排名與解僱:考覈不應如此草率
Every now and again-like just this week, for instance, with the announcement that Microsoft will be changing its performance-appraisal system-some news event unleashes a fresh round of debate about the management practice dubbed 'rank-and-yank.' That's the term used to describe how companies supposedly identify their worst performers once a year and then, boom, fire them.
每隔一陣子，就會有新聞事件――比如上週微軟(Microsoft)宣佈將改革其績效考覈制度――引發新一輪對一種名爲“排名與解僱”(rank-and-yank)的管理方法的爭議。這個詞被用於描述企業一年一度挑出業績最差的員工，然後突然把他們炒掉的做法。It makes me want to scream. And I know I'm not alone.
這種做法讓我想大聲尖叫，我知道我不是唯一一個想這麼做的人。Because most experienced businesspeople know that 'rank-and-yank' is a media-invented, politicized, sledgehammer of a pejorative that perpetuates a myth about a powerfully effective real practice called (more appropriately) differentiation.
這是因爲，大多數閱歷豐富的商界人士都知道，“排名與解僱”是一個由媒體創造出來、政治化且極具貶義的詞。它使一個對某種效力強大的切實做法的謬見持續流傳下去，這個做法被（更適當地）稱爲差異化。
Unlike 'rank-and-yank'-I hate even using that term-differentiation isn't about corporate plots, secrecy or purges. It's about building great teams and great companies through consistency, transparency and candor. It's about aligning performance with the organization's mission and values. It's about making sure that all employees know where they stand. Differentiation is nuanced, humane, and occasionally complex, and it has been used successfully by companies for decades. Maybe that's not as headline-worthy as you-know-what, but reality rarely is.
與“排名與解僱”不同――使用這個詞都讓我覺得討厭――差異化與公司陰謀、祕密和大清洗無關。它的目的是通過一致性、透明度和坦誠來打造優秀的團隊和卓越的企業；將員工績效與企業的使命和價值觀結合起來；而且要確保所有員工都知道他們的排名。差異化是細緻入微的、人性化的，而且有時還是錯綜複雜的，它已經被衆多企業成功地運用了數十年。它或許不像那個東西那麼有新聞價值，但事實都是鮮有新聞價值的。Speaking of reality, here's a quick description of how differentiation works, including a look at the most common criticisms of it.
說到事實，下文簡略介紹了差異化的操作方式，以及對它最常見的批評意見。Differentiation starts with communication-exhaustive communication-of a company's mission (where it's going) and its values (the behaviors that are going to get it there). I'm not talking about putting a plaque on the lobby wall with the usual generic gobbledygook. I'm talking about a company's leaders being so specific, granular, and vivid about mission and values that employees could recite them in their sleep.
差異化始於對企業使命（它的發展目標）及其價值觀（把它帶到目的地的行爲準則）的傳達――詳盡無遺的傳達。我並不是說要在大廳的 上掛上一塊牌子，上面寫着尋常那種泛泛的官話。我要表達的是，企業的領導者要極其具體、細緻和生動地闡述企業的使命與價值觀，讓員工在睡夢中都能脫口說出它們。Why? Because the 'guts' of the differentiation management system are performance appraisals that candidly evaluate employees at least once (and preferably twice) a year on how their results are advancing the company's goals and how well they're demonstrating its values. Two points here:
爲什麼呢？因爲差異化管理制度的“精髓”是每年至少一次（最好是兩次）坦誠地評估員工表現的績效考覈方法，它包括考覈員工的業績在推進公司目標方面的表現以及他們在展示公司價值觀方面的表現。這裏有兩點要注意：First, candor is absolutely essential to make differentiation work. Second, differentiation's performance appraisals are not-I repeat, are not-just about 'the numbers.' Yes, the system does assess quantitative results-say, an employee's sales numbers or inventory turns. But it also looks just as carefully at behaviors, the qualitative factors. Does this person embrace the company value of sharing ideas? Does the employee relish building leaders? What about going the extra mile to delight customers?
首先，坦誠是使差異化考覈起作用絕對不可或缺的因素。其次，在這裏我要重申，差異化的績效考覈制度不只是與“數據”有關。沒錯，該制度確實要評估量化成績，比如說員工的銷售數據或庫存週轉數據。不過，它同樣也細緻地評估員工的行爲，即質的因素。例如，這個人接受公司共享創意的價值觀嗎？該員工是不是助領導者爲樂？付出更多努力讓客戶滿意方面做得如何呢？Now, one of the most common criticisms of differentiation is that it destroys teamwork. Nonsense. If you want teamwork, you identify it as a value. Then you evaluate and reward people accordingly. You'll get teamwork, I guarantee it.
目前，對差異化最常見的批評是它會毀掉團隊精神。這是無稽之談。如果你想要團隊精神，那你就把它確定爲一個價值觀，然後據此評估和獎勵員工。我保證，你會看到團隊精神的。Another criticism of differentiation is that it requires managers to let every employee know where he or she stands-how they're doing today, both quantitatively and qualitatively, and what their future with the company looks like. Are they a star in terms of both results and values (say, in the top 20% of the team), about average (say, about 70%), or not up to expectations (the bottom 10%)? Note: The 20-70-10 distribution is not set in stone. Some companies use A, B, and C grades, and there are other approaches as well.
另一個對差異化的批評是，它要求管理層要讓每名員工都知道自己績效的排名――目前他們在量和質方面的表現如何，以及他們在公司的前途如何。他們在業績和價值觀這兩方面都表現超羣嗎（也就是說高居團隊的前20%），還是大約處於一般水平（比如，約處於前70%）或不符合期望（最低的10%）。請注意：20-70-10的比例分配並非固定不變的。有些企業採用了分A、B、C三級的方式及其他分級方法。Without a doubt, some companies use differentiation but leave this 'grading' part out. Indeed, over the past 12 years, I've spoken to more than 500,000 people around the world and I always ask audiences, 'How many of you know where you stand in your organization?' Typically, no more than 10% raise their hands. That's criminal! As a manager, you owe candor to your people. They must not be guessing about what the organization thinks of them. My experience is that most employees appreciate this reality check, and today's 'Millennials' practically demand it.
毫無疑問，有些企業採用了差異化制度但未採用“評級”這一方法。確實，在過去12年間，我與遍佈全球的逾500,000人進行了交談，我一直會問他們的問題是，“你們當中有多少人知道自己在公司的排名？”通常的情況是，只有不超過10%的人表示知道。這真是罪過！作爲管理者，你應當坦誠對待你的下屬。他們不應去猜測公司對自己的看法。依據我的經驗，大多數員工會感謝這種現實檢驗，現如今的“千禧一代”事實上還會做此要求。Yes, I realize that some believe the bell-curve aspect of differentiation is 'cruel.' That always strikes me as odd. We grade children in school, often as young as 9 or 10, and no one calls that cruel. But somehow adults can't take it? Explain that one to me.
是的，我瞭解有些人認爲差異化考覈中的鐘形曲線比較“殘酷”。我一直覺得這個觀點很奇怪。在學校中，我們會給只有九歲或10歲大的孩子排名，但沒有人認爲這種做法殘酷。但是爲什麼有些成年人就接受不了它呢？請和我說說爲什麼。The final component that makes differentiation work so effectively is feedback and coaching. Your stars know they are loved and rarely leave. Those in the middle 70% know that they are appreciated, and they receive clear guidance about how to improve their performance. And the bottom 10% is never surprised when the conversation sometimes turns, after a year of candid appraisals, to moving on. No, they are not summarily shown the door. When differentiation is done right, their manager helps them find their next job with compassion and respect.
促使差異化高效發揮作用的最後一個因素是反饋與指導。表現超羣的員工知道他們非常受公司器重，所以極少會離開。處於中間70%的人知道他們受到認可，接下去他們要受到有關如何提高自己績效的明確指導。至於那表現最差的10%，經過一年坦誠的評估之後，有時在要求他們離開的談話到來時，他們也絕不會驚訝。是的，他們不應被草率地打發走。如果差異化操作得當，他們的上司還能以同情心和尊重幫助他們找到下一份工作。Differentiation is not something to be feared, dumbed down or politicized, but instead needs to be understood and implemented. Cruel? No way. Harsh? Just the opposite. With its candor and transparency, differentiation provides dignity, develops future leaders, and creates winning companies.
差異化並非大家要懼怕、簡化或政治化的事物，它需要我們去理解和執行。殘酷？絕非如此。嚴苛？正好相反。它坦率而透明，給人以尊嚴，有助於培養未來的領導者和打造成功的企業。
