account.

- Listen. Really listen. Remember you’re dealing with a human on the other side of a missed deadline or target. Seek to understand their perspective and to understand what support they need to perform.

- Be honest. Tell them why their performance is important and be honest about what needs to happen to turn it around. Honest and robust feedback can create much needed clarity for someone whose performance is flagging.

So, can I hug people into high performance? No. But, can I make them feel safe and supported whilst they navigate their way to high performance? Yes.

Kindness at work is not all about sending cards and flowers and celebrating each other’s successes. Kindness is most needed in the spaces where people are uncertain or overwhelmed or where trust starts to flag. And it is right there that you as a leader can make the most difference; through always holding people to account with kindness.

Kath Howard has spent over 20 years working across sectors to support cultural change. She is an Occupational Psychologist and OD Consultant, and is Head of HR for the charity, Samaritans. Kath’s first book, People Not Paperclips: Putting the human back into Human Resources, is a call to action for HR professionals and leaders to bring greater humanity into the workplace. It is available from 20 February.