Organizational leadership wants employees to produce results. Employees what to be recognized and rewarded for producing results. So, what’s the problem?
The problem is focus. When outcomes and metrics are not clearly defined and understood, leadership takes a manage-the-people approach and employees take a put-in-time approach to achieving results. Neither approach is focused on the work and both approaches are subjective. This leads to accountability issues. The scope of and the timing of the work must be objectively defined and appropriate metrics must be in place - vague details and ASAP do not cut it. Performance management is continuous rather than an event.
In a ROWE, everyone’s mindset shifts to an objective focus on results. This includes everyone exploring their own beliefs about how work should happen. Everyone identifies the most effective and efficient means to achieve results. And everyone is 100% autonomous and 100% accountable.