How Accessible is Your Vision?

Every leader - whatever level they operate at, and whoever they are responsible for leading - must have a vision.

It is that vision that people will buy into & want to follow - so it must be easily accessible. There's little value in an over-engineered, wordy statement that needs to be analysed to be understood. It may sound impressive & cover all the angles - but people will not follow something they do not understand.

Then there is the plausibility of the vision & the credibility of the leader - will people buy that?

I was reminded of these aspects of leadership in a very real way recently. As is customary I went along to visit a group of new entrants to our business in their training room. As I do with all such groups I outlined my very simple vision for the team & how we all play our part in making the team a great place to work & our business a place we can all be proud of. They responded positively & the session came to its natural conclusion.

Little did I know as I left the room that within two weeks I would be required to talk to them again, this time to recover a very delicate situation!

Following some issues with the training they received, it was not possible for them to commence their new role on the planned start date. This created a measure of ill-feeling, uncertainty & a crisis of confidence within the group. In such situations there is only one thing an authentic leader can do - face the music!

I went to see them, apologised for the issues they had been exposed to, and outlined the solution that had been put in place. This potentially difficult message was made so much easier because they could clearly see that the vision I had spoken to them about just a couple of weeks earlier was real & accessible. They could see it in action.

When I had told them that we wouldn't always get it right, but we would always work hard to engage with the team to deliver improvements & learn from our mistakes, they liked the sound of that approach. So when I was able to demonstrate the truth of that approach so soon afterwards, it was possible to draw a strong cultural positive out of a negative situation. Rather than thinking the negative experience was a sign of things to come - they took it as a positive that the reaction they observed was consistent with the vision. This was the real indication of what working in this team would be like.

With engagement & confidence restored, the team made fantastic progress through the remaining training period.

This experience reinforced my belief that a clear accessible vision, communicated clearly by a leader who passionately believes in it, is critical to achieving genuine engagement, trust & loyalty within a team.

The 5 Senses of Leadership

We are all familiar with the 5 senses that most of us are lucky enough to possess in full measure - sight, sound, smell, taste & touch.

We use these senses every day & we very often take them for granted. That's probably because they are instinctive - and we use them automatically without having to think. We then process the information they supply to us automatically as well, maybe even sparking a reflex reaction which is equally automatic.

This made me think about leadership. Many great leaders are described as "naturals" - intuitive, instinctive leaders. Maybe they are, or maybe they worked hard to achieve their status. Either way, perhaps the reason why their leadership appears to be "automatic" is because their leadership "senses" are programmed to generate the best "reflex reaction" to the situations they face each & every day. Even when they are under pressure.

We can all usually sense when something doesn't look right or sound right - but how do we react? What do we do about it?

We know the importance of not 'leaving a bad taste in the mouth' or others - but do we consistently achieve that? Even if we are delivering a tough message?

What about the environment we create? Does it 'smell' right & 'feel' right all of the time?

We can train & develop ourselves to use our leadership "senses" to acquire this information, process it, & react positively with the right actions.

How can we do this in practice? Very often by using our senses - literal, or metaphoric. We can talk to & listen to people - staff, customers, stakeholders. We can look around the business, the marketplace, the competition. We can get a 'feel' for the mood of the team, maybe 'smell' the opportunities for expansion, growth & development. We can develop a 'taste' for success & helping to develop others to contribute to the success of our business.

So - how well balanced are our 5 Leadership Senses? And, can we trust them to help us make instinctively accurate leadership decisions all of the time?

Plug & Play Leadership

I am sure most of us have been there. After purchasing a new bit of kit for our home computer, we excitedly commence the installation process. It couldn't be easier - "plug & play" it says on the box! Inside the box the instructions consist of 4 simple steps - great, it will be up & running within minutes...

Then reality strikes! Unfortunately the installation doesn't always run quite as smoothly as predicted, and we can spend hours trying to get the thing to work. Trying one thing after other, experiencing a wide range of emotions, but remaining resolute in our determination that it will not beat us!

The whole experience reminded me of leadership. There are a lot of people who think they will be great "plug & play" leaders - how hard can it be they think...but then reality kicks in!

The challenges faced by leaders at any level in any role can be just as frustrating as a piece of computer equipment that just doesn't want to work no matter what we try. But our response to these challenges are what will determine our ultimate success as a leader.

Overcoming obstacles & challenges is the standard M.O. of any leader. Things will not always run smoothly - but achieving our original goals is essential nonetheless. Therefore staying in control of our own & others emotions whilst solutions are found & implemented is one key leadership strength. Being resourceful enough & willing enough to keep trying alternatives until we find a way to succeed is another.

Referring back to the example of the computer equipment, we may find we are left with no option other than to consult the 'helpline'. This is no bad thing if ultimately it gets us on the right track. It is the same with strong & capable leaders - they know who to consult, and when is the right time to do so. Whilst we wouldn't expect a good leader to reach for the 'helpline' on every occasion, neither would we expect them to always have all of the answers. 

Of course there is no such thing as "plug & play" leadership. However strong an individuals natural leadership style is, becoming a great leader requires hard work, commitment, energy & determination. When people see these traits in the person they work for they will be much more likely to support their leader & deliver a performance that contributes to the success of the team.

Three Tools For Leading Change

This post has been contributed by Martin O'Neill. Thanks very much Martin.

A useful way to think of strategies for effective organizational change is to imagine three rocks held together by a rubber band. The rocks represent the mind, body and soul of an organization. All three must move forward at the same time or the rubber band will snap back, stymieing progress and leaving you, at best, in the same position as when you started the change initiative.

The “mind” of an organization is its leadership—those making decisions at all levels of an organization. Leaders are the ones who are setting strategy and articulating a vision and direction.

The “body” of an organization consists of the processes, the structure and even the finances of the organization. The body represents the moving parts of an organization.

The “soul” of an organization, informing both the mind and the body, is the corporate culture—what is accepted in an organization, a kind of code of ethics.

Any change strategy has to move all three of these elements in unison (or close to it) if it is to be successful in the long run. The metaphor of the rocks held together by a rubber band is a reminder of the challenges of leading a successful change effort. Every transformational initiative represents change, and since change is the only constant in business, learning to effectively lead the change initiative is the only way to ensure survival.

Martin O'Neill is a speaker and the author of The Power of an Internal Franchise. Visit www.corsum.com

When Performance Slips

There are some key differences between managing good performance up to reach high performance, and managing poor performance back up to good performance. There is lots of advice available on how to build great performance, and how to stretch, improve, grow and excel. However there will be times when we feel we have done all of those things, created an environment or a legacy that is sure to succeed, and yet performance levels slip and remedial action becomes necessary.

A common mistake under such circumstances is to resort to a "command and control" style of leadership in an effort to get things back on track. I say mistake, because whilst that approach may be appropriate in the short term, it can become the "new normal" and if that happens it will ultimately restrict the ability of the team to return to high performing ways.

How can this risk be avoided?

Well it is always important to remain true to the core leadership principles, or ideals, that we believe in. If culture, environment and people engagement are the cornerstones of our high performance success then we must stick to these even in challenging times. Getting back in control of a teams activities by stating a few home truths is fine - but rather than stifling future creativity for fear of letting performance slip again, we should approach this with the goal of strengthening the team culture. By helping people to learn from their mistakes they will grow into a stronger unit that is more committed to high performance than ever before.

There are five areas to consider that may prove useful when faced with such circumstances.

Root Cause - Can we identify the specific reason why the performance has slipped backwards? We may have to ask some smart questions, or be prepared to "dig deep" - but getting to the real facts is the only way to successfully plan the recovery.

Mindset - Was mindset a contributory factor to the performance challenge? Do the team have the right mindset to tackle the performance issue and get back on track towards high performance?

Standards - Are the underlying standards in the team high enough to underpin high performance, and secure enough to stand up to pressure? We have to consider the possibility that slipping standards could be the catalyst for poor performance - and that addressing the cultural standards of the team will still be the most effective way to drive the transactional results of the group.

Communication - When the pressure is on, communication can become fragmented. Urgency takes over, and clarity can be lost. This is where the leader may have to take a temporary "command and control" approach to ensure that the deliberate, planned communication is clear and focused for all. However maybe the biggest risk, and often overlooked aspect, is the "inadvertent communication" that can be so damaging to a team performance without people even realising it. Team members can fail to stay "on message", taking their own approach to avoid being held responsible personally, and a blame culture could develop.

Consequences - Both the consequences for getting into the current position, and the consequences of not getting out of it must be made clear. If these are penal, then the whole team must face up to that fact. However there are a broad range of possibilities, and the leader must be able to articulate the specific consequences at any given point in order to get the focus of the team back onto achieving high performance standards.

Don't Ignore the Water

This post has been contributed by Paul Woodford. Thanks very much Paul.

As I was thumbing through a golfing magazine, I noticed a feature that caught my eye. It was of interest, not just because it covered ways to improve my 'short game', but because of the application I was able to make to my own personal leadership role.

 

The article discussed playing onto a green which has water surrounding it. Many golfers will tell you to ignore the water and try to block it out - reasoning that if you ignore the hazard then you are less likely to allow it to affect your shot, and the obvious risk of striking the ball into the water. However, the writer of the feature held a different view. He argued that this approach should be avoided, stating that a golfer should acknowledge the hazard and then carefully plan the shot, taking into account the facts and the risks. The likelihood of success is much greater when the player can visualise the flight of the ball, and the precise point where they will land the shot safely on the green. There is no point in trying to ignore the water - it is there and our brain knows it, however hard we may try to tell it otherwise!

 

So why did this lead me to reflect upon leadership. Well how often do managers make the mistake of trying to 'ignore the water'? Maybe there is an issue within a team that gets ignored or blocked out? Sometimes challenges are left to fester until they snowball into bigger, and more difficult problems.

 

If we take the advice on offer in the golfing magazine we can see the sense in recognising business hazards, risks and issues for what they are, and then planning for them accordingly. Dealing with the issues and problems that are in front of us in a positive, determined manner will ensure we are successful in achieving our performance goals. If we chose to ignore the hazards, we may get lucky once or twice and avoid the 'water', but inevitable at some point we will end up seeing the 'ball' splashing into the middle of a 'lake'.

 

So next time an issue arises in your business, take time to think about the best approach to take, and remember the advice to golfers - "don't ignore the water".

The Influence of Natural Behaviour

The age-old argument about whether leaders are born or made will probably continue forever. Whatever the answer is, it is easy to see how the debate originated.

Leaders whose natural behaviour patterns are predisposed towards great leadership were no doubt born with those tendencies - and even though they will have developed skills along the way, it is their natural abilities that people will be drawn to. It stands to reason then that anyone who embarks upon a leadership role who lacks such innate qualities will have to work harder to develop the right leadership behaviours.

With that in mind (and steering well away from the born versus made discussion), it makes sense for those in leadership positions to regularly check their own natural behavioural responses, understand what these say about their own leadership style, and then reflect seriously on the development needed to ensure their behaviour is always aligned towards getting the best results from the people they lead.

I watched with interest earlier today when I observed a management team putting their natural behaviour patterns to the test. There were some interesting and valuable lessons learned.

In the exercise that had been prepared for them, the group were invited into a room where all the chairs had been stacked up behind yellow and black tape which carried the message "caution - do not cross". The team were invited to "Take a seat". Following a few confused glances, the instruction was repeated - although this time the invitation was to "Grab a chair". The responses were revealing - intuitively everyone knew that this was some sort of test. But the test was not so much about getting to the right answer as it was to assess the natural behaviour patterns that emerged in this staged setting.

Broadly speaking there were three categories of response.

Group A were happy to break the rules, or make up their own rules to achieve the result in as short a time as possible, or with the least amount of effort possible. They took chairs from behind the tape, sat on the floor, or refused to sit claiming that standing up was a much better option.
Group B explored other options to achieve the right result without breaking the rules. They went to find a chair from a different part of the office, brought it back into the room and sat on it.
Group C watched the other two groups, and tried to work out which camp they wanted to be with, then went with the majority.

The whole exercise was over in just a few minutes - but the leadership lessons learned had a profound impact. It was put to the group that their natural behavioural response to such a simple scenario is probably their natural response to any task, challenge, issue, or problem they face in their day-to-day role. So the questions they must ask themselves are -

• Do I willingly or inadvertently "break the rules" to get results?
• Do I make my own rules up, or 'move the goalposts' to suit myself?
• Do I often look for the easy option?
• Do I consistently challenge myself to get the right result in the right way without cutting corners or compromising the overall outcome for the team?
• Do I just follow others, or follow the path of least resistance?

Once all these questions have been answered, the most important question remains -

• What impact do my behavioural choices have on the performance of others?

The fact is that, whether born or made, leaders will only ever get the results they deserve based on the influence exerted from their own behaviour.

Reach for the Cello

During their current school year my eldest daughter's class has been given the opportunity to learn a stringed instrument. At the beginning of term she came home with a viola, and started practising the notes, scales and pieces of music she was being taught at school. Her initial enthusiasm quickly subsided though, and the viola spent more and more time in its case.

When asked why she wasn't as interested in her instrument now as she had been at first, she pointed out that she actually had her eye on the cello but was been beaten to it by a fellow student. She had tried to embrace the viola - but unfortunately she couldn't get quite as excited about it as she could the cello. She was quick to add though that the pupil who had selected the cello was no longer taking the music class, and as a result the cello remained in the cupboard un-used during the lessons.

This was an opportunity that was too good to miss. So with a little encouragement to boost her confidence, off she went to school the next day to "reach for the cello"! She asked her music teacher if she could switch instruments, and in so doing not only did she get to play the instrument she had wanted to play all along, but she also learned a valuable lesson about looking for and taking advantage of opportunities that present themselves - sometimes unexpectedly.

It is a lesson that we can all learn from. How often are we too wrapped up in day to day routine to even notice opportunities? How often do we spot them but fail to take decisive action, and the opportunity disappears? Or have we begun to accept things the way they are, and leave the opportunities for others instead?

There are opportunities all around us every day. Opportunities to learn and develop, opportunities to try something new, or travel somewhere we haven't been before. Business opportunities, job opportunities, the chance to help others, or volunteer to support a worthy cause, or simple social opportunities to enjoy time with others and enrich our life.

The question is - next time one of these opportunities makes itself available, will you "reach for the cello"?

High Performing Teams in Action

Once we begin to analyse it, we realise that there are many more interactions in every day business that involve teamwork than we may at first think.

It is easy to restrict our thinking to the traditional aspects of team performance, and only apply sound principles of team work in these formal settings. For example meetings, conferences, away days, and so on. But every time we want to drive a result that requires the contribution of a group of people it is imperative that we behave as a high performing team.

So what are the guiding principles that a high performing team would utilise on a day-to-day basis - even for completing mundane tasks?

Here are a few to consider,

Set a clear goal - an agreed definition of success at the outset. This will ensure that everyone is "on the same page", working towards the same result, and channeling all of their energy towards the agreed goal.
Securing collective "buy-in" and getting the best possible input from everyone. We will only ever see people's best work if they are totally committed to the job in hand. Once we have everyone's commitment we can divide up tasks based on strengths and abilities. Therefore the collective input will be efficient, and the engagement of the team will be stronger.
Work out a process for making decisions and controlling the tasks. Before jumping straight into the planning stage, a little time spent working out how decisions will be made and how progress will be monitored is a worthwhile investment. This will strengthen the "buy-in", and ultimately contribute to a stronger plan.
Dealing with conflict. We cannot kid ourselves that high performing teams have eliminated conflict and that is why they are effective. If anything, conflict is more likely to occur in high performing teams because of the level they are trying to achieve. If we want to reach similar heights we must embrace conflict, but at the same time work out how we will deal with it. Healthy conflict is a catalyst for better quality outputs - but where conflict is not handled appropriately it can be divisive and destructive.
Dealing with feelings. Whilst we always tap into peoples thoughts and ideas on how we should complete tasks, we should also consider how people are feeling. We should never move on until we understand the feelings in the group as emotion has a significant influence on the success of any task. Also, we should devise a process for "checking-in" to people's feelings throughout the task. If we don't, there is a risk that the hard earned commitment and "buy-in" secured earlier on may evaporate, leaving the task and the team in a vulnerable position.
Reviewing the outcomes and sharing honest feedback. The review stage of any plan is crucial to making ongoing business improvements - but when coupled with honest feedback on the contribution of the individuals involved, it can also support improvements in other aspects of the teams performance. Lessons learned on one task can be applied to future tasks, and transferable skills can be developed. Team bonds are strengthened, as is the understanding of how best to deploy the skills and abilities available. Ascertaining everyones views on the success of the task is crucial too. Celebrating successes - or celebrating the learnings from any mistakes that may have been made - are true hallmarks of any high performing team.

Three Pillars of High Performance

Our Environment

The environment we create for people is crucial to achieving success. Both the physical environment, and the way our business environment supports high performance, require constant attention.

The physical environment can be easily overlooked – but broken equipment, tired or out of date wall displays and scruffy furniture or decor, should receive prompt attention. It is unrealistic to expect people to perform at the pace and level we require if their place of work is not up to standard.

The business environment we create is equally as important. Is there sufficient encouragement for people to stretch themselves? Are people encouraged to voice their concerns and offer suggestions that will contribute to business growth?

Engagement, development and continuous improvement are the hallmarks of a professional business environment and are a firm foundation for high performance.

Our Professional Standards

We must clearly establish the standards of behaviour we expect. This starts with a basic work ethic. A good way to achieve this is to set an outstanding example of hard work and high performance ourselves. We should always model the behaviours we expect from others through our own attitude. If we are outwardly confident and optimistic that as a team we are on track to reach our destination everyone in the team is more likely to share our belief. If we avoid wasting time looking for excuses or blame, the people around us are more likely to focus on what can be done to move performance forward. They will feel more empowered to deliver the vital actions, remaining engaged in our business goals and stimulated by the difference they are making personally to the team performance.

Our Communication

The way we communicate will help us to bring our leadership brand to life, and make us accessible to the whole team.

We may face challenges involving our people, our customers, industry regulators, or the economy – to name a few. Will we be able to cope?  How can we instil confidence that our business model is equipped to respond to such challenges? Communicating regularly through a variety of media helps us to navigate the changes required along the journey. However, we should always deliver the most important, or difficult, messages personally – and ideally face to face – to answer questions, ease concerns, and reinforce our plan.

Our communication style is crucial to maintaining the focus and direction of our team so that everyone continues to drive collectively in the right direction.

But Why..?

This post has been contributed by Mark Stretton. Thanks very much Mark.

Anyone who is a parent, or who regularly spends time with children, or who is young enough to remember their own childhood will recognise the phrase "but why..?"

Why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Why does it get dark at night? And then, however comprehensive the answer that follows may be, it is punctuated by the incredibly challenging "but why?" question!

The answers are rather more complex than the innocence of the question. However the reason for the question remains the same and continues to be relevant at any stage in life. To seek an understanding, reason or purpose helps us to learn and develop, and fuel a desire to ask further unanswered questions which stimulates personal growth as we make our way through life.

However, as adults we can easily fall into the trap of not asking the question “why” as often as we should. Instead we may begin to accept people’s actions, orders and opinions, becoming conditioned by the status quo. This is dangerous for those in a position of leadership as they could become guilty of hindering the learning and development of the people in the team around them.

A colleague once said to me “My team have not performed for the last 2 months. I told them my plan and what they needed to do but they just don’t seem to be following what I said, I can't understand it.”

Their statement raises some interesting questions -

• Has that manager fallen into the trap of telling his team what they need to do without providing a compelling reason why?
• Did that manager seek out the reasons why his team would feel the plan was important to them?
• Could that manager have involved his team in constructing the plan to create the reason why for themselves?

Even the greatest leaders don't expect people to follow their direction based on blind credulity - the reason "why" is always of paramount importance and must always be communicated clearly, or arrived at as a team, before moving forward. By providing people with the opportunity to understand "why" early enough in any action, process or goal, we build confidence and belief that they are contributing to something worthwhile and making a difference, and therefore they are more likely to own it and deliver it successfully.

Is Your Perspective Fresh Enough?

We all have different points of view. That's what makes life interesting, teams dynamic, and solutions creative.

Recognising that diversity is an essential ingredient of success, we often look outside of our immediate group to get a "fresh perspective" when we feel we need some inspiration, reassurance, or simply an alternate view. How often though, do we check our own perspective? Indeed, is it possible to check and, if necessary, freshen up our own perspective from time to time? Who would we go to for a perspective "health check"?

These questions came to mind when I overheard two managers discussing a meeting they had both been invited to. One of them as asking the other why he hadn't attended the meeting, the response to which was "why should I attend a meeting that doesn't add value?" They both had an interesting perspective, and obviously they both felt that theirs was correct, which meant that they didn't necessarily agree with each other.

Interestingly, it could be argued that both were right - but to secure the best outcome, an alignment of perspective was needed. Everyone involved in the meeting should have attended it with the aim of adding value, and if they had achieved that goal then the conversation I overheard would never have happened. In reality though one thought he was right for attending as requested despite the fact that the meeting may have been low on value, and the other thought he was right to stay away because of the lack of value. Nothing had been resolved - but dangerously two opposing mindsets had been forged that will influence their perspectives in future, and hinder productivity.

How can a fresh perspective be achieved in such situations?

Firstly, whenever something feels like it hasn't gone as well as it might have done, we need to reflect on how a better outcome might have been achieved. We should challenge ourselves by assessing our own perspective to see if it needs freshening up. If necessary we can ask others to help by providing feedback, or discussing the situation to identify ways we could handle it differently by gauging their perspective.

It is easy to walk away in the belief that we are right, and justify our actions accordingly. But if we truly want to achieve high performance we will pause and ask ourselves whether our own perspective is fresh enough to make a difference, or create an impact that adds real value.

Twenty-three Minute "Hours"

According to Parkinson's Law, "work expands to fill the time available for its completion". If we are honest we all know this to be true. Whether it's because we don't set a deadline, or we don't put ourselves under enough pressure to meet a stretching deadline, we tend to be less efficient the longer we think we have available to us to complete a task.

Good managers know this to be true too - and that's why they set timescales and deadlines for key actions and projects to ensure that they are delivered efficiently. But maybe good managers could take a step towards becoming great leaders if they went a stage further, and helped those in their team challenge the way they structure their time in everyday activities - not just in meeting key deadlines.

The principle behind Parkinson's Law has also been defined as, "the amount of time in which one has to perform a task is the amount of time it will take to complete said task". I thought about this as I observed managers conducting team meetings, and one to ones. Every session seemed to be booked for an hour - and as a general rule each session took an hour, regardless of the size of the agenda, the type of meeting, the nature of the one to one, or indeed, the individual concerned. So by allowing an arbitrary hour for every session, it appeared that an hour was used. Expanding this method of diary planning to every task in a managers diary would mean that, on average, only 7 or 8 tasks per day can be completed. That may be enough to 'get the job done', but is it enough to achieve truly high performance?

I asked the group of managers how they would plan their diaries if each hour was made up of, not sixty minutes, but twenty-three? And how many tasks per day they would be able to complete if that were the case?  (Don't ask why I chose twenty-three - it just seemed a random enough number to get my point across!) Initially they thought it somewhat bizarre that I had dared to challenge the way we measure time - after all we have been doing it that way for such a long time - but they quickly understood that the efficiency with which we complete tasks is entirely up to us and the way we plan, schedule and discipline our use of that most precious of commodities.

So if it feels like high performance is something that can only be achieved if we have the time - just think about how much quicker our performance goals could be achieved if we invested in high quality impact twenty-three minute "hours". Then all we need to do is work out how we will spend the other thirty-seven minutes!

Performance "Super Heroes"

Wouldn't it be fantastic if you had a team of super heroes!

Imagine how much work would get done if one member of your team could move at the speed of light, how effective planning would be if someone had the gift of time-travel, and how strong engagement would be if somebody else had supersonic hearing. By now your imagination will be running wild - invisibility, flight, x-ray vision...with powers like these high performance would be guaranteed.

I discussed this concept with a leadership group recently. I asked them how they would use their chosen super-power to improve the performance in their team. The results were very interesting.

For example, a manager with the ability to travel through time said he would go back to the beginning of the day and provide a slightly different focus - but the response to him was "what is stopping you going straight back to your team now with that message?" True, he couldn't travel through time - but neither should another second be wasted once he realised action is required.

Another with the power to move at the speed of light wanted to get all her e-mails out of the way so that she could focus on the more important things. This was met with a challenge to go and prioritise the really important work anyway - the e-mails would still be there afterwards, and if anything in her inbox was truly urgent then the sender would probably call her to get a quicker response.

Invisibility created an interesting discussion. The ability to "spy" on staff to see what they were really doing seemed very appealing! But why would they not be doing the right things anyway? Any manager who doubts that their team carry out the instructions they pass on the minute their back is turned must have serious communication shortcomings, and must not spend enough time observing their team and following up actions. If people genuinely do 'switch off' when the boss isn't looking then maybe they are in the wrong job and with some honest reflection the manager will admit that they know this to be the case and they should act immediately. Whatever the issues are, a 'cloak of invisibility' is not really necessary to manage and lead people to deliver the right results. A manager can find out all they need to know in an open, and very visible, way.

And so it went on. As each "super-power" was discussed, the managers in the group realised that they already possess the powers and abilities they need to achieve their desired outcome. And they don't need to be an imaginary comic-strip character to have a super-powered impact on performance.

So why not take a closer look at your team - you may find that you already have a team of "super-heroes"!

Will Last Years Top Performers Be This Years Top Performers?

Does this question ever really get debated in any real depth - or do managers tend to presume that the answer is yes, and move on to what they perceive to be bigger priorities? However, those priorities could change swiftly and dramatically if last years top performers were to go "off the boil" this year!

Whilst those who performed well last year may be naturally gifted and motivated people, they still need to be managed, encouraged and coached in order to sustain a high performance over the longer term. It would be a mistake to treat them as 'nailed on' performers for the coming year - in fact we may need to support them as much as our weaker performers over the next few weeks. We should pay particular attention to the subtle changes that may be needed to ensure we get a repeat of 2010 performance in 2011.

Most business plans will change, albeit slightly in many cases, from one year to the next. Emphasis may switch to different products, markets or delivery channels - and as the game changes so does the way we need to play it to maintain high performance. The transition of our top performers through this period of subtle change can prove to be 'blind spot' if we simply leave them to it.

Top performers work out their success formula and are able to apply it consistently week after week and month after month. They can find it tough to achieve this year after year though because of the game changes made in business focus - and they find to their cost that doing things that have worked really well in the past don’t always work as well in the future. They can easily get frustrated, wondering why the results are not coming in when they haven't changed their approach which has always been successful in the past. But that could be the issue - not changing may have been the only mistake they made.

Genuine top performers are very capable of working out what the subtle changes are that will help them to sustain their high performance in 2011. But just in case they need our help, it is still worth us spending some time pondering the question - will last years top performers be this years top performers in my team? 

It's Easier to Follow an Example

It is well documented that all great leaders have vision. The stronger and clearer it is, the easier it is for others to follow. It must be said though, that however clear a vision is, people will always find it easier to follow the example that is set for them.

So if we are responsible for leading others we must accept that the example we set is absolutely critical to getting the right response from our people. Continually setting the best example to create the biggest impact must be our focus.

High profile political or religious leaders may well be able to sustain their leadership on a vision - but day-to-day leadership is a different matter. People may buy into our vision for the business, or the team they are a part of - but on a daily basis they are much more likely to follow our example first & our vision second. That puts the onus on us to "practice what we preach".

There are many ways we can do this - but here are just a few of the things we must do to set the right example as a leader and take people with us on our performance journey.

Setting & communicating clear goals. All leaders talk about the importance of goals - but how good is our example? Goals are very important to motivation, and creating a strong group environment. Having the right goals in place will drive customer service, regulatory compliance, financial performance, staff engagement, and loyalty to the team and its business. Are we a goal-oriented leader? Do we outline clear goals for our people that they can easily understand and buy into? Are they goal-oriented as a result?

Spend time establishing and explaining the targets of the group. Whilst the goals may capture the "why" - why the team exists, why the team is important, why we all want to be part of it... The specific targets and milestones we set are more focused on the "what" and the "how". By working through these as a team, the planning process begins immediately and potential solutions to any problems, challenges or issues that are identified can be identified more readily and with the buy in of the whole group. Do we communicate targets with a "don't shoot the messenger" approach? Or do we set the right example by providing a facilitative, collaborative approach?

Develop an effective network. However strong a leader is they will seldom have all the answers themselves. In fact some leaders deliberately surround themselves with people who they view as better than them so that the quality of 'answers' is better than they would have provided personally. It is important to set the right example in developing a network of people we can learn from to give us a performance 'edge'. The more people who follow that example in our team the greater the combined impact on business performance will be. How good an example are we setting? Do we claim to have all the answers? Or do we just claim to know where to look to find all the answers?

Having a great vision is a perfect start point - but we do well to remember that people will always find our example easier to follow.

Leadership Do's and Dont's

Over the past few days I am sure that you have heard a number of people begin sentences with phrases like, "I've been reflecting over the holidays" or "Having thought about last year..." often followed by their new year resolutions, their master plan for success in 2011, or maybe just some simple common sense observations on what they intend to be better at throughout the coming year. The turn of a new year is a common time for self reflection and affords an opportunity to look forward at ways we can improve ourselves, our skills, our relationships and our performance.

 

Those of us who are leaders of others especially need to reflect on whether the way we lead our team through the coming weeks and months will be effective in delivering our performance goals as a group. To that end here are a few do's and dont's to stimulate our reflection process and help to set a successful leadership course for 2011.

 

Leadership Do's

 

• Lead by example
• Demonstrate high integrity, trust and honesty
• Stay focused on the bigger picture
• Set clear goals and monitor progress
• Be accountable
• Take control without being controlling
• Treat people as individuals
• Recognise strengths in others and use them accordingly
• Listen and empathise
• Be proactive - take ownership to make a difference
• Believe in change - be an agent for change
• Seek feedback from and learn from others
• Be adaptable
• Accept challenge
• Create a team of “leaders” not “followers”

 

Leadership Dont's

 

• Don’t say one thing and do another
• Don’t get bogged down in day to day issues
• Don’t make or tolerate excuses
• Don’t focus on task over culture
• Don’t just count the ‘widgets’
• Don’t criticise
• Don’t mock or disregard any ideas or suggestions
• Don’t forget the power of a great team
• Don’t avoid the difficult conversations
• Don’t settle into a “comfort zone”
• Don’t get distracted
• Don’t react negatively under pressure
• Don't always accept things the way they are – challenge the status quo
• Don’t tolerate destructive comments or behaviours