Episode E.023 People Measures

Introduction
This week we continue our focus on the post pandemic re-opening of business. Other than dealing with customer and employee fears, there is nothing different or special about today's show except urgency. Unlike other expansions at the end of a contraction, this was not a structural - it was imposed. Normally a contraction (recession) is a result of over supply and decreasing demand awaiting a unplanned event to prick the bubble. In this case the demand still exists with diminished supply and we have sufficient information to predict the beginning of an expansion. The purpose of IBGR programming this month is to prepare the entrepreneur for the turnaround. it will require acting with urgency over the next 4 months.
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Show Objectives
Today's show is a closeout on the topic of People or Talent. We started the day discussing the Best People Practices (A.023) and People Objectives (B.023), and finishing with how to measure.

Our goal is to provide comprehensive and accurate information with tools that are simple to use. We were able to breakdown the Performance of People into 3 Major Segments with 3 Areas to measure.

What You Need to Know
Leadership
Leadership is having a presence and the day-to-day focus that represents the interests of the business on the job. What really matters to employees is what the direct supervisor wants, what expectations they set, and how they represent the company.

The key is leadership sets the tone. Just like process problems driving poor quality, you cannot get the company right without getting it’s leadership right. What is critical to maintain a continuous focus on the right things:

• ensure everybody understands the company’s values and the requirement to live it;
• be present on the job so you can perform leaderships #1 job – remove obstacles, and;
• focus everybody on contribution – their impact on the company’s future.

Teamwork
Teamwork is how well people in the same group work together. Some positions require solo performance, most require teamwork. Creating teamwork is a little more difficult than one-on-one leadership because of the dynamics of groups.

The key to teamwork is how individual members respond to working together under the leadership of their supervisor. What is critical for creating effective teams:

• being accepted as a member;
• a set of rules for they work, how they make decisions, and how they deal with conflict, and;
• there is an abundance of peer leaders – the group is not dominated by a single person or clique – leadership is a shared role.

Mastery
Mastery is about how the organization hires, promotes, and uses technology to multiply performance. Job fit is critical because putting people into positions who do not have the knowledge or personality to be successful is a waste of time and money – no matter how hard anybody tries. Once you have the right person in the job, what is the nature of the psychological contract (Show D.017) about competence – are they motivated to improve and is the company investing in developing their skills. 

The key to skill mastery is the understanding that most people draw meaning from their work. When they are challenged to raise their level of play in an environment that supports growth and development, people flourish. When people flourish the best stay. What is critical for skill mastery:

• putting the right person in the job;
• invest in developing skills – start with their present job then cross train for all the jobs in their process, and;
• use technology to eliminate all of the tasks that can be automated to multiply what can be accomplished in a work day.

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What You Need to Do
Leadership: ​there are three drivers or causes for providing a continuous focus on the right things:

• Participation – how present is the leader and in-touch with what is happening in their work group, it is not about a specific leadership style or approach to leading and managing – it is a measure of connection;
• Contribution – when the leader is present – what is their focus? Are they focused on completing a series of work assignments or the groups contribution to the company, are they listening to employees to eliminate barriers – it is a measure of focus;
• Character – how well do they model the company’s values, do they reinforce those values in others – it is a measure of the company’s culture and its operating values.

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Teamwork: there are three drivers or causes for creating teamwork:

• Significance of Membership – how important is membership in the work group to the individual -  used to measure the level of commitment; 
• Group Norms – what are the informal rules you must follow to be an accepted member, an informal leader and outsider – used to measure formal leaders representation of company’s values;
• Informal Leadership – do group members exercise peer leadership to achieve work objectives, what values do they represent and are those compatible with the company’s values - used to measure alignment with company’s values.

Mastery: there are three drivers or causes for creating skill masterly:

• Job Fit – there are two factors when selecting an individual for a job, are they eligible (do they have the education, work experience, etc.) and are they suitable (their character and personality a fit for the position or group) – it is a measure of the job descriptions and the recruiting / selection process;
• Skills Development – there are two things to consider, first is the psychological contract (a set of expectations) between the individual and the organization where the person will take advantage of any opportunity to improve their skills, and a commitment by the organization to provide as much formal training as possible – it is a measure of training;
• Autonomation – this is nothing more than the effective use of technology, does the organization look for ways to use technology to not only remove mundane or dangerous tasks, but to find ways to enhance performance – it is a measure of technology.

Next Show: E.024 Total Budget