How to get your team to be a world beater
Leaders may need to take the attitude of a sports coach to get their staff performing, especially if workers are not motivated to do so.
Leadership Management Australasia is highlighting the performance of elite coaches, players and officials across many sporting codes, who have been in the spotlight and under pressure to perform at their peak – much like many leaders in everyday workplaces.
LMA’s Leadership, Employment and Direction Survey manager, Adrian Goldsmith, says the behaviour of those who have claimed the elusive premiership or title can be followed by leaders outside the sporting arena. In the past, explosive tirades have been successful by both sporting coaches and workplace leaders to urge workers to appease them.
But nowadays those who are professional and sophisticated in their approach get the best performance, he says. “In today’s sporting environment we are far more likely to see a number of coaches and assistants working with smaller groups and individuals to discuss and plan the approaches to be used to improve performance,” Goldsmith says.
“These discussions are based on sound data, accurate measurement and monitoring and high quality feedback. The conversations are specifically tailored to the individual or the small group and are based on a strong relationship, rapport and understanding of each person, developed over months or even years of close interaction and collaboration.”
Goldsmith warns that leaders and managers in many organisations still routinely forget true motivation to perform comes from within the individual. “As leaders, managers and coaches, all we can really do then is support their initiative and impetus to help them on their journey.”
WHAT MAKES WORKERS PERFORM
- Receiving reasonable salary/pay
- Being entrusted with responsibility/independence
- Interesting/challenging work
- Good relationship with other staff
- Flexible work arrangements/hours/family friendly
- Job security
- Receiving good feedback and communication
- Having clear objectives/goals set
Article from The Advertiser (Adelaide) newspaper, 8 November 2014
