We all know it; finding, hiring, growing, and retaining high performing team members is TOUGH!
Growing your business in a sustainable way takes endless energy and keen focus. So, I’ll get right to the punch line: The folks you think are your top talent may not be the ones most likely to be the top performers. That’s right. “Most talented” doesn’t necessarily equate to “highest performance” in your organization.
Want proof? Here’s a sports analogy for you:
Johnny Manziel – a great college quarterback. There is no disputing that he won games in college, and that he has great football talent. The Cleveland Browns drafted him because the incumbent quarterback has only had marginal NFL success. Manziel had every chance to win the starting job this preseason; but, the Browns’ coach named the incumbent the starter. Why? Manziel has continued to display immaturity and a lack of both self and team awareness. He’s currently missing attributes the leader of a team undeniably needs. He has expressed before that he will do things “his way.” And when the owner publicly condemned Manziel’s off-field activities, Manziel ignored it. Great talent but a horrible cultural fit, at this point. So he has missed the immediate opportunity to have a positive impact on the team’s performance. Will he ever be a great starter and leader? Maybe, but only if he changes the way he thinks and operates.
How does this equate to your business? Like this:
• Get clear on what high performance looks like. What the success metrics are. Be sure to do both from a lagging indicator results standpoint (revenue produced), and a leading indicator standpoint (measures of true client engagement).
• Understand what individuals and teams must do to produce those outcomes.
• Inventory the current team members to see who does those things and currently produces those outcomes consistently. Learning interventions have the capacity to measure this accurately. But, be sure to identify your consistent performers, and those who aren’t so consistent.
• Develop a recruiting strategy and approach (including the profiles of winning candidates) to find, and hire, the right candidates who have the best chance to win!
Narrow the gap between talent and performance, and the results will follow.
