Balancing act - performance mangement versus molly coddling?

Carrot or stick? Which works best? When I review the various approaches to people management I struggle to conclude that one method is better than the other.

By 'Mal Barnard' on Apr 30, 2009

Carrot or stick? Which works best? When I review the various approaches to people management I struggle to conclude that one method is better than the other. My only conclusion is that too often the method and approach deployed is biased towards the managers

I have witnessed colleagues that were dismissed for poor performance go on to thrive elsewhere, we use excuses like culture and need for change to cover the fact that some managers opt for the easy option

In some cases this is to pay off ( I mean fire the employee) and in other scenarios it is to continue to mully cuddle poor performers. Surely mangers should take more responsibility for the performances of their staff

I suspect that more often than not the problem is a leadership problem rather than a workforce problem. Do you agree?