HBR Guides to Performance Management Collection (4 Books) (HBR Guide Series)

Chapter 5

The Set-Up-to-Fail Syndrome

by Jean-François Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux

A summary of the full-length HBR article by Jean-François Manzoni and Jean-Louis Barsoux, highlighting key ideas.

IDEA IN BRIEF

That darned employee! His performance keeps deteriorating—despite your close monitoring. What’s going on?

Brace yourself: You may be at fault, by unknowingly triggering the set-up-to-fail syndrome. Employees whom you (perhaps falsely) view as weak performers live down to your expectations. Here’s how:

1. You start with a positive relationship.
2. Something—a missed deadline, a lost client—makes you question the employee’s performance. You begin micromanaging him.
3. Suspecting your reduced confidence, the employee starts doubting himself. He ...