 |
Invest in Your Star Performers
The employees who live your values, work toward your vision, and nurture great relationships with clients and team members--those are the star performers. Give them your time, attention, and resources.
Why? First, it's good for your business. The more you invest in them, the better they will be at their jobs. Developing the right people is a much better use of your time than trying to improve the performance of the wrong people.
Second, you are not the only shop in town. There are other companies out there competing for your most talented employees. Invest in them if you want to keep them.
Delegate and Elevate
To develop your star performers, "delegate and elevate." Give them opportunities to take over tasks or projects that will help them grow. Give them a say in the responsibilities they will take over.
To identify delegation opportunities, ask, "What am I doing that you would like to be doing?" Or, "What I am doing that you think is more appropriate for you to be doing?"
Demonstrate Trust
Offer direction and support, but don't micromanage. Remember, your star performers are the "right people" who are already living your organizational values. You don't need to constantly monitor them. Focus on your own core competencies and leadership duties.
To demonstrate that you trust them, ask, "In what ways, or on which projects, am I micromanaging you?" Then listen and be open to feedback. Keep it safe for them to communicate openly.
Encourage Growth
Encourage your high performers to write their own personal purpose, vision, and values statements. As Peter Senge points out in The Fifth Discipline, it's good for the company when employees define themselves through their own personal vision and values. During the exercise, your star performers will make connections between their own passions and goals and the opportunities and needs of the organization. Their commitment to your organization increases in the process.
To encourage people to see the connection between their personal goals and the organization's needs, ask, "What opportunities or issues do you see that you could take ownership of, or take responsibility for solving?"
When you have the right people in the right seats, and you work to help them reach their maximum potential, everyone benefits--you, your company, your team, your clients, and the star performers. Developing the right people is an investment in your business's success.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Excerpted from the workshop, "Pathway Planning," The next event is scheduled in Tampa, Florida on March 20-22, 2015. For more information about Shawn's speaking services, call Cindy Oliphant at 888-759-7191 or email her.
|
Late Again? How Many Is Too Many?
Q:
Dear Shawn,
I've been really struggling to come up with a fair policy that allows for the occasional bad morning but still holds members accountable. Would you be willing to share what you've had success with? Not only a number of allowable tardies, but also in what period of time? I've toyed with a certain number per month, per quarter, per year, and per any consecutive 90-day period, but I can't seem to lock one down that works best. Would LOVE your expert opinion!
A:
Three in a month is too many, or six in a twelve-month period.
The most important part of addressing this common problem is to have a consistent policy in writing. Make it a part of your written employee policy, and share it with everyone.
The first occurrence should prompt a verbal warning. The second occurrence warrants a written warning, It should be signed by both manager and employee and kept in the employee's file. That's two strikes. The third, and you're out!
Good luck!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
If you have a question you'd like Shawn to answer in a future issue of our newsletter, please reply to this email or submit the question via our website on our contact form. (We will maintain your anonymity.) Thank you!
|
Here's how to get some more of my advice on management, leadership, and communication: Stay in touch with me on social media!
Follow my feed on Twitter.
Like my page on Facebook.
Join my network and read my posts on LinkedIn.
If you're getting this newsletter as a forward, please click the "Subscribe Now," button in the newsletter, sign up for the newsletter here, or text MMS to 22828.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Shawn's Gigs
Here are Shawn's upcoming speaking and consulting engagements. For more information or to schedule services, call Cindy Oliphant at 888-759-7191, or email her .
MARCH
March 20-22, 2015
Pathway Planning Workshop
Austin, TX
VGP members only
APRIL
April 22, 2015
Metropolitan Emergency
Animal Clinic
Rockville, MD
Consulting Engagement
April 23, 2015
CVC Washington
Nationall Harbor, MD
Public Speaking Engagement
Register here!
Topics: Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Competence, Team-building, Leading vs. Managing
April 26, 2015
Associate Veterinary Clinics
Vancouver
Private Speaking Engagement
Topics: Commando Conversations and Life Is Difficult: Deal with It
MAY
May 2-3, 2015
Zoetis Conference
Thackerville, OK
Private Speaking Engagement
Topics: Leadership focused EQ training
Commando Conversations: Conflict Management
Pathway Planning: Hitting the Reset Button on The Practice
May 21, 2015
Zoetis Conference
Austin, TX
Private Speaking Engagement
Topics: Teams that Play Together Stay Together, 10 Steps to Get Everyone on the Bus: Managing through Change
May 28, 2015
Canadian Animal Health Institute
Quebec, CA
Private Speaking Engagement
JUNE
June 2-3, 2015
Aquia-Garrisonville Animal Hospital
Stafford, VA
Consulting Engagement
JULY
July 29, 2015
MEAC Quarterly Meeting
Rockville, MD
Consulting Engagement
|
Contact Us
Shawn McVey, MA, MSW
Chief Executive Officer
Based in Austin, Texas
Phone: 888-759-7191
Fax: 888-759-7193
For information and scheduling, please contact Cindy Oliphant at 888-759-7191, or email her .
|
|
|
|
|
