“don’t forget your …” (planning)

(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)

How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization.  Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or are ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!

Leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills that we learned when we were little and playing in the sandbox.  The sandbox skill today, planning.

If a child has plans to play in the sandbox to build a castle, it is important to plan to bring a shovel and pail.  It is also important to plan to wear a hat and sun screen so the child doesn't get burned.  The latter is an adult's responsibility; the former is a responsibility we teach kids. 

To help them remember, we may write down “shovel and pail” on the blackboard (or paper or easel) in their bedroom.  Together, you may add other toys or things to the list.  Writing it down helps to remember and not forget.  When it is time to get ready, the child only has to look at the blackboard (or paper or easel) and erase it or draw a line through it when the item has been packed to go.  We eliminate the “regrets” and the “forgot” and the tears.  The castle gets built and you can relax and enjoy.

At my age, "senior moments" come often so writing things down is mandatory.  Reminders (post it notes are the best discovery) and checklists are important basic planning tools to help us remember and not forget. The process of planning is a three step process:

1.  What do I have to do?  (write it down)   

2.  What are the steps to get it done?  (be explicit)

3.  By when?

        What is the deadline?

        When did I promise?

I know, as you do, people who spend their lives telling you, “I don’t have time to write it down”.  Yet they always seem to have time to spend an hour “looking for” or “driving back” because they failed to remember.  Forgetting costs money in business and in your personal time.  An additional benefit of crossing a line through a completed action is it induces you to want to do more.  Planning (writing it down) saves time you can spend on other things, like doing absolutely nothing. 

“I knew you could do it” (motivation)

(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)

How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization.  Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or are ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!

The leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills that we learned when we were young.  Today, motivation.

When teaching a child to walk, we take both of their hands, stand behind them, and help them take one step at a time.  One step at a time - the learning experience.  Practicing daily.  One day we let go of one hand and the child takes wobbly steps but knows and feels the steady hand of the parent.  One day, the child takes his first steps alone.  They may fall but it's a new experience and the squeals from the delight of the  parents motivates the child to get up and try again.  One day, the child is walking all by themself (and we are now following behind them to make sure they stay out of harm's way).  Each child learns at their own pace.

Coaching associates is how we lead in a team based environment.  We appraise each associate, determine their strengths and weaknesses, and motivate them accordingly.  •To motivate means I have to know what’s important to you; to know that means I have to listen to you; to do that means I have to talk to you: I have to tell you my requirements so that you can tell me yours.

The best coaches understand that different things motivate different people at different times of their lives.   What motivated me twenty years ago has changed.  My "bucket list" has been a factor for that change.  Time has been a factor. 

As coaches we introduce change, explain the change, document the change and parrot the reason for the change until all associates understand the change and can action it themselves.  Some will stumble and others will run with it immediately.  Eventually, one step at a time, the entire team will move to the continuous improvement phase.  The circle will start again - introduce, explain, document and parrot.  Positive reinforcement ('I knew you could do it') will encourage the team to keep moving forward and remind them (and yourself) "experience is the fruit from the tree of errors". 

What three things motivate you in your personal life; in your professional life?

“all done...?” (performance appraisals)

(part of the Total Quality Leadership (TQL) series)

How an organization achieves world class quality excellence depends on its leaders within the organization, at all levels of the organization.  Whether your organization has just started its quality journey with ISO certification or are ready to apply for the world renowned Deming award, the critical success factor to world class quality excellence…it’s all in the leadership!

Leadership skills that make an environment successful are the same skills that we learned when we were little.  Today, performance appraisals.

When we ask children to do something, we tell them what to do and what the expectations are.  "I want you to sweep the kitchen floor and make sure you clean behind the table.  Thank you."  If it's the first time they've done it, we show them how.  We then turn the task over to them, we watch them for a while, and answer questions when asked.  When it appears the child understands the what, the how and the why, we leave them to finish the task. When they are done, they will come in and tell you to "come and look".  You walk into the kitchen, look at the floor and give your comments.  They may range from "good job" to "it looks good but you forgot to clean under the table".

"Good job" means the task is over and expectations have been met.  Depending on the age of the child, if he/she also mopped the floor, expectations were "exceeded".  If the first review means the task was not complete, the child will try again. When finished, the child will come in, and the review process, this time, should net the "good job" appraisal.  If not, the process of sharing with the child what was missed and having the child try again will continue until expectations are met and the "good job" appraisal is achieved.  Not all children learn at the same pace.  It may take only once for one child and several times for another.  One child may just need to understand exactly what you mean ("you didn't tell me to pick it up, you just said 'sweep' ".)  et touché!

Performance appraisals should be used as a way to increase employee achievement.  Back in the day performance evaluations were used as a "gotcha" tool.  To evaluate means to examine and judge something, not a person.  To appraise: HR – to make a formal assessment of an employee or an employee’s performance following an agreed set of criteria.

In our team based environment, both employee and team leader (or manager and director; director and vice president...) sit down and discuss achievements and needed (continuous) improvements of the year past.  This should not be a surprise to either involved.  In a team based environment, we share performance every day.  When a correction needs to be made, we share immediately.  The goal is to continuously coach our team for their success and ours.  The introduction of SMART goals in the '90s was the tool to assist in the professional development of all employees regardless of level.  SMART goals articulate the expectations and eliminate the nebulousness of evaluations (what does "you're a good leader" mean?). 

• Specific  (what is the task or objective?  Attach details if appropriate)
• Measures  (standards and parameters)
• Achievable  (is it?)                         
• Realistic  (is it?)
• Time-bound  (start / finish dates)

When questions are asked, they need to be answered to the satisfaction of the one who asked.  The old "that's why I hired you" comment does nothing to inspire or teach or answer a question.  Today that comment translates to "I don't know but I don't want to tell you I don't know".  It's ok if you don't know, just say that rather than putting the onus on the questioner.

Remember the "one size does not fit all" mantra.  Employees (all humans) learn at a different pace.  Specificity removes ambiguousness in expectations - the "you didn't say x, all you said was....".  The time taken up-front to insure goals are understood, and agreed to, by both the team leader and the associate saves time in behavior and task performance.  It allows for an easy "yes" or "no" when responding to the "all done?" questions in the performance appraisal process.  The goal for both you and the employee is to achieve the "good job" grade.

Are you employing SMART in your business?