How is productivity measured in your workplace? I started my career in public accounting at a time when tracking the number of hours worked and billed was the prime measurement of productivity. It was also at a time when middle management, the teachings of Peter Drucker and the rise of the “manager” fell out of favor. Management became an “at risk” line item in the budget. Can you imagine that given our business environment today?
For almost two decades, production gained traction as the primary goal of business. Focusing on people was an afterthought in some cases. Combine that with the explosion of technological gains coming so fast that a huge gap of adaptability was beginning. Meanwhile, there was turmoil brewing in many businesses. Mergers and acquisitions became the norm in the early 90’s and as the market heated up, so did the highs and lows of business. People lost jobs at a rapid rate, especially in the small business market.
A lot has changed since then; the focus today is back on the importance of the manager. This individual is first and foremost a leader of people and second understands how the business works. Being a manager today is one of the most difficult – and rewarding – positions in business. This was the case before the pandemic.
With the high pace and stresses of business, it is not uncommon to find some leaders and team members stagnating, performing poorly or finding it difficult to engage with work. This is leading to:
- High performers shouldering the extra load
- High performers are often ignored as the attention goes to the poor performers
- High performers leaving due to lack of challenges or stagnation in their role
At a time when talent retention = sustainability and profitable growth, you should:
- Rank your team A, B, C to better understand who is performing well, needs improvement, or is not performing well (keep it simple)
- Identify your successor and protect that individual (we often overload these people)
- Conduct an audit of the individuals needing support (typically 2/3 of team team)
- Select which individuals who need to receive performance coaching (typically 1/3 of the team)
- Turnaround or accelerate the performance of the team using one-page plans and accountability (100% of the team)
Reach out to me with any questions or for help. I have successfully done this for a variety of businesses and would love to work with yours.