by Diana Southall | Nov 15, 2016 | coaching, Delegation, job role, performance
Lately I have been sharing with you resources to 1) Clarify the best use of your time, 2) Create a delegation wish list of your “stop doing” tasks, and 3) Identify to whom to delegate this list.
By delegating, you are creating a “win” for you AND a “win” for you high performers.
Your high performers crave challenging assignments and want to know they are being developed for future growth.
In fact, “opportunities” to develop is the number one retainer and engager of your top people- the least expensive and most powerful reward your organization has to build your A team.
To continue your delegation journey, I created a 18 minute video to show you the whole process. The development action plan process gets all employees working towards goals that benefit them and the company.
Watch the 18 minute Video: Develop High Potentials with Action Plans
(The video shows not only how action plans benefit your best performers, but also the average Jane and the lowest performer as well!)
So go ahead, give up something off your list in January and watch your people grow!
by Diana Southall | Oct 6, 2015 | coaching, culture, job fit, performance
Many organizations realize that “prior job experience” is only one element that determines success in a job role.
Since 82% of managers are in the wrong job— mid-size and large employers are looking toward other indicators to use for selection, career paths, training and development.
(more…)
by Diana Southall | Aug 21, 2015 | action plans, job fit
How do you possibly find out the needs and motivators for each person on your team, and then maximize their strengths and give them what they desire?
After all, your team is made of individuals, all with their own strengths, weaknesses (or as I like to call them, “areas of non-fit”), personality quirks and idiosyncrasies.
As a client’s manager once phrased it, “we have 100 people and we have 100 different personalities! I realize I have to treat each one differently.” Truer words were never spoken, Bill C.
Fortunately, even though every person might need a different approach and respond to individualize coaching, you can start the “strength building process” by categorizing in two key areas: performance and commitment.
In fact, I designed a template that allows you to profile your team on these two key elements, and then created a matching “Action Plan” focus for each one.
Every time I use this “blueprint” with clients, a lightbulb goes off about at least one employee “Oh, that is why I am struggling with this person” or “Oh no, I should have that conversation I have been putting off soon—they might be looking for another job.”
Mapping out your team also helps you prioritize your coach efforts for fast results or avoiding a disaster — by focusing on the most urgent situations first. (A word of caution, don’t ignore the middle for too long, but that is for another blog article.)
We use this proven tool with clients to focus and prioritize weekly coaching conversations for maximum benefit (as part of the development action plan process).
How to get started mapping your team
- Download your copy of the People + Performance Profiler here
- Read the instructions to create your People Profile
After mapping your team, start the discussion and development action plan process to find out what each person wants from your job, and jointly create the path to get there.
If you develop the trust and the relationship with positive and appreciative discussions, they will tell you what motivates and engages them so you can give it to them.
Image provided by stock images, freedigitalimages.net
by Diana Southall | Aug 10, 2015 | Delegation
We have all been there, whether you are a “control freak” or “perfectionist” who struggles with the handoff, or a great delegator who regularly gives away routine work.
You start doing something and you just know that someone else could do it.. perhaps should do it.. perhaps does it better. Yet, you rationalize that you will do it faster, she is busy, you don’t want to bother / distract him, you waited too long and now it’s urgent, or my favorite- it will only take a few minutes.
Is this an issue, perhaps not.
But, you are a candidate for more delegation if:
- You are exhausted/ overworked/ burnt out doing work you don’t enjoy
- You want to spend more time in your “circle of genius” and do things you actually enjoy
- Your business revenue has flat-lined, or is losing customers or opportunities because you haven’t implemented those big plans you have
- Your high potential people are leaving after a few year
Why should you delegate— in case you need reminding:
- Your time is available to focus on high value long-term activities to grow, scale or optimize your business
- By delegating, you develop the skills of your team members, which is actually the number one reward and the reason they stay with your company
- Your brief initial time “investment” pays dividends over time
If you think about investing your time to show someone a task that takes you “only 1 hour a month”
=1 hour training + 15 minutes verifying/ clarifying / training x 4 weeks = 2 hours invested in another person’s development versus 12 hours of your time year (6x your initial investment)!
You know you “should”—if you would like the “how” click here to read my article “Too Busy? 5 Steps to Delegate More”
by Diana Southall | Aug 7, 2015 | action plans, coaching, culture
A new software for small business owners is called “17 hats” – and I think this accurately reflects the roles of a small business owner. You are chief everything officer (sales, people, operations, marketing, accounting, customer service), cheerleader and spokesperson, and as my family says “chief bottlewasher!” (if it needs to get done, you will do it.)
So it is no wonder you feel like you don’t have time to coach your team members monthly (much less weekly).
And no doubt some people on your team are easier to coach than others, so you tend to procrastinate in delivering feedback or talking about what would challenge and motivate them.
The data is clear—employees don’t just want daily task discussions (called “Managing by Wandering Around” by Tom Peters)—
Employees want to know how they can contribute, what is the purpose of their work, feedback on results, and that there are opportunities to develop and maximize their strengths at your organization.
This means you need a development plan for each person, coupled with regular two-way discussion on their aspirations and challenging assignments that meet their desired career path. (That is what we mean when we say “coaching.”)
If all of your conversations center around “what are you working on today” then they feel ignored, and will lose interest, commitment, and engagement in your job. (Reminds me of the joke – “I feel like a mushroom, left in the dark and fed manure.”)
Ultimately these unnoticed people will seek employment elsewhere where they can feel appreciated, a sense of accomplishment and contribution.
Or worse, stay in your job as “actively disengaged” working against your team. (Read my article—Want Employees to Tune Out? Ignore Them to find out the huge cost of the disengaged).
Every small business owner or manager can be a motivational, positive, and appreciative leader and implement a rhythm of weekly coaching conversations.
You just need a blueprint and training, and the willingness to learn and get outside your comfort zone to start having real conversations with your staff.
