Why are Employees defensive about their performance?
Why are Employees defensive about their performance?
That is a word that we use in our coaching and hiring reports often because we
see a lot of surveys that indicate the person is defensive. But just what does that term mean and
how does it affect job performance?
The answer to that question is that defensiveness has a huge impact on job performance!
According to Kathlyn Hendrics, Ph.D, a best-selling psychology author, “Defensiveness costs
companies billions of dollars in productivity and results every year.” This defensiveness is
related to how a person feels about himself or herself which is their self-esteem.
Self-esteem, like all other emotional character tendencies, is determined by a combination of
genetics and environmental influences and, perhaps, even health issues. Very high self-esteem
can be secondary to an upbringing by parents who provide only positive feedback resulting in
someone who feels they have no shortcomings. People with low self-esteem can appear to be
defensive in an attempt to protect themselves but they are always aware of their shortcomings
and open to improving their performance. Let’s talk about the employee with very high self-
esteem first.
You know this kind of person. This is the person that always has a reason why they are not
responsible for anything that goes wrong—someone didn’t give them the right information, their
alarm clock malfunctioned, the stars and moon were out alignment—it is always someone or
something else’s fault. This is the person who has such high self-regard that they are unable to
comprehend that they have any shortcomings or faults.
Now, if this person’s work related character tendencies match the job requirements, then their
defensiveness may not be much of a factor in his or her job performance. But consider this. Jane
Doe #1 has very high self-esteem and very high consideration and work. She needs to feel
helpful and to stay busy so she ends up taking on others’ responsibilities instead of focusing on
her own. Regardless of how many times her manager asks her to concentrate on her tasks, she is
always able to justify why she is helping someone else.
This Jane Doe may be very capable of performing the responsibilities of a job but would she be a
good hire? Probably not because she would not listen to what she is being told and, therefore,
would never change her behavior. Or, she would require so much supervision that she would
take more effort than would be worthwhile.
Now let’s consider Jane Doe #2 who has very high consideration and work but low self-esteem.
How will her job performance differ from Jane Doe #1? She still has the need to take on others’
responsibilities but the difference is how she responds to the criticism of her performance. Even
though she may still become outwardly defensive, she realizes she is wrong and listens to what
she is being told and then may make changes in her job performance. According to Dr.
Hendricks, “The capacity for learning on the job is a critical factor in business success.”
So, it is that defensiveness that results from very high self-esteem that can cost organization
money. Because, it is that employee who is not going to change or improve their job
performance to become a better employee.
Why are Employees defensive about their performance - To learn more about this author, visit John M. Beane's Website.
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Defensiveness.
That is a word that we use in our coaching and hiring reports often because we
see a lot of surveys that indicate the person is defensive. But just what does that term mean and
how does it affect job performance?
The answer to that question is that defensiveness has a huge impact on job performance!
According to Kathlyn Hendrics, Ph.D, a best-selling psychology author, “Defensiveness costs
companies billions of dollars in productivity and results every year.” This defensiveness is
related to how a person feels about himself or herself which is their self-esteem.
Self-esteem, like all other emotional character tendencies, is determined by a combination of
genetics and environmental influences and, perhaps, even health issues. Very high self-esteem
can be secondary to an upbringing by parents who provide only positive feedback resulting in
someone who feels they have no shortcomings. People with low self-esteem can appear to be
defensive in an attempt to protect themselves but they are always aware of their shortcomings
and open to improving their performance. Let’s talk about the employee with very high self-
esteem first.
You know this kind of person. This is the person that always has a reason why they are not
responsible for anything that goes wrong—someone didn’t give them the right information, their
alarm clock malfunctioned, the stars and moon were out alignment—it is always someone or
something else’s fault. This is the person who has such high self-regard that they are unable to
comprehend that they have any shortcomings or faults.
Now, if this person’s work related character tendencies match the job requirements, then their
defensiveness may not be much of a factor in his or her job performance. But consider this. Jane
Doe #1 has very high self-esteem and very high consideration and work. She needs to feel
helpful and to stay busy so she ends up taking on others’ responsibilities instead of focusing on
her own. Regardless of how many times her manager asks her to concentrate on her tasks, she is
always able to justify why she is helping someone else.
This Jane Doe may be very capable of performing the responsibilities of a job but would she be a
good hire? Probably not because she would not listen to what she is being told and, therefore,
would never change her behavior. Or, she would require so much supervision that she would
take more effort than would be worthwhile.
Now let’s consider Jane Doe #2 who has very high consideration and work but low self-esteem.
How will her job performance differ from Jane Doe #1? She still has the need to take on others’
responsibilities but the difference is how she responds to the criticism of her performance. Even
though she may still become outwardly defensive, she realizes she is wrong and listens to what
she is being told and then may make changes in her job performance. According to Dr.
Hendricks, “The capacity for learning on the job is a critical factor in business success.”
So, it is that defensiveness that results from very high self-esteem that can cost organization
money. Because, it is that employee who is not going to change or improve their job
performance to become a better employee.
Why are Employees defensive about their performance - To learn more about this author, visit John M. Beane's Website.
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George LudwigGeorge Ludwig is a recognized authority on sales strategy and peak performance psychology. An international speaker, trainer, and corporate consultant, he helps clients like Johnson & Johnson, Abbott Laboratories, Northwestern Mutual, CIGNA, and numerous others improve sales force effectiveness and performance. Though it's George's strategies and processes that help corporations increase productivity and performance, it's his tremendous energy and dynamism that spark the transformation. Again and again, clients remark on his amazing ability to unleash human capacity and inspire men and women to break out of their comfort zones. The result is a whole new type of salesperson. His customized presentations teach achievers to make stunning advances in their lives. From helping salespeople realize cherished dreams to helping corporations exponentially accelerate revenue streams, George Ludwig leaves audiences and individuals empowered, emboldened, and clamoring for more. George is the best-selling author of Power Selling: Seven Strategies for Cracking the Sales Code and Wise Moves: 60 Quick Tips to Improve Your Position in Life & Business. - Visit George Ludwig's Website |
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Linda RichardsonLinda Richardson is the Founder and Executive Chairwoman of Richardson, a global sales training and performance improvement company. As a recognized leader in the industry, she has won the coveted Stevie Award for Lifetime Achievement in Sales Excellence and she was identified by Training Industry, Inc. as one of the “Top 20 Most Influential Training Professionals.” Ms. Richardson is credited with the movement to Consultative Selling and is the author of ten books on selling and sales management, including Sales Coaching — Making the Great Leap from Sales Manager to Sales Coach, and Stop Telling, Start Selling. She teaches sales and management at the Wharton Graduate School of the University of Pennsylvania and the Wharton Executive Development Center. Linda is a frequent speaker at industry and client conferences, has been published extensively in industry and training journals, and has been featured in numerous publications, including The Wall Street Journal, Forbes, Nation’s Business, Selling Power, Success, and The Conference Board Magazine. Learn more about Richardson's sales training and performance improvement solutions at http://www.richardson.com web - Visit Linda Richardson's Website |
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Leanne Hoagland-SmithAre your sales where you want them to be? Will you be one of the few who achieves sales or business success or one of the many who have failed to change? Are you tired of being told you are like everyone else? Then you may find my first book on sales of interest. Be the Red Jacket in the Sea of Gray Suits, The Keys to Unlocking Sales available at Amazon or at http://www.processspecialist.com/red-jacket.htm. This book is a reflection of my no-nonsense approach to improving sales to overall business results. If you are truly committed to making sustainable changes, then I can help you secure a positive return on your investment because I focus on executable solutions not telling you the problems you already know you have. From training to corporate (group) coaching to executive one on one coaching, my approach is to assess, create awareness, build a goal driven action plan and then execute. The bottom line question is "Not do you or your employees know it, but do you or they want to do it?" Please call for a free strategy session at 219.759.5601. - Visit Leanne Hoagland-Smith's Website |
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Cheryl MatthynssensCheryl is a life skills coach, licensed Chemical Dependency Counselor and a 20 year entrepreneur. Cheryl's dedication to achieving a life of balance led to her expanding her teaching from the simple managing of life's daily challenges to adding financial well being as well. A direct marketer with DrinkACT, she is gaining ground in the online community with her concepts of making sure business owners, entreprenuers and employees have well rounded life styles. She opened up a small affiliate site - The Balance Guide- to help others find resources for mental and emotional well being. Visit Cheryl's blog to see more of the diversity beyond business she has began offering online at www.thebalanceguide.blogspot.com - Visit Cheryl Matthynssens's Website |
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Dianne CramptonDianne Crampton is an executive leadership coach, team culture consultant, author and president of TIGERS Success Series, Inc. Dianne has been helping CEO's and Executives connect their employees to their core values and goals for over 20 years using the trademarked TIGERS team culture process, which stands for trust, interdependence, genuineness, empathy, risk and success. To download a free white paper on behaviors that build strong teams and behaviors that will predictably tear them down go here. Dianne's contribution to the 2010 Pfeiffer Consulting Journal (an imprint of John Wiley and Sons Publishers) entitled TIGERS Hearted Teams is available in November 2009. Her new book TIGERS Among Us: 5 Winning Business Team Cultures And Why, Three Creeks Publishing will release in March 2010. To receive publishing discounts, subscribe to the free TigerTracks Newsletter here. - Visit Dianne Crampton's Website |
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