Companies, and more often, leaders ask: "How do we drive results?" The main problem with the inquiry is, most are hesitant to do the hard work necessary to create the change that will give them the results they desire.
In Change the Culture, Change the Game, Connors and Smith discuss the results pyramid. If you've read it you understand it all starts with the experiences we create for our employees. I'll attempt to paraphrase: the experiences we create for our employees form the beliefs they have about the organization, it's people and it's focus. Those experiences drive the employee's beliefs around what is important, what takes priority along with what and where they should focus. As a result, those beliefs drive where and how employees take action along with the decisions they make day to day. Collectively, the actions of all employees produce the results organizations attain.
When looked at as a whole, the task can seem daunting, but it doesn't have to be. The simple answer is start with the results. Organizations need to ask themselves: "What are the results that we want?" Start there and work your way backwards. Create an action plan that is precisely aligned with those goals. Then create the accountability that Connors and Smith discuss in almost every book they've published. That accountability starts with communication.
It is my belief, that if you look hard enough, almost every single business problem can be traced back to some sort of communication issue. For now though, let's focus on results. Here is some insight from Mike Figliuolo at thoughtLEADERS, LLC. He wrote an article a few months ago titled: Driving Accountability Through Incentives and Consequences. In that article he says:
Lay out those metrics in a very clear and concise way, and then help them understand: if you meet that metric or exceed it, here’s the reward, and if you miss it, here’s the consequence.
Even here, when focusing on one piece of driving for results, Figliuolo expresses the importance of communication.
In the leadership sessions I deliver I like to say: It's your job as a leader to help make your people successful; your job to remove any obstacles that might prevent those employees from getting the results we all want. That includes making sure everyone knows "what to expect" and "what is expected" of them. The only way this happens is if you talk to your employees. Communication is crucial.
To bring back Connor and Smith's words, you can't expect different results, without taking different actions. Those actions are driven and fueled by the beliefs of our employees, which are a direct result of the experiences we create for them. So, when someone asks me "how do I drive my employees for results", I ask them to look inward first. What can you change about how you lead, communicate and support your people? What different actions can you take to get the new result you're looking for?