People Matter

Organisations get results when individuals, equipped with the right skills, are energized to do the right things at the right time. 

Keith Malo (Researcher at AchieveGlobal)

In the 21^st century, people matter.  In an economic downturn, people matter more than ever.

People matter because they put an organisation’s goals and strategy into action.  Ultimately people deliver results and they can get things done.  Many business leaders find this hard to accept because people are so difficult to understand and control.  But whether you like it or not, people affect your profitability, quality, customer service, productivity and economic resilience in a very big way.

When people are productive, they deliver results.  People will behave in a productive way if:

a. they know what you want them to do and why,       
b. they have the ability or potential ability to do want you ask and
c. they care about achieving the goal. 

You can’t control people but you can control the environment in which they work.  Behavioural researchers have proved the work environment plays a significant part in how people behave.

When implementing your plan of action for the tough period ahead, follow these steps:

1. Define your strategy.
2. What are the small milestones/steps towards achieving that strategy? 
3. Make sure that every employee has an answer to the questions that make up the Behaviour Equation.  This equation was designed by AchieveGlobal and has been used successfully in many global companies.  It goes like this:  Productive Behaviour = I Know + I Care + I Can

I Know

I know what you want me to do and why because I can answer these questions:

* What is the organisations purpose, vision and goals?
* What is my department supposed to do and how will that help the organisation be successful?
* How do my actions impact the department and organisation and help them to be successful?
* What are the new initiatives and how do they fit with the strategies to make us successful?
* Specifically, what do you want me to do and why is that important?

I Care

I care about doing what you want me to because I can answer these questions:

* Why does it matter to me?
* What’s in it for me?
* How are the values and beliefs of the organisation compatible with my own?
* How am I rewarded for doing what you want me to do?
* How will I receive promotions if I successfully do what you want?
* How closely is my performance appraisal aligned to what you say you want me to do?
* How is my department rewarded for my contributions?
* How do my actions help the organisation be successful?
* How and when will I be coached around these behaviours?

I Can

I am able to do what you want me to and I am rewarded for it because I can answer ‘yes’ to these questions:

* Do I have the necessary skills?
* Do the systems I work with permit or make it easier?
* Are our internal processes designed to permit or make the task easier?
* Do I have the aptitude to do what you ask?

As an employer, if you have thought through these responses carefully, your staff are more likely to give you the productive behaviour that delivers results for your business.

SOURCE:

This blog is based on ‘Inside the Mind’s of Corporate Leaders’ by Keith A Malo from AchieveGlobal

 

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