ACE Your Performance Review

If management was a true science, then there wouldn’t be so many books on the subject. Do a search on Amazon for management and you’ll see thousands of books on the subject. If you manage people, and your performance is measured on how well you do it, then you will no doubt look for guidebooks on management best-practices. But how do you pick books when there are so many to choose from?

Hopefully, I’ll give you a start. I’ve just read ‘Lead Well and Prosper ‘ by Nick McCormick – 15 successful strategies for becoming a good manager.

It’s unique: you’ll find non-fiction punctuated by fictional episodes for a high-impact effect, and this is what makes this book special.

Each of the successful strategies is articulated using extremes. Using fictional characters (such as Joe Kerr, the spiteful asshole-boss (perhaps Juan Kerr would have been a better name!), and Wanda B. Goode, the progressive professional with halo), Nick uses these extreme behaviors to illustrate how people behave in the workplace, and how a manager’s modus operandi have a stifling and degenerative effect on their reports. The extremes serve as a humorous yet poignant perspective on the way people really do behave in the workplace – I bet you recognize yourself at both extremes if you look back on your career!

The conversations between the characters is farcical, yes, but reflective of the conversations that go on inside the heads of people as they interact to go achieve their professional goals. The farce is grounded in the reality of human behavior.

Each chapter addresses a strategy (behavior). It begins with the ‘conversation’ which stirs up the reader’s emotions to understand what each strategy addresses. Then, Nick gives us commentary on the behavior and how the strategy is an appropriate solution. Each chapter is then concluded with a list of things to do and not to do in order to achieve the strategy, and a list of easily actionable steps to take. It’s a powerful writing technique.

The strategies are:

1. Adopt a Serving Attitude
2. Teach
3. Provide Honest and Timely Feedback
4. Share Information
5. Listen
6. Treat People Like Human Beings
7. Set Goals, Plan and Execute
8. Learn
9. Do the Right Thing
10. Embrace the Uncomfortable
11. Clean Up Your Own House First
12. Persist
13. Do What You Say Will Do
14. Always Follow Up
15. Plan Your Week

The chapter I found the most powerful and motivational is 10) Embrace the Uncomfortable; this is an eye-opener. I see folks in the workplace NOT doing this, and to some extent, I see it in myself. At times, we all avoid pain in order for an ‘easy’ time – but guess what – we just store up trouble and then have to deal with it when the pain is much worse. In fact I will be publishing an article on this very subject soon (subscribe to my RSS feed so you will know when!)

The book is short, just 93 pages, but don’t see that as a negative. This book is short, and sweet . It’s brevity is what gives it its freshness and page-turn appeal. It doesn’t assume too much about its reader, other than that they want to learn and grow.

This book isn’t just for managers or leaders. It’s not even just for people who want to become a manager or leader. This book addresses challenges that we all face in the workplace, so I think any professional in any industry will enjoy it and put it to good use.

By now, I hope I’ve convinced you that this is a unique book. It stands out from the other management books I’ve read over the years! Lead Well and Prosper is a bargain at only $14.95 , available from Amazon. Order today and you’ll get it tomorrow!

Buy This Book Today : Lead Well and Prosper: 15 Successful Strategies for Becoming a Good Manager

Recently, I was totally impressed by a guy I met at a technology conference who has an amazing technique for organizing his projects and interests at work.

What he showed me was something simple, but very effective.

Mark Jacques has a ’swipe file’ of information he collects and uses on a day-to-day basis. During any business conversation, he can choose to pull out a page from his file to contribute to the conversation. It saves a lot of time and effort and it immediately helps the discussion get to the point and move on. Sounds too simple, but it blew my mind on how effective it is.

He collects pages from trade magazines, prints from web articles and just as importantly, scraps of paper that contain his own notes and data that he has generated himself.

We all need a swipe file of some kind. We waste so much time re-iterating information and sharing knowledge from scratch, time which could  be best used working, and to be frank, we sometimes forget – this tactic solves this problem.

What struck me is that this technique can be easily adapted to gather up information on our achievements during our appraisal period ready for presenting at our Performance Appraisal, and it also serves as a great way of reminding ourself about progress and achievements to date.

This isn’t the same as formal self-assessment documentation. The kind of information I am thinking about is the stuff we’re asking to show in the moment. These might be Thank You emails from colleagues or customers, or project closure notes, or even stats/data from your Management Information system that demonstrates the effect of your hard work. It can be anything you like, and as unstructured as you like, as long as it shows the evidence and impact of your achievements.

There is a much longer term benefit to this tactic Mark found. When he prepares documents this way and has them on hand, he is much more confident about discussing the subject. In turn, this makes him appear more impressive (as I found) and the impact he had on the listener is much greater, which increases his authority and trust placed on him. Because each presentation of the subjects are essentially well-practiced and highly-tuned. (I did note that when I asked Mark about some details on the info, he filled in more detail and can now use it again should he need to.)

How Do You Get Your Swipe-File?

Easy. It starts with a cardboard folder and a ring-bound notebook.

Many people use fully-bound books during their day-to-day activities, but tearing these pages out is a risky move (I’ve tried it, and torn right through my work!). Avoid these kinds of books.

When you’re collecting information, write it in your book as you normally would. Review it afterwards and see if there are ways it could be presented better. Redraw it on a fresh page, and tear it out an place it in your folder.

When you receive information by email, print them and place them in the folder (hey, be green and use double-sided print!)

Each week, fortnight or month (depending on how often your environment changes), empty your folder and systematically replace the papers as you re-read them and familiarize yourself with what you have achieved. It might sound a bit odd (why re-read what you know?) but guess what – constant reminders about what you’ve achieved and how you achieved them has a great psychological effect and gives you a well-deserved confidence boost.

This is such a simple technique, but so effective it was worthy of an article.

A colleague asked me yesterday why I put so much importance and value on performance management and my performance review. How did I answer?

I gave my ‘elevator pitch’ to her and answered the question, but it did spur me to review my reasons, because I felt the pitch wasn’t complete. I get much more out of my focus on performance now, since I wordsmithed my pitch in my head. My pitch was:

My performance is important to me because it’s how I deliver the best value to our organization and recieve rewards. When I acheive my performance targets, I know that I am contributing to the success of our organization in alignment to the organization’s corporate objectives.

So I reviewed my reasons and share them below:

1. I Achieve My Full Cash Bonus

I’ve put the financial reason first, because that’s what most people want to hear! By achieving my desired performance levels and delivering my objectives (well, I strive to totally ACE them) I meet the criteria set by my organization to receive my full financial incentives.

In most organizations, there is a performance-related financial incentive: often annual bonus (or Short Term Incentive Plan, or STIP), but frequently on salary, too. Other longer-term incentives (often called a Medium Term Incentive Plan, or MTIP) are contingent on sustained achievement of personal performance targets.

2. Demonstrable Track-Record of Achievements

When I persistently achieve my performance targets, I am building up a track record of high achievement which is referrable during performance appraisals and application for promotions. It’s also a valuable asset when seeking a good reference.

It’s not just what is on paper or my record on the HR system – in most organizations, the results of performance appraisals and our track-records are reviewed by our manager with their peer group (often to ensure fairness is applied across the organization), so it works as an excellent profile-builder in senior management tiers.

In addition, possessing a documented history of your achievements (recorded with their targets/success criteria and how they were measured) can be fed into your resume. Resumes work best when they talk about quantifiable achievements, rather than responsibilities or tasks.

3. Corporate Responsibility

When we’re set objectives and goals, it’s generally because the organization as a whole requires them to meet it’s objectives (generally set by stakeholders). If we fail, the organization will fail unless remedial action is taken – normally by spending money, or diverting resources, or taking extra risk.

Therefore we have a huge responsibility (no matter what level we are at in the organization) to achieve our objectives and performance targets.

4. My Relationship With My Boss

I do my job to make my boss successful. In turn, my boss’s job is to make his boss successful. And so on. So when I achieve my objectives, I am helping my boss achieve his. This is good for our working relationship – it fosters trust and respect between us.

Goal-alignment also encourages a stronger relationship between us – when our goals are aligned we’re both working to the same objective, which creates co-dependence and the need to work closer together. I make a specific point of ensuring that the objectives of my boss are reflected in my own, and make corrections if they’re not.

Want to know what happens when goals aren’t aligned? 5 Reasons Why Your Boss Hates You.

5. I Am A Role-Model In My Organization

This isn’t a statement from a big-head (is it?) but all organizations need role-models and heros to show how it should be done. You will find role-models right the way through your organization if you look for them, and they’re not always in the obvious places.

It’s important for our colleagues to not just understand the theory of their work, but also see how an expert does it. By focusing on my performance I give others an example of how the work should be done, allowing them to emulate me if they choose to. Of course, I have my own ’style’ – not everyone agrees with the way I do things – but that’s OK, they don’t have to see me as a role-model.

Anyone can be a Role-Model. It’s not an exclusive right of senior management and leaders. There is a responsibility that comes with the role; a role-model has influence over those people who follow him or her. It’s this aspect of being a role-model that I enjoy the most – it keeps me honest, and sharp. If my actions and behaviors don’t just have an effect on my own performance, but also that of others, I am forced to be more deliberate, less irrational and very much more considerate than if I was a sole-operator.

6. I Become An Expert At Goal-Setting and Goal-Achievement

I don’t underestimate the value of being a seasoned expert at goal-setting and goal-achievement. It’s a meta-skill I’ve developed through constant practise. By itself it means nothing – it won’t pay the bills – but when I apply these skills to my objectives I am much more likely to ACE them.

When I am set new objectives and performance targets, I go about breaking them up into short-term goals (weekly), measuring results, and learning from them. It’s a pattern I evolve and iterate over. You can do the same, it doesn’t take special knowledge or skills to start – just begin and continue and your skill will develop over time.

7. Motivation And Confidence

A direct result of reason #6 is increased motivation and confidence. Achievement feels good, and in turn it gives me extra motivation and confidence to achieve the next goals and targets. Success breeds success! It becomes an ever-increasing circle of growth.

Don’t believe me? Well set yourself a small goal (no matter how small), and achieve it – just go for it. How do you feel afterwards? It feels good right? Now set yourself a slightly more challenging goal, and achieve that. How do you feel now? I expect you feel even better, and motivated. This is the effect I am talking about. Now scale this up towards your annual objectives… it’s no different in its application.

So What Is My Elevator Pitch Now?

The essence of an elevator pitch is that is can be given in 30 seconds or less, so how do I boil down these reasons to just a few words? I’ve given it my best shot…. see what you think!

My performance is important to me because it increases my influence, it enables me to achieve my career and financial goals, it improves my relationship with my boss and my team, it also increases my competence in achieving new objectives, and in turn it enhances my confidence and motivation to do it all again.

Bit wordy? Fluffy? Or spot on? What is your response to this elevator pitch?

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