Practical Performance Improvement

Rod Matthews

• Publisher: Business Expert Press
• Year: 2018
• ISBN:
  9781948198059
• Topic: Negocios y empresa
• Subtopic: Liderazgo

Anyone who is responsible for the supervision and performance of a team in an organizationwill appreciate the practical management strategies outlined in this book. In a refreshing, humorous, and engaging approach, it aims to reduce the stress associated with the leadership of a team of people and improve the likelihood that things get done right, the first time. The author provides great insight and practical exercises on how to be an exceptional manager and team leader. In a step-by-step approach, this book will help you be better at coaching and developing team members, setting direction for your team, and enhancing performance and engagement. A must read for all first-time managers/team leaders who want to get the best out of their team.

CHAPTER 1

But It’s Not My Job . . . It’s Theirs!

Are You Interested in Improving the Performance of Your Team Members?

Now I can understand at the beginning of a book such as this, that you might be thinking a number of different things to yourself. For example, you might be thinking:

“Thanks very much but I don’t have the time. If you could see the thickness of my in-tray, if you could count the number of e-mails that are stacking up at this very moment, if you knew the number of people who are looking for me . . .”

“. . . in your average organization 40 percent of work is rework! 40 percent of the work that the average person does in the average organization exists because something didn’t go right the first time.”

Or you might be thinking . . .

“Managing people is not rocket science. Either they can do the job or they can’t. If they can, then great, they get paid. If they can’t, then fine, they get sacked!”

Or you might be thinking . . .

“Listen, I’ve been around a bit. I’ve worked for a number of different organizations in a number of different capacities. What could this book possibly hold for me that I don’t already know?”

No matter what you are thinking or feeling at this point, a number of things are true. This book that you hold in your hands and have chosen to read this far, is an excellent opportunity to do a number of things:

1. Look at what can be done to reduce the stress and frustration sometimes associated with dealing with team members who, at best, seem to be operating under a different agenda to yours, or at worst, seem to be keen to sabotage what it is you are trying to do.

2. Identify what it is that can be done to increase the likelihood that we get things right the first time. I remember reading an article where a consultant organization had done some research into organizations. The upshot of the article was that in your average organization 40 percent of work is rework! 40 percent of the work that the average person does in the average organization exists because something didn’t go right the first time.

Imagine how much extra time, money, energy, equipment, and brain space you would have on your hands if we could reduce this by 10 percent . . . even 5 percent!!!

3. This book also identifies what makes the difference! What makes the difference between a good manager of people and an excellent manager of people. An exceptional manager. A manager who clearly stands out head and shoulders above the rest.

Think for a moment about all the managers you know of, who you would consider to be good or better. They could be people you work with as peers, people who you report to or people who report to you.

If I asked you to take out the ones that just made “good” so you are left with the “very good” or better, the list would be shrinking.

Now if I asked you to take out the ones that just made “very good,” so you are left with only the “exceptional,” chances are that there are very few people you can think of. And those that you do know stand out clearly. You probably even thought of them first.

So this book is an excellent opportunity to identify what it is that the “excellent” or “exceptional” manager does that the “good” doesn’t. And how to do more of the excellent and less of the average.

Try this quick quiz . . .

Have You Ever . . .?

	Tick where appropriate
. . . been frustrated by underperforming team members?
. . . found it difficult to manage people when you are understaffed?
. . . wanted to reduce the amount of time you spend doing and redoing your team members’ work?
. . . wondered how the inspirational leader maintains a high level of commitment from their team while avoiding stress and burnout?
. . . lost a high-performing team member because they were bored with the job?
. . . resigned from a manager more than from a job, and want to make sure that good team members don’t resign because of you?
. . . been frustrated by people? For example: Their response when you have asked them to do something?
. . . wondered what could be done to ensure your team members’ morale remains high?
. . . had to lead a team of people who were at different developmental levels and wanted to ensure that you were a consistent yet flexible leader?
. . . considered how much easier your job would be as a leader when you have a highly competent and completely committed team working with you?
. . . delivered feedback to a team member, which they took the wrong way?
. . . wondered how you could free yourself up from day-to-day managing and increase the time you spend dealing with more strategic concerns?

If you ticked any of the above then you’re not Robinson Crusoe. Many team leaders and managers find themselves caught in a vicious cycle. Constantly busy with day-to-day operations, crises, and responding to deadlines. They are left with little or no time for tasks like planning, strategy, developing tactics, establishing systems, and developing the ability and motivation of their team.

Some Important Management Lessons

But first allow me to introduce myself. I left school, I guess like many people leave school, and that is with no clear understanding as to what I wanted to do after school. Fortunately, in some respects, I just got enough marks to go to university. So I went for a whole year and failed abysmally.

The reason I failed abysmally is because I found it very hard to fit any study into the hectic social calendar you have to keep when living on campus.

Two days before an exam or assignment due date, I would think to myself, “Ok Rod, if you’re going to cram an entire terms worth of work, now is the time to start!” So I would set myself up. Books in reachable distance, mug of coffee on the boil, and I’ve popped a couple of “No-Doze” pills (“No-Doze” pills are 100 mg of caffeine. They are evil things! I’m sure truckies take them! You can feel the hairs on the back of your neck growing after a couple of these). A couple of these and you are going to stay awake for a good few hours yet!

Just as I was about to put pen to paper, there would be a knock at the door.

“Rod, we’re going to the pub. What are you doing?”

“Give me two minutes. I’ll be with you.”

Now there were people at the university who were able to both kill brain cells on a nightly basis and pass with honors. I was not one of them. The idea at the end of the first year Uni was to get a job for a year and earn enough to put myself through second and third year.

I remember telling this to one of my tutors before I left. She responded with, “Well Rod, it was nice knowing you!”

I asked, “What do you mean?”

She replied, “90 percent of people who defer studies at the end of their first year do not come back. So . . . it was nice knowing you Rod!”

Obviously she had a little more experience with that than I did, . . . and she turned out to be right. I didn’t go back. Instead, I found a job in a bank, got very used to having money in the wallet, and enjoyed an entry-level job that allowed me to continue with the party lifestyle.

Working the Farm

The bank is where I first came into contact with the concept of performance management. I was promoted up several levels in the bank and finally got to a management position. I can remember thinking to myself, “Fantastic! I’m going to be the best manager that ever lived.”

What I decided to do was to meet the person I was replacing and ask a few questions about team direction, personalities, abilities etc. I phoned the person in question and we tried to find a common time in our diaries for a handover-type meeting.

The only time we could find was Friday afternoon, after lunch, on her last day in the job. Now, I don’t know what it’s like where you work, but in the bank in those days Friday afternoon was already an excuse to have an “executive lunch break.” Add to that the fact that it was someone’s last day and there was no argument. A liquid lunch it was!

Needless to say, the meeting was close to useless. The person I was meeting with was smashed and the meeting was interrupted every 10 minutes by someone coming in to say goodbye and hugs and kisses and promises to keep in touch . . . the whole tragedy.

“No farmer in their right mind is going to leave a season’s worth of work until the last 2 days in the season.”

Toward the end of the meeting Robyn pulled out a manila folder and placed it on the desk in front of us.

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