Meeting Planning Innovation

In today's economy, we're running lean and mean. Not much in the way of extra resources, be that money, technology, or people. 

Yet for some event organizers, there are rumbles in the ranks. Quality is slipping at our conferences and events, because we're trying to do more with less. Making matters worse, every time there's a hiccup in the economy, our teams get distracted and quality slips a little more.

Your Performance Maintenance Schedule

It's funny, but if your car starts to make an odd sound, you might push through it for a little while, and if it continues, eventually you take it in to your mechanic. You also invest in regular maintenance and tune-ups for that car. 

People don't seem to get the same attention. If we start hearing "odd sounds" within our teams, we tend to push through it indefinitely. After all, times are tough and everyone is busy. 

2011 Wake-Up Call

When times are tough, you need to pay MORE attention to your team, not less. You need to make sure you have the RIGHT people, in the RIGHT positions, working in near perfect harmony. You need to recognize and affirm high performers regularly. As for those falling below expectations, to put it bluntly, you need to coach them up or coach them out. Anything less and you'll have bigger troubles down the road.

If I've struck a chord, don't despair. With steady attention, you can turn this situation around. Not sure where to begin?

Here's a 5-Point Performance Tune-Up Checklist to get you started:

• Right People? Go back and review the performance (and results) for each member of your team. Is performance steadily improving, declining, or stagnant? Don't gloss over those stagnant performers. As they gain experience, it's reasonable to expect more and better results. 
• Right Roles? In his bestselling book, Good to Great, Jim Collins talks about getting "the right people in the right seats of the bus."  Make sure that you're leveraging the strengths and talents of each individual in the best possible way. Get feedback from others as to the strengths (and weaknesses) of your team. Assessment tools (like DiSC) can provide valuable insight to guide assignment changes.
• Clear Expectations? Are there detailed job descriptions? Does each team member clearly understand what is expected of them? You'd be amazed at the number of outdated and fuzzy job descriptions out there. Take time to update, clarify, and describe exactly what satisfactory performance looks like. Whenever possible, include metrics to measure success.
• Right Support? Does everyone know what support is out there? Are they making smart use of these resources? When people hit challenges, a good coach will ask, "What steps have you taken to address this issue?"  Make sure you're providing adequate levels of support and direction to help your team achieve their performance goals and objectives.
• Right Appreciation? Believe it or not, money isn't the #1 motivator for everyone. Good team leaders know their teams well, especially the unique motivators for each individual. Some people love public accolades and awards, while others cringe at the thought. Some just want their boss to notice and say thanks. And yes, others are thrilled with cash and prizes. When performance is good, notice and thank individuals regularly and in the most appropriate way.

What steps are YOU taking to keep your team performing at their best?