Behaviours over Numbers

Today at a Glance:

• Behaviours over numbers

• How NOT to make someone better at their job

• Identifying root cause behaviour

• 5 steps to developing an employee

• Simon Sinek explains purpose and finding your why

• The Art and Science of Luck

• How fierce conversations get you what you want

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Your team member is falling short on their customer satisfaction score.

Your goal is 95% and they’re behind at 85%.

This is how you DON’T address this problem.

“Philip your customer satisfaction score is at 85%, you know the goal is 95%. I need you to correct this. When will you get to 95% by?”

Ooof

I bet Philip feels very inspired to do his best work now.

With that type of conversation, he’ll be at 95% before you know it.

But probably for another team with better support and leadership…

You’ve not observed his work.

You’ve not identified where the gap is.

You’ve not supported him to understand if something is going on in his home life.

You’ve not had a meaningful conversation and encouraged him to reflect.

You’ve told him to fix the number.

Photo by Markus Krisetya on Unsplash

A better way…..

5 key areas to get Philip back to satisfying his customers!

• Identify the gap

• Do some analysis and observations

• Coaching

• Build out a plan with a cause, goal and steps to address

• Accountability to plan

1/ Identifying the gap

• What’s the challenge or problem you’re trying to solve?

• How is the person falling short of your expectations?

• Do you have a success measurement to know for sure?

• Success measurement should be quantitative

2/ Data and observation

• Don’t assume you know what the problem is

• Validate the problem with data and observations

• I identify a behaviour that Philip is adopting which is resulting in him being behind

• Measurable behaviours (actions) are the drivers behind the outcomes

• Behaviour is important because it’s visible, you can see it

Photo by Caleb George on Unsplash

3/ Coaching conversation

• They should know what their own success measurements are

• Explain the problem and what you have seen

• Bring up data so they understand it

• Coach them

  • What do you think might be slowing you down?

  • How could you approach this differently?

  • What action could you take to address the challenge here?

  • What can I do to support you?

• Ask them good questions to challenge their blockers and limiting beliefs

• Be tough on the specific behaviour and kind to the person

• Identify the root cause, what behaviour is it they are displaying and why

Example of getting to the root cause behaviour without using the 5 Whys

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Pro Tip:

Why, can be a little too direct and trigger defensiveness leaving the employee feeling uncomfortable, when the goal of the conversation is to evoke self-awareness.

Instead of why, try: How, What, Who, When

It gets you to the same place, just a better path.

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Customers are not satisfied with Philip’s handling

Why? (What do you think might be the reason?)

Philip is not explaining the reason it’s a no when he pushes back on a customer, he just says no and that’s the way it is.

Why? (What do you think might be the reason for that?)

Because Philip doesn’t know the reason why his organisation cannot do something.

Why? (What do you think might be the reason for that?)

Because Philip has not asked his Leader.

Why? (What do you think might be the reason for that?)

Because Philip isn’t comfortable asking for help.

Why? (What do you think might be the reason for that?)

Because Philip had a bad experience asking for help previously and has not done it since. He has organisation hangover.

Stop there.

Root cause behaviour might look like:

Philip is not asking for help from his colleagues as he fears they will respond in the wrong way, this is resulting in him getting low customer satisfaction surveys because he is not providing enough colour to the situation for customers which is upsetting them as Philip is coming across as dismissive.

4/ Build a plan which the root cause, smart goal and mitigation Steps