Looking in the Mirror to Review Performance

It is an important time of year for each business. We need to evaluate where we are today and where we are going tomorrow. Here are a few bullet points that are important to reflect upon:

• We each need to look at the performance expectations that have been established for each Business and Manager. We need to insure that we have established keys for success in each area. The challenge is that we have to transfer ownership to the right people, partner with them in their development and hold them accountable to achieve the desired results. To get to where we need to go, there needs to be ownership of goal achievement and working the agreed upon processes on a consistent basis.


• If you have B or C players in your Manager positions, what is the best grade that your company will be able to earn? The managers need to be able to make great decisions, execute the plan, grow their people and follow through for goal achievement. The managers need to be able to LEAD their people and their business. You have to measure performance and raise the performance bar.


• The coaching relationship with each Manager is very important. We have to know what the behaviors are that they need to demonstrate as you look at their diverse responsibilities. We need to be able to evaluate their behaviors and results so that they can be provided SPECIFIC feedback. From this feedback you can then move to the establishment of improvement plans for the managers and their branches. You can work with them to insure that we have determined what the issues are and then establish an ACTION plan that puts you in a position to win. Individuals have to believe in what needs to be different and then commit to making the necessary changes. Remember that we have to find the right balance between challenging, developing and empowering our people.


• In each department we need to be evaluating what is working, where we are missing the mark and where we can improve. Don’t get trapped in “well, we are at budget, or this is how they have always done it, or we can’t expect much from this person.” This will limit the company's going to the next level. You want to look at your standard processes in each company discipline to insure that we are doing what we need to do. You have to do solid investigative work to get to the core of what is supposed to be done and then evaluate how well they execute. This assessment will provide you with a great place to work from in gaining traction for taking the next steps.


• This is an important time to leverage your diverse skill sets and play to your strengths. The Managers should be leveraging their talents and work as a resource in supporting the efforts of your people. You want to have right level of engagement to see what is working or what is missing. Leaders should really be communicating and collaborating so that you can maximize the performance of EACH of your direct reports.


• We have to move the conversation to all the things that we can and will control. It will be important to identify your current state of performance, where you want to go and what will be different going forward. Our objective should be to stay out of the Circle Trap conversations. Remember that we need to keep people focused upon winning and then following through with timely performance management. Each player needs to see what they own and take this responsibility.

Bob Coulter