A quick way to boost business performance

Most leaders are good at providing feedback to their teams.

Do more of this, do less of this... it isn't rocket science.

But, what happens when you leave out the 'do more of this' statement?

I see this from time to time. A busy and frustrated manager complains about what they don't want but fail to make it explicit what is wanted.

All that happens in this situation is dwindling motivation. The people in question (it is rarely aimed at an individual, in my experience) start to wonder what is the right course of action.

They second guess. They procrastinate. They doubt their own abilities.

And, what's the result for the business? Whilst I can't guarantee an answer, it is likely that high performance is the default answer.

So, what can you do if you see this happening in your organisation?

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An easy first step is to make sure that clear direction regarding what is wanted is provided.

The second step would be to look at the ratio of statements. How many clear, precise statements of what is wanted versus the quantity of complaints. Once you have a feel for it, see if you can encourage your colleagues to spend more time clarifying what it is that they want and less time shouting about how hopeless their team are.

Being clear about what you want is the central message in my book What Does Good Look Like?

If you want some more ideas about getting the best out of your teams, and the results they produce, then I urge you to take a look.

In the meantime, see if you can help your teams to become clear about what they want and then communicating that with their colleagues.

Food for thought?

Giles

About the author:

Giles Johnston is a Chartered Engineer who specialises in helping businesses to grow and improve through better business processes and embracing Kaizen.

Giles is also the author of Effective Root Cause Analysis and 'What Does Good Look Like?'.

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