Performance Equation: A Manager’s Lens on Growth
In my latest book, Into the Hands of Leaders: Employee Growth through Learning, I write about moving training out of the classroom and putting learning into the hands of leaders. Most people learn on the job, with colleagues, and with guidance from their manager.
- Did you learn something last week?
- Did you learn that thing in a training session or from a colleague, an online search or from your manager?
A study by the OECD found that, on average, people spent 0.3 to 1.2 hours per week learning formally (in a workshop) compared to 2.6 to 7.5 hours per week learning informally.
When I work with leaders, they agree, but often struggle with the concrete actions to create an environment conducive to performance and growth. I’ve been using the Performance Equation for years to help managers zero in on their levers for employee performance.
The Performance Equation offers a practical lens for understanding what’s really behind performance challenges. It identifies six essential factors employees need to succeed:
- Direction & Feedback – Do they know what’s expected and receive timely, constructive feedback?
- Tools & Resources – Do they have the right equipment, systems, and access to information?
- Environment – Is the workplace physically safe and psychologically supportive?
- Knowledge & Skills – Do they have the capabilities for today’s tasks and tomorrow’s opportunities?
- Motivation – Are they engaged and internally driven by autonomy, mastery, and purpose?
- Innate Ability – Does the work align with their natural strengths?
Think of it as an equation:
Performance = Direction × Resources × Environment × Skills × Motivation × Ability
If any variable equals zero, the result is zero.
What I love about the Performance equation is using it as a diagnostic tool. Through a series of questions, leaders can assess their employee’s performance and identify which levers they can control to provide the greatest support for performance and growth. For example:
- Have I provided the employee with the information they need (e.g., policies, processes, access to people)?
- What barriers might the employee have that I can remove so they can be more effective?
- How often does my employee speak up and offer a different perspective or a challenging viewpoint?
- What job-specific skills could the employee develop or improve to do their work more easily and effectively?
Everyone is starved for time. When leaders are faced with yet another task or responsibility to incorporate into their day-to-day role, it’s overwhelming. Using the Performance Equation helps them zero in on one or two areas where they have the most control and where they can have the greatest impact in supporting their people.
Which lever to you pull most often and are there others you can consider to create an environment of high performance and growth?
Attention and neurodiversity
A friend and colleague, Matt Cross, has written a book, Subtle Shifts: Simple strategies for sustainable success. I enjoyed observing his book-writing journey last year. Now, it’s been wonderful to hear his voice and message on the pages as I make my way through the chapters.
Matt’s book is a practical guide that shows how small, intentional shifts in focus and mindset, not sweeping overhauls, can compound over time to deliver meaningful, lasting change in leadership and life. He talks about shifting Attention, Assumptions and Action. In the attention chapters, Matt writes about something I think most of us can relate to – the difficulty with multitasking. He asks, “Where is your attention?” and goes on to dispel the multitasking myth.
I’ve been learning about neurodiversity lately and realized that this is one of the superpowers of people who are neurodiverse. Let me pause for a moment and provide some background.
Think of neurodiversity like different operating systems—some brains run MacOS (neurotypical, NT), while others run Linux or Windows variants (neurodivergent, ND, such as autism or ADHD). None is better or worse; they just process tasks and function differently in the background. In this light, neurodiversity is a natural variation in human brain wiring and cognition. Autism and ADHD aren’t flaws to fix, but different and equally valid operating systems[HB1] .
I don’t know about you, but it feels like each week I talk with someone, and they identify as having ADHD or being Autistic. I had a participant in a workshop last week declare that she has ADHD. Her comment provided a shortcut explanation for how she shows up at work and the energy she brings. Her colleagues nodded their heads in acknowledgement.
I know there’s a debate in many circles about what causes neurodiversity and if it’s nature, nurture or environment. I think part of the reason it seems to be on the rise is that the medical community has redefined or reclassified these conditions. We used to have Asperger’s and ADD, but those ‘labels’ seem to have disappeared from the narrative. They’ve been rolled into the overall umbrella term, Neurodiversity. A broader umbrella casts a wider net, so to speak, under which more people identify.
So, how does this all relate to Matt’s book and leadership?
Most often, I hear about the challenges neurodiverse people face in a society designed for neurotypical people. But neurodiverse people have superpowers, which leaders can tap into.
Innovative thinking and ideation
I have a client I’ve worked with for over a decade. I haven’t asked him, but I suspect he has ADHD. He’s incredibly high-energy, is brilliant at coming up with creative ideas and solutions, and I am consistently amazed at how much his small L&D team accomplishes for their international organization. This client has an incredibly organized person on his team. I’ve seen them work over the years and have observed how their strengths complement each other. He has brilliant ideas. She helps identify if they’re realistic and, if so, is instrumental in implementing them.
Attention to detail and hyperfocus
It may seem like a contradiction that someone with ADHD could have hyper focus. But, as I’ve been learning, many can have periods of intense concentration and produce high-quality work when deeply engaged. Folks on the Autism spectrum are exceptionally accurate and persistent and excel in roles like data analysis, quality control, and auditing.
Logical thinking and structured problem solving
Neurodivergent thinkers, particularly those on the autism spectrum, excel at logical reasoning and structured problem-solving. Their ability to break down complex challenges into clear, manageable steps often leads to efficient, precise decision-making. In environments where ambiguity and disorder reign, they provide the scaffolding needed to streamline processes, reduce error, and clarify priorities. By bringing analytic rigor and a systems-oriented mindset, they help teams navigate intricate problems with greater clarity and confidence—creating dependable pathways toward strategic solutions and scalable outcomes.
My eldest nephew is 25 and my children are 17 and 18. For several years, I’ve marvelled at how their generation has been exposed to and, overall, has accepted diversity. They talk openly about sexual orientation and identity, mental health and neurodiversity. Their generation has started working and will continue to enter the workforce in the upcoming years. Leaders will need to become/ It behooves leaders to increase their understanding of neurodiversity so they can tap into these team members’ superpowers for a more creative, innovative, focused and committed workforce
Where are you in your understanding and openness to neurodiversity?
What makes a great manager?
I’ve been working with the Region of Waterloo for years – with the Human Resources team and with a business unit, FFM, which keeps the Region running by maintaining buildings, vehicles, and critical infrastructure. We presented our work at the I4PL Conference in Toronto a few weeks ago.
It’s been exciting working with FFM because of the diversity and creativity of our work. On the surface, we’ve created onboarding programs for all of the 23 roles in the business unit. Beyond that, we’ve created an online version of the onboarding program so new employees can access the resources, videos and learning materials in an app. Many of the roles work at different sites so an in-office solution was insufficient. The app also serves as a resource for existing staff to access SOPs, checklists and policies.
For each role, we created a short video, an interview of someone in that role to bring it to life. We’re currently finishing up the onboarding for new supervisors and managers, and have pushed the boundary to be creative again. Instead of one-on-one virtual interview videos, we recorded panel interviews with a group of leaders. I moderated the discussion to tease out what makes a great leader in FFM, what they love and find challenging about their job, and how they work as a leadership team.
I’ve been reviewing the recordings and the messages reminded me of this illustration by Liz Fosslien.
It’s been exciting working with FFM because of the diversity and creativity we’ve brought to the work. On the surface, we’ve created on boarding programs for all of the 23 Great managers create an environment where their employees can do great work. They provide focus, direction and clarity. At times, they provide cover from chaos – competing priorities, uncertainty and change. If you were to do a panel interview with your leaders, what would you
If you were to do a panel interview with your leaders, what would you hear about how they work together to support each other and their teams?
Illustration source: https://www.fosslien.com/liz-fosslien-what-a-great-manager-does
In case you missed it
I’ve shared some additional posts online. Here they are, in case you missed them.
- Leader-Led Learning: The Secret to Growth in Smaller Organizations (video link)
- Lead, Learn, Grow conversation card: Addressing Conflict (video link)
- I4PL 2025 Conference in Toronto (video link)
