How do you re-imagine performance and talent management? Some tips emerged at #PMLnDSG in April, where Anish Lalchandani, Global Head of Talent Management, A P Moller Maersk, presented a case study of how Maersk is placing focus on team conversation to drive a high performance culture.

According to Lalchandani, A P Moller Maersk is leveraging the power of conversations to maximise performance, ensure a better alignment of goals and drive career growth for its employees. He added that being driven by focus, guided by values, and underpinned by strategies allows Maersk to accelerate and re-imagine performance and talent management in a new world of work

Increased focus on culture

Company culture workplace beliefs, values, attitudes, standards, purpose and behavior collectively make up the culture of a company. “The way careers are getting reshaped in a post-pandemic world, companies need to enhance focus on conversation,” said Lalchandani. He further spoke about the style of conversation that needs to be followed while talking about performance.

He cautioned that conversation should not be aimed to criticise people, in fact it must be used as a tool to empower the workforce and encourage them to perform in a better way. It is important to create a culture where we let people learn, grow and thrive.

Another important aspect is that the ‘one size fits all formula has no relevance. He said that the conversation needs to be curated as per the employees’ requirements.

“Besides office colleagues, there are frontline people who are deployed at terminals, warehouses, and vessels. The idea should be to cater to everyone, no one should be left behind in their career progression.”

Creating space for all

Organisations need to focus on creating a space where everyone should feel free to have a conversation with their leaders. Additionally, to make ongoing conversations huge, it is important to take feedback positively as it actually helps improve the performance and skills of individuals and teams collectively.

Building capability

To improve capability building, leaders need to take a call on team goals, ways to achieve that, identify complexities, and how to challenge themselves. “Talent and career conversation must be a part of our daily activities to make people feel free and comfortable while connecting with their leaders.”

Creating a culture to learn and grow

To empower people, a culture of ongoing performance and talent management conversations and feedback between leadership and employees to make them learn, grow and thrive should be part of daily touch points, suggested Lalchandani.

According to him, individuals and leaders both are responsible for conversations around performance and feedback. One should be brave enough to start a conversation that matters.

“The alignment between employees and their organisation can fundamentally shift how they perceive their employer and their role within the organisation.”