PErFORMANCE IMPROVEMENT

Gathering and analyzing data is an effective way for identifying shortcomings and areas of lag in an organization. A performance coach has the requisite expertise needed to leverage this data for generating insights and providing guidance in implementing the necessary interventions. 

Steps for improving your team's performance:

1. Define a SMART goal
2. Reflect on past performance & analyze root causes
3. Devise a plan of action
4. Facilitate check-ins meetings & explore best practices
5. Monitor progress, provide feedforward, and celebrate success
6. Review shortcomings and realign your actions with the goal(s)
7. Debrief and develop a plan for further growth

Define what you want to achieve

Before you start implementing any changes, it is crucial to define your goal(s). The best way to do so is to implement the SMART goal approach:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Aggressive yet Achievable
• Relevant
• Timebound

A SMART goal is the most compelling way to increase your probability of achieving the goals you’ve envisioned. A SMART goal sets the stage for achieving breakthroughs on an incremental basis.

Reflect on past performance & analyze root causes

After you’ve envisioned your goals, it is time to do a retrospective on past performance to reflect on what has worked so far and what hasn’t. This enables us to analyze the root cause of inefficiencies and roadblocks in your organization. It will help reveal any challenges and impediments on the path to realizing your goals. 

Devise an action plan

Brainstorming comes in handy when developing a plan of action. It is an effective method to explore all the possibilities and come up with different ways to achieve the objectives. It employs our ability to experiment with a ‘fail fast & fail small mantra. This is an excellent approach to leverage your resilience and grit for achieving the goal. 

Facilitate check-in meetings & explore best practices

The critical intervention that a performance coach can help facilitate is holding short and on-demand meetings for brainstorming ideas and making action-oriented decisions that culminate into the fulfillment of the purpose. Nudging people out of their comfort zone is mandatory for generating a different result and making real and sustained progress. Trying to do this on your own, adds to the degree of difficulty faced by the team at this critical juncture. 

Monitor progress, provide feedforward and celebrate success

Your role is to monitor your team’s progress while providing them with valuable guidance on each step along the way. Providing meaningful insights at this stage will help the team see a clear and visually impactful picture, thus giving tangible information on what needs immediate improvement and change. 

Also, the vital part of any change and improvement is celebrating quick wins and success. It boosts the morale of the team, grows their enthusiasm, and motivates them to tirelessly continue with their efforts. 

Review shortcomings and realign your actions with the goal(s)

Data introspection and regular meetings ensure that your activities are in line with your goals. It is an opportunity to identify the needs for corrections as and when required. 

Debrief and develop a plan for continuous growth

Sustained growth needs a plan for continuous development and modification! The initial assessment is the first step, and actions for the identified impediments are the next step in the right direction. For your company to have sustained growth,  a continuation of this loop is the alchemy that could propel your company to the next level. 

This journey is built on a series of sprint cycles wherein you can see the finish line at each step along the way. This is similar to the agile approach made popular by the software industry and now being used by management consultants in various industries for implementing gradual improvements leading to a business transformation.

Bottom line!

The combining of data intelligence with conversational intelligence by a Performance coach will bring about incredible results leading to a much-sought-after transformation. 

In the context of the I.T staffing and professional services sector wherein I’ve worked for over 15 years – this data science + coaching approach yields revenue growth, higher bill rate, increase in profits, longer retention of billable resources, higher candidate placement ratio, etc. 

Role of a coach:

• Analyzing data to pinpoint issues
• Nudging the individual performer to try new approaches
• Providing guidance for implementing changes
• Reflecting on the observations & outcomes 

Contact us today to explore how we could partner together for achieving performance improvement in your organization!