WHAT GETS MEASURED, GETS MANAGED

I heard this saying years ago. “You can’t manage it if you can’t measure it.” Fundamentally I took it to mean you need to monitor important things so you can tell if actual performance matches expected performance. Most people would agree that we should measure things like sales, safety and quality, but there are other important things that are much harder to measure, but we should still try.

Three really important parts of any organisation are its culture, the engagement of its employees and the satisfaction of its customers. With all three you should start by determining what your expectation is. State what sort of culture you want, how much you want your staff to care and how much you want your customers to love you. These kinds of things may be captured by what your organisation’s vision is, but this is not essential.

Next, do your best to take stock of each one. Try to get a handle on how you are performing, even if it is hard and not perfect. In terms of culture, ask your staff to list three words that they would use to tell an outsider what it is like to work at your place.

With regards to the engagement of your staff, look at absenteeism and staff turnover and observe morale. Another idea is to conduct an exit interview (usually done after a person resigns), while they still work for you! Ask what is good about working for you and what could be better.

When it comes to customer satisfaction we should be monitoring repeat business and asking questions like “would you recommend us to others?”. There are formalised approaches like the Net Promoter Score (Google to find out more) or just be bold enough to ask your customers how you are going.

Measuring the things that matter, comparing actual to expected performance, means that you can recognise and praise the good stuff and take corrective action on the not so good.

FIVE THINGS TO HELP YOU GO FROM ‘GOOD TO GREAT’

I often get asked about good books to read about business, management and leadership. High on my list is ‘Good to Great’* by Jim Collins. In this modern classic Collins claims that ‘good is the enemy of great.’ He covers the things that some companies do to make the leap from being good to being great.

I am aware that the term ‘great’ is subjective, but in his book he defines it according to a range of measures, including superior financial performance over a long period of time. He then looks at this group of ‘great’ organisations and identifies the traits that stand them apart. Here is my take on the main points he makes.

1. Discipline matters. Disciplined people, disciplined thoughts and disciplined actions. A culture of determination and focus can lead to great.

2. Leadership matters. The quality and the nature of leadership in the organisation will determine its level of greatness.

3. Who matters more than what. The quality of the people in the team, particularly the leadership team, is vital. The right people need to be in the right positions.

4. Keep it simple. Work out what you can be best at, work out what you can make money from and work out what you are passionate about. Then do that.

5. Build momentum gradually. Success rarely happens suddenly. Momentum is built by small wins and positive actions which in turn increase the engagement and loyalty of staff.

If you work for a good organisation, good for you. But what can you do to make the leap towards great?

More people on their way to highly effective leadership!

Another great Manger 2 Leader workshop today (19.6.14). People from a wide range of industry sectors - health, manufacturing, engineering, hospitality, consulting, disability support, community - and what they all have in common is the desire to be the best they can! Proud to serve them.

WHAT HAPPENS IF I INVEST IN PEOPLE AND THEY LEAVE?

The number one responsibility of a leader is to grow and develop other people. I believe that a leader should be judged not by how many followers they have, but by how many other leaders they create.

As someone who encourages aspiring leaders to focus on lifting the performances of others, I often get asked "what happens if I train them, then they leave?". My response is usually along the lines of "what happens if you don't develop them and they stay?".

I saw a quote by Sir Richard Branson recently that support this. "Train people well enough so they can leave, treat them well enough so they don't want to."

Developing skills and competencies is one thing (and important by the way), but creating an environment and culture where they feel valued, where they feel that they contribute and belong, means that they are less likely to look elsewhere.

There is strong evidence that links the commitment of the leader to the growth and development of employees with the level of engagement that the employees have.

What will your legacy of leadership be? Were you more focused on creating leaders than followers?

YOU'RE GOING TO LOVE THIS HOT GOSSIP!

 So, there are several reasons why you could be reading this. First, you like reading the leadership blogs. Second, you thought there was going to be some hot gossip. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume it was the first!

You see, we love gossip. We can't get enough of it. Sometimes it's harmless. Most likely, it is leading to and/or reinforcing a toxic culture in your workplace, and that's anything but harmless.

Gossip, rumour and innuendo rarely lead to anything good. They might be a bit of light entertainment or escape but to be quite frank there is no place for them in an organisation that is trying to build a strong, positive culture.

So, what can you do about it? I reckon the most effective approach is the direct one. Say "enough is enough and we are not going to do it any more". In a team meeting you discuss what has been happening and the harm that it causes. You then ask for a commitment from your people that involves three things.

1. They no longer participate in gossip. The rule should be don't say anything about someone that you wouldn't say in front of them.

2. They refuse to participate in it. When someone tries to drag them into a conversation, they excuse themselves.

3. They call others on it. "That's gossip and it's not helping us build a positive culture and it should stop", or similar.

It's the leader's role to say "enough is enough" when it comes to gossip. It takes courage, but it's worth it.

Cheers

Greg