Performance Review Systems
Filed under: Leadership Callling, Personal Development, Personnel Development
All of us at some point in time have waited with anxiety for that wonderful time of the year when we receive our annual performance review. Even if you know that you have had a great year you are never really sure what is going to be said and how pleased management is with your performance.
To a great degree this whole process is a major problem within most organizations. On the one hand poor performers are not dealt with on an ongoing basis and sometimes they are even given good reviews because their direct supervisor does not want to admit that they also have failed. Sometimes employees think things are going great only to have the big bomb dropped with no real explanation as to why they were not told before.
On the other extreme top performers are left in the dark about what they are doing well and they only get the one time a year serious conversation about where they stand and what is next in the area of development. The bottom line there should be ongoing informal times for evaluation and at least twice a year if not quarterly a brief review of exactly where everyone stands in regards to expectations.
I have seen performance reviews that are literally 20 pages in length with a tremendous amount of worthless information. Most in my opinion should not be more than two to three pages that only deal with key objectives and some type of quantitative analysis on success.
I also prefer some type of 360 feedback system in place so that in a non-threatening way immediate supervisors can be told what they need to do to help improve their direct reports performance. This should be a time where an honest exchange of information takes place so that everyone knows what they need to do to improve day to day performance and lay out a clear plan for professional development for all involved.
We really need to change the culture of the performance review process from going to the dentist mentality to meeting with my coach who I know has my best interest in mind and is passionately committed to helping me reach my potential.
In Search For Silver Bullet
Filed under: Crisis Management, Leadership Callling, Leading Change, Servant Leader
In Jim Collins latest book How The Mighty Fall he talks about companies that start on a systematic downward spiral that leads ultimately to total failure as an organization. One common problem he found is that when they finally realize they are in serious trouble rather than dealing with real problems they search for the quick fix approach of finding the right silver bullet.
When full blown panic sets in there is a frantic search for several silver bullets that can be dramatic big moves such as game changing acquisitions or a risky new strategy or an exciting innovation or new leadership, anything that can save us. The following is list of several silver bullets observed:
1. Grasping for a Leader as Savior: The board responds to threats and setbacks by searching for a charismatic leader and an outside savior.
2. Panic and Haste: Instead of being calm, deliberate, and disciplined, people exhibit hasty, reactive behavior, bordering on panic.
3. Radical Change and Revolution with Fanfare: The language of revolution and radical change characterizes the new era: New Programs! New cultures! New Strategies!
4. Hype Precedes Results: Instead of setting expectations low—underscoring the duration and difficulty of the turnaround—leaders hype their visions initiating a pattern of overpromising and under delivering.
5. Initial Upswing Followed by Disappointments: There is an initial burst of positive results, but they do not last; dashed hope follows dashed hope; the organization achieves no buildup, no cumulative momentum.
6. Confusion and Cynicism: People cannot easily articulate what the organization stands for; core values have eroded to the point of irrelevance; the organization has become just another place to work.
There are no quick fixes or silver bullets for organizations that have complex long term problems that have built up for decades. The new realities of the global economy did not create these problems it merely acted as a catalyst to reveal them.
Credibility The Foundation For Leadership
Filed under: Core Values, Leadership Callling, Personal Development, Servant Leader
There are many leadership qualities that must be present in the leader if people are going to trust them to the point of following. It is very important to be committed, competent and inspiring but without credibility especially today people will see you as a fake and be totally turned off.
The bottom line is regardless of how visionary the message if they cannot believe in the messenger then trust is destroyed. People may show up for work but their heart is not in it and although they seem positive in front of superiors they are constantly critical with their peers in private.
If leaders are to maintain credibility they have to walk the talk and personally practice what they preach. When their actions are inconsistent with their words and they do not follow through on their promises then they are no longer seen as authentic.
When team members work on a project for a long time and produce great results only to see the leader take an inappropriate amount of the credit they feel burned. They want to see leaders who give credit to others and assume personal responsibility when they make mistakes.
If the leader is seen as real when things are not going well people will give them the benefit of the doubt every time. When leaders are hypocritical and things are even going well they will get polite support but in reality they have lost the confidence of their team and sadly don’t even know it.
Four Generations Of Time Management
Filed under: Goal Setting, Leadership Callling, Time Management
Stephen Covey pioneered this type of thinking several years ago but it is certainly worth repeating based on the incredible pressures we are all under in the area of time management. In a day when it is impossible to do everything that comes our way we must find ways to prioritize the important things and the discipline to say no to everything else.
The first wave or generation of time management could be characterized by simply taking notes and making checklists to try to keep track of all the things we needed to do. To some degree we still use this today but in a much more effective way.
The second generation started to use calendars and appointment books. The big improvement here was in planning ahead and making sure we had an idea of what we wanted to accomplish over a longer period of time. We all still use calendars today and they help us not only in planning but in daily execution as well.
The third generation brought into play the whole concept of prioritization into the process where we try on a daily, weekly, monthly or annual basis to identify those things that are most important and do them first and move the lesser items to the bottom of list. We started setting goals and incorporating those goals into our time planning which place a priority on efficiency.
The emerging fourth generation that recognizes that time management is a misnomer because the ultimate challenge is not to manage time as much as it is to manage ourselves. This whole concept recognizes that just because we can do things faster today they might not be the right things to do and that you cannot a week in advance know everything that should be on the top of your list.
The fourth generation mindset is that I will value relationships over results and I will always be open in the flow of my life to change direction on any given day when a greater priority comes into my life. The use of time is based on core values and is not driven by efficiency but effectiveness.
When To Quit
Filed under: Core Values, Leadership Callling, Personnel Development
As Seth Godin points out we have all heard the expression winners never quit and quitters never win. In real life that is simply not true because knowing when to quit something that is clearly not working is the secret to winning because it gets you one step closer to the one thing that you were meant to do with your life.
Many times we take jobs thinking that we have finally found the answer to what do I want to do with my career? Many months later we realize that what we expected was wrong. We should never quit just because the work is challenging and the people with whom we work are not the best.
However when you have done your best and the day to day responsibilities that you have been assigned are not bringing any challenge or lasting value then you need to find something that you can be passionate about doing. Our work should be something we care about to the point that we look forward to going in every day because what we do really matters.
Sometimes we really like what we do but the team of people we are doing it with are merely takers and not givers. They are out for number one and there is an atmosphere of backbiting , constant stress and negative criticism that drives the culture of the organization. No matter how much you like what you do if you cannot enjoy the journey with the people you are doing it with it is simply not worth it.
Becoming a serial quitter for all the wrong reasons can be a fatal character flaw that will negatively impact your entire life. Quitting for the right reason can be the best thing you have ever done because it can lead you to a brighter future.
Characteristics Of An Effective Vision
When we think of the word vision we are drawn to a picture of the future of how things can be better than they are in the present. Most vision casting does a good job of painting a hopeful image of the positive benefits involved but not a very realistic job of the costs involved to get there.
This is a major problem because when the negative forces and fears involved in the change process start to appear and people are not prepared they can give up very quickly resulting in the death of the vision. John Kotter in his book Leading Change lists all the characteristics that should be included in an effective vision:
1. Imaginable: Conveys a picture of what the future will look like
2. Desirable: Appeals to the long-term interests of employees, customers, stockholders, and others who have a stake in the enterprise
3. Feasible: Comprises realistic, attainable goals
4. Focused: Is clear enough to provide guidance in decision making
5. Flexible: Is general enough to allow individual initiative and alternative responses in light of changing conditions
6. Communicable: Is easy to communicate; can be successfully explained within five minutes
The change process for most people is extremely difficult because of the fear of the unknown. There are powerful forces involved that will try to maintain the status quo at all costs. The pain of the present must be contrasted with the pain of the change process so that the people will know that the option of no change is not realistic.
People also need to be told on the front end that sacrifices are probably going to need to be made and there will be discomfort involved during the transition. However, if the vision takes the group to a better and more viable place then all the costs involved will be worth it every time.
Interview Process
Filed under: Leadership Callling, Personnel Development, Servant Leader
When it is all said and done all potential employees will be evaluated under the two broad categories of character and competency. The more important of the two is character because you can help most people through training to improve their skill set but you may never be able to overcome who they are as a person.
Once you have narrowed the number of resumes down to the people that you may be interested in it is very helpful to conduct an initial phone interview. It is very important to learn how to ask open ended questions that will allow the person to talk beyond the typical scripted answers. As quickly as possible find out what they are passionate about and what they are capable of doing.
The next step is to send them a series of questions and assessment tools that will give you an even clearer understanding of the person’s strengths and personality tendencies. This should be compared to a very detailed reference resource form that looks for the not so obvious information. A good question might be if you were to see them in a totally different field of work what would it be and why?
By the time you get to a face to face interview the issue is more about character and chemistry than it is competency. I have found it very beneficial to involve other team members in this process to see how they read the fit for our organizational culture.
I would never hire anyone for any kind of significant role without first meeting their spouse. Seeing a couple interact with each other can tell you a lot about the person. Probably one of the most important things to do is get the person in several casual settings where they will not have their game face on and you can listen and observe how they interact with other people.
This entire process could take several months but remember the only thing worse than not having a position filled is to have it filled with the wrong person. When in doubt move on to the next person because as a leader your gut is probably right.
Crisis Management
Every individual and organization at some point in time will face a crisis and the way they respond will determine if the situation potentially becomes fatal or they experience a complete and total recovery. I have learned a lot from personal experience on this subject over the years and probably the most important lesson is to be incredibly proactive and not stick your head in the sand and hope it will get better.
In Jack Welch’s great book Winning he gives some great advice on how he dealt with crisis situations at G.E. These are his five guiding assumptions:
1. The problem is worse than it appears—No matter how hard you might wish and pray; very few crises start small and stay that way. The vast majority are bigger in scope than you could ever imagine with that first phone call and they will last longer and get more ugly.
2. There are no secrets in the world, and everyone will eventually find out everything—Information that you try to shut down will eventually get out, and as it travels, it will certainly morph, twist and darken. The only way to prevent that is to expose the problem yourself and tell the truth.
3. You and your organization’s handling of the crisis will be portrayed in the worst possible light—The very nature of a crisis means that you and your organization will be portrayed in a light so negative you won’t even recognize yourself. Don’t hunker down. Along with disclosing the full extent of your problem you have got to stand up and define your position before someone else does for you.
4. There will be changes in processes and people—Crisis requires change. Sometimes a process fix is enough. Usually not because the people affected by the crisis demand that someone be held responsible.
5. The organization will survive, ultimately stronger for what happened—There is not a crisis you cannot learn from, even though you hate every one of them. After a crisis is over the tendency is to put it away in a drawer. Don’t, teach its lessons every chance you get.
Practicing Feedforward
Filed under: Leadership Callling, Personal Development, Personnel Development
Almost every serious organization uses some form of feedback to evaluate the performance of their top leadership team. This usually works best in a 360 type environment where the person receives feedback from superiors, peers and subordinates as well.
The concept of feedforward was developed by Marshall Goldsmith in his best seller What Got You Here Won’t Get You There about how to coach senior executives. He encourages every leader to identify core behaviors that need to change through feedback. Then apologize for your mistake and commit to change that character quality in the future.
The primary way he recommends to accomplish this is through the four disciplines in feedforward:
1. Identify Target Behavior—choose the one behavior that your colleagues have told you about that you consider to be at the top of your list for change. The number one issue among the thousands of people he has worked with is to be a better listener.
2. Enlist Accountability Partners—the key here is to secure a personal commitment from as many people as possible to help you in this particular area. This should include family members as well as various levels of people within the organization where you work. They will all commit to help you focus on this one specific area and help you with ongoing feedback.
3. Solicit Specific Suggestions—ask everyone in your accountability circle for at least two suggestions that might help you achieve a positive change in your selected behavior. The key ground rule here is that there should be no mention of mistakes in the past but every comment is about the future.
4. Practice Active Listening—take appropriate notes if necessary but make sure you are really listening to each and every suggestion to the point that you can put it into practice. Also it is very important regardless of the quality of the input to be sure to graciously thank everyone involved who will take the time and emotional risk of telling you what you really need to hear.
The Building Blocks Of A Strategy
Filed under: Goal Setting, Leadership Callling, Leading Change, Time Management, Vision Casting
One of the best books I have read on developing a strategic plan and all that is involved in the execution of that plan was written by Larry Bossidy and Ram Charan called Execution. It is a must read for any organization that uses teams to accomplish planning and execution.
A strategy is the key steps or methodology that you are going to use to accomplish your goals or mission. Many times the goal seems to be clear and necessary but the breakdown occurs at the point of determining how we are going to accomplish what we want to do.
In this book he lists several critical questions that should be answered during the development of your strategy to ensure a high probability of success:
1. How good are the assumptions upon which the plan hinges?
2. What are the pluses and minuses of the alternatives?
3. Do you have the organizational capability to execute the plan?
4. Are the short term and long term balanced?
5. What are the important milestones for executing the plan?
6. Can you adapt the plan to rapid changes in your environment?
The two most important questions are do you have the organizational capability to execute the plan? Just because it is the right thing to do may not mean we have the right people in place and this is the right time for implementation. If we add something major to our process without additional manpower it must be assumed that something else needs to go.
The last question is even more important in the culture we live in today. Just because something looks great as a strategy today and even works for awhile does not mean that it will be viable in the next twelve months. This means that nothing must become so sacred that it cannot be changed if necessary when a better plan is discovered.