The Baldrige Criteria ask (1.1a3) how senior leaders “create an environment for organizational performance improvement, the accomplishment of your mission and strategic objectives, innovation, competitive or role-model performance leadership, and organizational agility.”

In addition to the long list of things senior leaders can do to create such an environment, there is an equally impressive list of things they should not do. Aubrey Daniels compiled his own list of no-no’s in Oops! 13 Management Practices That Waste Time and Money (Performance Management Publications, 2009). BusinessWeek summarized them online:

1. Employee of the Month. Only one employee can earn it, which means others who may deserve recognition go unnoticed. Instead, recognize all high-performing employees.
2. Stretch Goals. They’re typically set so high people get discouraged and the goals are never reached. Instead, set min-goals and celebrate achieving each.
3. Performance Appraisals. Deming hated them. Enough said. Instead, evaluate people continuously based on what each individual is expected to achieve.
4. Ranking. Competition should be with competitors, not with coworkers. Instead, use external benchmarks to motivate people and, again, evaluate them in relation to individual goals.
5. Undeserved Rewards. Rewarding poor performers for such things as perfect attendance sends all kinds of wrong messages. Instead, recognize active behaviors.
6. Salary and Hourly Pay. Getting paid for showing up does nothing to improve performance. Instead, install a pay-for-performance system.
7. Good Job, But. We’ve all gotten it: The pat on the back followed by the punch to the nose. Nobody remembers the pat. Instead, do the “attaboy” and then wait to give constructive feedback another time.
8. The Sandwich. The author states that he’s never found any evidence that sandwiching criticism between two positive statements works. Instead, be direct: Tell the person what behavior needs to be changed and the consequences if it isn’t.
9. Favoring “Smart” People. Treating someone differently because you think he’s smarter than everyone else harms everyone. Instead, reward managers for producing “smart” people—and you’ll soon discover how many you really have.
10. Punishing Frugality. Managers who do more with less end up getting less in their next budget. Instead, reward them.
11. Promoting Jerks. Jerks are not more effective than well-liked managers. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Instead, look for managers that people would want to be around.
12. No-Apology Downsizing. An organization that matter-of-factly lays people off sows the seeds of distrust in those who remain. Instead, involve employees in helping to avoid layoffs. If layoffs can’t be avoided, be generous with those you downsize.
13. All-Business Managers. Mergers, acquisitions, and reorganizations rarely consider the impact on employees. Instead, use the opportunity to incorporate best practices, eliminate unnecessary policies and procedures, and recognize performance in the new company.

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