CEO at The Persimmon Group➣Preparing Leaders for Tomorrow➣Keynote Speaker➣Executive Coach➣Management Consultant
As I consult with clients across industries, I see people working hard. But I also see wasted effort. The waste occurs because team members did not have a clear end-state. Instead, they create a lot of action through goal setting. The caution is that action does not equal progress. To help you, here is the outcome-driven technique I use with my team and clients. When executed well, it can improve performance immediately. 1. Start with the end in mind and describe what it looks like. Goal setting is valuable. It measures action well–but it assumes that if X happens, Y will occur. For example, if you take a project management class, then you will be a better project manager. You can see how this plays out. The person enrolls in and takes the project management course, and then checks the box. Goal completed. But why take the course? What if the intent was this instead: “By the end of June, I need you to be leading x kind of project without me needing to be involved in its daily operations”? This helps better establish what success would look like for the individual. This approach defines the end state and the why we are seeking in their development. In doing so, it changes the conversation from “attend a course” (where it assumes I know the solution) to “how do we help you achieve that?” (which engages the person to define potential solutions). 2. After the end is established, discuss options to achieve it. This step is a key difference from most performance reviews, because instead of the leader defining the action (if…then…), it places accountability on the individual to think about what and where they need development to “get there.” Is it a course? Is it shadowing another person? Is it a confidence challenge? By approaching this through establishing what the end state looks like, the review shifts into a coaching discussion where root causes and options are defined and refined, creating a better plan to pursue. 3. Establish goals to measure progress toward the end state. This is when goals become useful. They establish points along the way to check progress toward the agreed-upon outcome. If a goal is met, then we should reflect to see if it helped move toward the end state. If it did not, then an additional action or goal may be needed. In the example above, if the person did complete the project management course, but they are not ready to lead the project without your involvement, then why? Did the course not address their development need? Is there still something else needed to get them ready to lead? The shift from goal-leading to outcome-driven performance development is profound. It is not easy or fast on the front-end. It requires more conversation and coaching. But in the long run, by engaging the team members in their development, the quality and value of their performance will improve substantially. #leadfortomorrow #outcomes