Job Performance-Owners are NOT exempt

We know there is always room for improvement both in our professional and personal lives. Any self help section of our local bookstore would have us believe that each problem that exists can be remedied in 5-10 easy steps yet, we also know that problems are complex and change is difficult.

In my experience as a business consultant and coach, I understand that the problems we recognize tend to be limited in scope. This, of course, is also true in our personal lives as anyone who has ever heard their spouse or close friend elaborate on the "other problems' we have. It's difficult to hear where we fall short; it's a natural human tendency to get defensive and dismissive. But it is also true that those around us who see us in action have an important and unique perspective that, if we can receive more objectively, can help us improve.

Business owners are invested in the success of their business much in the same way that a parent is with their children. After all, the business is their creation and every decision and risk taken is designed to add success. Because the attachment to the business and its outcome are great, many owners have difficulty seeing problem areas clearly. As you read on, I share some thoughts about this important topic.

Staff performance is also critical to any business as we all know too well. The best product or service will not succeed without staff who are well trained and bring a desire to assist the company towards greater success. Problems with staff require a great deal of time to manage and hopefully correct which detracts from the other duties of managers and owners. Anyone who has had even one difficult employee can attest to the disruption this causes in day to day operations.

There are a few important elements to offset staff problems. Selecting the best employees is the first step to creating loyal and motivated team members. This is not always possible due to scarcity or lack of financial resources to attract the best candidates. Offering ongoing training, not just in technical skills or company expectations but in interpersonal skills is extremely effective in enhancing performance and improving the workplace environment. The goal is to create a team; one person rowing against the others will cause the vessel to go off track or worse.

Some other key areas for employess are listed below. Bear in mind the reseach tells us that of the top 10 reasons employees quit or are fired relate to interpersonal problems and poor work habits, not lack of technical skill. Ongoing evaluation of needs, training and team building are obviously critical.

No single article can capture the complexities of a topic such as this one. Please provide your comments and questions. We can all learn from one another.

 Your Own Job Performance

As business owners we may not think of our own “job performance”. We more likely think of profit and loss, of growth and competition and of the multitude of other responsibilities associated with being an owner.
However, just like our staff, we are accountable to managing our time, meeting goals and deadlines etc. There are likely responsibilities that we put off, complete halfheartedly, and some we may avoid altogether. By being in charge we may overlook our deficiencies and not recognize the need to improve and change.

Here are some steps to better assess your own performance to address problem areas:

1. Outline your responsibilities
2. Rate your effectiveness and efficiency in each category. Identify your strengths and places where you need to improve.
3. Take into consideration the comments of your staff. Perhaps you have a mechanism to allow staff to give their opinions on your strengths and weaknesses and those of the company.
4. Talk with your executive team. Be willing to accept their comments; it’s not a matter of agreeing or disagreeing.
5. Identify goals to improve your performance. Enlist the support and resources you need. Investing in yourself not only provides a powerful model to your staff, but it’s the best investment you can make in your business.

The Performance of Your Staff

Anytime we evaluate staff we look at typical factors including productivity, quality of work, adherence to company policies, attitude, perception of others etc... There are other indicators related to performance which are of equal, if not greater value.

1. How well is your employee learning? If they are new this will be more focused on their new role. For others, are they continuing to grow in their knowledge and expertise of their work? Of the mission and expectations of the company?
2. How much and to what extent are they contributing to the company? If you have created an environment of open exchange of ideas, are they getting involved beyond the confines of their role?
3. How well do they represent your company to external customers whether they’re in direct service or not? Your staff interfaces with customers, vendors and other businesses on a routine basis. Do you contact external sources for feedback?

It is time consuming to gather data of this type; however, evaluating is not complete when done in the traditional, check box format. The solution to some of these potential problems may lie with the individual as well as the management and company itself.
In reality no problems occur in isolation.

Making the very best selection of staff is the first step to maximizing performance.