When you’ve just come off a busy spell at work, how do you feel?
Initially, you might appreciate the chance to rest and take a breath. But when things stay at a steady pace for too long, it can be hard maintaining the same levels of motivation and momentum that are experienced during a rush.
A prominent finding from our recent global study ‘The Secret DNA of High-Performing Teams’ was that great managers encourage teams to alternate between four different ‘types’ of performance to create long-term, sustainable results. In this blog series, we’ll explore each of the four performance types in turn, considering the benefits and drawbacks of each to understand why it’s essential to strike a careful balance between the four.
Click here to read the previous blog in this series, and for some additional context on our recent study.
Sustainable Performance
Unlike its counterpart ‘peak’ performance, which is often amplified during busy trading periods, ‘sustainable’ performance is reserved for those regular, everyday moments where things return to a natural rhythm. This state involves striking a healthier balance of activity and energy, allowing teams to achieve consistent results over time; it’s like running a marathon instead of a sprint.
This state is essential for teams to recharge and rebuild their mental ‘resources’, yet it poses an interesting question for managers: how can they ensure their teams still have opportunities to grow and challenge themselves, whilst achieving high performance?
According to the Self-Determination Theory (SDT), individuals are most motivated when their needs for autonomy, competence and relatedness are satisfied. In other words, teams need to have control over their tasks, they need regular opportunities for development and self-mastery, and they need opportunities to collaborate with their peers. Great managers aim to continually satisfy these needs for their teams.
Our Partners’ Stories
‘Sustainable’ performance moments are undeniably essential for employees; they provide respite from the intense burst of peak performance and boost morale. A manager from a clothing retailer we interviewed said,
“I moved stores recently. My previous store was always fast paced. We still get busy periods, but I enjoy the steadiness. It gives me a chance to get things done without the pressure.”
However, once the need for rest wears off after a period of peak performance, teams need to feel mentally stimulated. To achieve this, great managers display continuous awareness, regularly assessing the feeling and ‘vibe’ of their teams and thinking of creative opportunities to engage them.
A food and beverage manager demonstrated this perfectly, saying,
“It’s about squeezing the most out of each day. When it’s not as busy, we’re planning ahead. We’re asking what can we do? We can do cleaning tasks, we can train people, we can have our meetings. Pre-rush, you want to prepare for the rush.”
A clothing retail manager also shared,
“Sometimes we do fun little competitions, like seeing who can get the highest conversion rates for the day. It gets spirits up because everyone wants to win.”
Another highlighted the opportunities for customer-centricity, stating,
“When there’s less going on, we can spend time focusing on the customer, taking them on a journey. It allows us to properly get to know them and create an experience for them.”
What are you currently doing to keep your teams engaged during steady-paced periods?
What are you currently doing to keep your teams engaged during steady-paced periods?Managing Sustainable Performance
To ensure consistent performance and productivity, managers need to constantly balance their team’s energy and motivation levels, always looking for new opportunities to help them grow and evolve, even during mundane everyday moments.
Some ways to do this might include empowering teams to take on a new goal or task, upskilling them in an area of the business they’re unfamiliar with, or setting up fun challenges or group incentives to rally the team.
