What does performance means? How to improve your performance at work? and many more questions can tickle your mind. The term Performance Equation was popularly coined and conceptualized by Mr. W. Timothy Gallwey in the year 1974. Timothy Gallwey states that “we can fundamentally change our performance in everything we do, by developing or changing our “inner” or mental game, rather than focusing externally on the “outer” game.” His concept was based on zen philosophy and human psychology.
The performance equation as stated by Timothy Gallwey in The Inner Games is,
PERFORMANCE = POTENTIAL – INTERFERENCE
There are two areas of work with an individual to increase his/her performance potential. The first one is your own potential (including your skills, motivation, stretching for more) which is the “inner game”. The second factor to this equation is the interface that may include mental stress, self-doubt, fear of failure, lack in focus, prenotions or assumptions, etc. that one must eliminate or ignore. This is the “outer game”.
“There is always an inner game being played in your mind no matter what outer game you are playing. How aware you are of this game can make the difference between success and failure in the outer game.”
Tim Gallwey, The Inner Game of Tennis
But speaking about the origin of the concept of performance equation, Normal Maier produced an early version of the performance equation in the year 1950 as,
PERFORMANCE = ABILITY x MOTIVATION
Normal Maier was the first person to bring into this to light that there are more than one factor that contribute to an individual’s performance level. Comparing Maier’s performance equation to Gallwey’s equation, nothing has changed much. POTENTIAL is similar to ABILITY in Maier’s equation and it can be affected by one external factor or environment. It can be INTERFERENCE or lack of MOTIVATION.
There is another newer version to the performance equation given by Owen Eastwood, a renowned performance coach as,
PERFORMANCE = CAPABILITY + BEHAVIOUR
Eastwood believes that capability and behavior is inherited and if any of this two factors are affected your performance can also be affected adversely.
All these three equations that we have discussed have one thing in common, your ability which we can call as the determining factor of your performance. If a person has enough capability and he/she can reduce the effect of external factors on their own potential, they can significantly improve their performance. At a leadership level if someone is not performing well we need to analyze in detail why and look at the other side of the equation first to help them identify issue and perform better at work.
Now let’s discuss what is performance and how organizations can take advantage of performance equation. Talking about performance some can be objective while some can be subjective and using performance equation organizations can have optimal performers in the team. Let’s analyze the two factors of performance equation.
Individual Ability
A organization can hire across skill sets and must know each ones induvial ability, potential. To be fit in a particular role, learning can be introduced to enhance individual’s ability. But this process is dynamic, and some people may have desire to get a more challenging role, growth opportunities, etc. Hence it is now important for organizations to deep dive more into the second factor of performance equation.
Organization Support
Organizations want people who can be aligned to their mission and goals, but individuals’ ability stands irrelevant without employees willingness. In this case organizational support is directly proportional to employee engagement. Organizations can plan out suitable rewards, benefits and care packages to potential employees to reduce interference, improve their bonding or motivation and changing their behavior.
Taking into consideration the above discussion and different aspect, the performance equation as defined by Fieri Leadership is as below,
ACTION AND RESULTS = KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS + ABILITY + ATTITUDE AND MOTIVATION + SUPPORT
While looking into all the performance equations defined, we can sum up the concept on below points,
- Each component of the performance equation is dependent on the others and adjustments to one change others
- Performance is an output function; hence we cannot change the same directly.
- Our potential/ability/capability is an unknown thing that we need to explore by asking questions like who we are, what skills we have, our experiences and learnings.
- Interference/motivation/behavior can be conditioned and changed with time and detailed understating.
- For organizations actions and results are important factor to consider and it can be achieved by combining the potential or employees with support from the organization.
Finally, I am leaving some questions for you to think upon and act on, so that you too can utilize the concept of performance equation to your benefit.
- What is your true potential?
- What your purpose in live?
- What are the interferences on your way and how you can remove those?
- How do you overcome your fear?
- What do your inner believe or firm believe?
- What can you do differently than others?
References and Further Reads:
- https://www.awarenessinaction.org/the-performance-equation/
- https://thesystemsthinker.com/the-inner-game-of-work-building-capability-in-the-workplace/
- https://andiroberts.com/the-performance-equation/
- https://fierileadership.com/the-performance-equation-you-get-out-what-you-put-in/
- https://www.talentroo.com/blog/what-is-a-performance-equation-and-why-should-you-care
- https://www.performanceconsultants.com/the-inner-game