What can leaders do to inspire and nurture excellence in those they lead? That's the question addressed by Tony Schwartz on his HBR.org blog.
"On the one hand, it's empowering and inspiring to believe that excellence is within our reach," observes the author, although he admits, "It's daunting to consider that when we ourselves fall short of excellence, it's not that we lack talent but rather we haven't put in the right kind of effort."
SIX STEPS
Schwartz offers six key steps leaders can take to fuel excellence among their people, as follows:
1) Ban words like 'talented', 'gifted' and special'. The author explains: "Well meaning as these words may be, they tend to give people credit for something they did nothing to earn, while also suggesting that others don't have equal potential."
Instead, Schwartz suggests using words that recognise effort, like 'effective', 'determined', 'accomplished', 'skilled', 'persevering', and 'masterful'.
2) Appreciate people's successes. This should be done regularly, genuinely and specifically. Noticing what people are doing well and expressing your appreciation can be the most effective motivation. Believe in their potential and don't concentrate too much on their failures.
3) Provide constant feedback. Schwartz says that annual reviews are insufficient and
often worthless. He believes leaders should resist pointing out people's deficits and instead focus on helping them improve to the next level.
4) Create and protect periods of uninterrupted focus. "Don't demand instant responses from your people all day long," says Schwartz, explaining that interruptions fracture their attention.
He adds: "Stop measuring your people by how many hours they work, and assess them instead based on the value they produce."
5) Encourage and model intermittent renewal throughout the day. Research shows great performers work intensely for no longer than 90 minutes and then stop to refuel, so create a "renewal room" for relaxation.
6) Tie the pursuit of excellence to a larger mission. The author insists: "You need to give your people a compelling reason to push beyond their comfort zones."
Schwartz adds: "What most of us hunger for is evidence that what we're doing truly matters and serves something beyond the bottom line."
The author suggests you start by defining what you truly stand for, sharing with others what gets you up in the morning as regularly as you can, and encouraging people to go through the same exercise for themselves.
Source
Six Ways Leaders Can Fuel Excellence At Anything
Tony Schwarz
HBR.org
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