WorkPuzzle

6 Reasons Professionals Measure Performance

If you spend any time watching sports on a professional level, you’re keenly aware that the biggest difference between pro and recreational teams (outside of talent) is that they measure everything. And I do mean everything!   Why?  Professionals know that without measurement there is no way for them to assess and predict performance of a team or an individual.

Without exception, measuring systems exists in every sport. But let’s take baseball as an example.  Here are some of the things baseball professionals measure:

 
On-Base Percentage (OBS):  the number of times a player reaches base divided by total plate appearances.

Batting Average (BA):  the number of hits a player gets divided by “at bats.”

Slugging Percentage (SLG):  the number of total bases divided by “at bats.”   This is a little more difficult to explain—there is a formula for this if you care to research it more.

Earned Run Average (ERA):  approximately the number of runs allowed per nine innings.

Strikeouts Per Nine Innings (K/9i),  Strikeouts per Walk (K/BB), Walks plus Hits per Innings Pitched (WHIP), Opponent On-Base plus Slugging  Percentage (OOPS), etc.

Here is my favorite:  SLOB (Slugging % x On-Base %).   Or course this has a double meaning—it is said to also describe those who sit around and think about baseball statistics!

There are at least 90 commonly used statistics (and yes, they all have acronyms) in baseball.  This may all sound a bit ridiculous, but exceptionally talented and deeply competitive baseball professionals enjoy this level of scrutiny. It compels them to practice, find patterns, find weaknesses and improve. 

Here are the top 6 reasons that professionals depend upon measurement:

1. They can’t set goals without it.
2. They can’t measure progress without it.
3. They can’t forecast results without it.
4. They can’t compare performance without it.
5. They can’t assess changes and fix problems without it.
6. They certainly can’t beat the competition without it.

Let me ask you a question, and I encourage to answer honestly:  Do you approach your work as a professional or as an amateur?  

Professionals measure, and amateurs typically “fly by the seat of their pants.”   

Will This Be a "Happy" New Year for You? Part 3

I hope that some of you have begun the process of identifying and pursuing your “ideal self.”  If you want to improve the way you recruit, coach, or manage those around you, it’s imperative that you do so.

As the owner of one large company aptly said,

“Continued learning and personal growth are essential for the evolution of a world-class leader.”

If you drag your feet and ignore this powerful exercise, you’ll miss a chance to improve your level of overall well-being in the upcoming year.

Some people resist these types of exercises because it makes them feel like they are admitting weakness or inwardly confessing that something is wrong with them.  The opposite is true.   Working on these issues is really an admission that you want to improve and that you have an “ideal self” waiting to be activated.   

My background is in Clinical Psychology. I continue to see clients in my private practice 2 days a week. Over the course of the last 21 years, I’ve logged well over 30,000 hours of psychotherapy with people having a range of difficulties. Regardless of the presenting problem, at the heart of each person’s transformation is the struggle to shed the “false self” (see my previous blog) and to pursue alignment between the individual’s ‘real self” and their “ideal self.”  

People undergoing psychotherapy build up layers of protection that make it very difficult for them to identify their “ideal self”.  These layers of protection are the result of adversity, trauma, or some other significant set of circumstances.   For these people, this process can be very long and painful.  But, it is rewarding.  I’ve consistently seen it free people to do things they could never have dreamed of doing before this transformation.

Let me give you an example.  Several years ago, a woman came to see me who had lived a life that resembles most of our nightmares. Her parents rented her out for child pornography films and threatened her life on several occasions when she resisted. As an adult, she had shown little respect for herself and was involved a several very abusive relationships.  Despite having an incredibly high IQ and natural artistic talent, she was working as a housekeeper when she started psychotherapy.

After several years of therapy, she began to sell her art work, discontinued all her abusive relationships, and began to form friendships with people who she had always believed were “better” than her. With continued growth, she later envisioned, developed, and is now operating a vocational school in Uganda.  This school is for individuals who have themselves lived lives of horror.  The purpose of this school is to equip these individuals to achieve what they didn’t think possible and work towards a decent living.

Of course, most people like you and me do not have to fight against such devastating circumstances, nor do we need the help of a psychologist to guide us through the process of identifying our “ideal self.” 

But, don’t lose the principle just because the scale of issue may be smaller in your own life.  Food is necessary to nurse a very sick person back to health, but it is also required for normal people to maintain themselves.   I’ve applied this process in my own life, and I've seen it produce changes in the lives of those around me.    Hopefully, you’ll give it a try as well.

Note:  New to Workpuzzle?  Read Part 1 and Part 2 on this topic to learn the process of identifying your “ideal self.”

Will This Be a "Happy" New Year for You? Part 2

How does a person go about identifying their “ideal self”?  Some people have an idea of what kind of person they want to become—this vision just needs to be brought into focus.  Others haven’t really given this concept very much conscious thought.

Even if you’re in the second group, perceiving what your ideal self will be is not as difficult as it may sound.  Subconsciously, each of us is haunted by conflicts around this ideal, and your mind is constantly trying to reconcile these conflicts.  Tapping into the work that your mind has already done shortcuts the progression necessary to identify the ideal self.   

The following is a process that I have personally used to measure my progress toward living aligned to my ideal self. It may seem complicated at first, but it gets clearer as you begin to work on it yourself.  

First I try to assess how closely I can align my real self (who I am in both strengths and character) with my ideal self (the self that I want to become).  To make this assessment, I need to know the following things:

1. What character traits, virtues and actions I want to display (my ideal self).
2. What strengths and expertise I bring to the table (my real self).
3. What characteristics I currently display that  are self-centered (thus interfering with alignment).

Sit down with a notepad and pen and do the following: 

Write down a description (characteristics, behavior, values) of your best self. These would be  those characteristics that people love about you, and are part your natural makeup. The best self is the alignment of your ideal self and real self.

Next, write down characteristics of your worst self (behaviors, values etc). These are the characteristics that people generally dislike about you and usually are rooted in dark values such as selfishness, need for admiration or superiority, excessive need for safety and security, etc.

Finally write down what is your “ought self.” These are those behaviors that seem like they are good and decent but feel forced, unnatural, and more of a burden. These traits keep you from being real. Sometimes, those whom you trust are better able to recognize these behaviors than you are. Ask them if they can share with you ways in which you burn unnecessary energy trying to be someone you believe you’re supposed to be. 

Once these are written out, condense them into a list that you can write on a small piece of paper that will fit in your wallet or purse. Throughout the year, frequently use idle time to review how you’re doing. Ask yourself, which self am I living today? Is it making me and others around me happy? How can I get myself back on track?

If you do the above, I can’t guarantee that your business will pick up. But I can guarantee that you and those you influence will feel better about you and you’ll have a better  measuring stick to assess how you did in 2009.  Then when the economy does pick up, you’ll be more poised to do better than you would have done otherwise. 

Will It Be a "Happy" New Year for You?

Over the last week, you’ve probably had some time to reflect on 2008.   Was it a good year? That depends how you look at it.

If you measure a year by things such as the money you lost or how secure you feel about your business, then for many, it was probably a very bad year. Immersing yourself in mourning the losses will do little to improve your ability to work well or bring you happiness.

There is nothing wrong with wanting to be happy. But science tells us that human beings are very poor predictors of what will bring them happiness.   If we really want to be happy, then it is important that we live consistent with what truly brings happiness.

One of the truths that will bring happiness is living according to who you want to become.  This is called your “ideal self.”

The “ideal self” should not be confused with the “ought self”. The “ought self” is the self that other influential people in your life wanted you to become.  For example, your parents may have had strong opinions on what you should do with your life. 

The “ideal self” is also commonly confused with the “ false ideal self.”  The “false ideal self” focuses on false ideals such as acquiring wealth, fame, or security. 

At your core, somewhere, no matter who you are, you have an idea of what kind of person you want to become. And the more you fight against this longing, the more miserable you’ll be.

It’s my belief that this “ideal self” is the self you were created to be. Some fight it more than others.  But that “ideal self” is a self that lives by personal and universal values that guide every action.

Research of happy people tells us that they live by their values. They are in less internal conflict about what is important to them.

In my next article, I’ll outline a simple process for identifying your “ideal self” and give you some guidelines on living by the values you’ve identified.

Og Mandino's Christmas Story

In 1968, a recovering alcoholic and failed insurance salesman named Og Mandino wrote a Christmas story called The Greatest Salesman in the World.  This book was the result of several years of self-study and a single night of inspiration. 

Although the book was written 40 years ago, you can still walk into any Barnes and Noble and pick up a copy.  The book launched Og Mandino’s career, and he went on to write many more books, selling more than 50 million copies and became a very prominent public speaker.   

He died in 1996, but his legacy lives on.  If you’ve never read this story, pick it up over the Christmas holiday.  You don’t have to be a salesman to enjoy it.  In fact, I’m reading it to my kids in the evenings this week, and last night they said, “Dad, don’t stop reading now, we want to know what happens next!” 

I won’t spoil the story, but the basic premise is that a “lowly camel boy” named Hafid gets exposed to the ancient wisdom contained in ten secret scrolls.  By applying this wisdom, the boy goes on to build the greatest trading company of all time in the Middle East. 

The purpose of the book is to share the ten business/life principles contained in the secret scrolls. I’ve read this book several times over the last decade, and two of the ten principles have had particular impact on my life.   I’ll share those today, and hopefully you’ll be curious enough to read more on your own.

The Principle of Love:  purposing in your mind to show love to the people you meet and interact with on a daily basis.

"For [love] is the greatest secret of success in all ventures. Muscle can split a shield and even destroy life but only the unseen power of love can open the hearts of men and until I master this art I will remain no more than a peddler in the market place. I will make love my greatest weapon and none on whom I call can defend against its force.   My reasoning they may counter; my speech they may distrust; my apparel they may disapprove; my face they may reject; and even my bargains may cause them suspicion; yet my love will melt all hearts liken to the sun whose rays soften the coldest day.

…And, how will I confront each whom I meet?"   In only one way -- in silence, and to myself, I will address him and say, "I love you!" Though spoken in silence these words will shine in my eyes, unwrinkle my brow, bring a smile to my lips, and echo in my voice; and his heart will be opened. And, who is there who will say ‘Nay’ to my goods when his heart feels my love?"

The Principle of Perseverance:  purposing to focus on the long term, push through obstacles, and see difficulties and setbacks as necessary ingredients for  a successful life.

“In the Orient,young bulls are tested for the fight arena in a certain manner. Each is brought to the ring and allowed to attack a picador who pricks them with a lance. The bravery of each bull is then rated with care according to the number of times he demonstrates his willingness to charge in spite of the sting of the blade. Henceforth will I recognize that each day I am tested by life in like manner. If I persist, if I continue to try, if I continue to charge forward, I will succeed.

…The prizes of life are at the end of each journey, not near the beginning; and it is not given to me to know how many steps are necessary in order to reach my goal. Failure I may still encounter at the thousandth step, yet success hides behind the next bend in the road. Never will I know how close it lies unless I turn the corner. Always will I take another step. If that is of no avail, I will take another, and yet another. In truth, one step at a time is not too difficult.

…I will be liken to the rain drop which washes away the mountain; the ant who devours a tiger; the star which brightens the earth; the slave who builds a pyramid. I will build my castle one brick at a time for I know that small attempts, repeated, will complete any undertaking.  I will persist until I succeed.”

In the end, you’ll learn how Og Mandino masterfully weaves these principles into the familiar Christmas narrative, but you’ll also get the opportunity to view it from a new perspective.  No doubt you’ll enjoy the story, but you may find some inspiration for the New Year as well.

Gratitude: What Does the Grinch Know About Work?

Did you know that the science of work has something to say about gratitude?  What your parents taught you about being thankful, has been shown to greatly impact the work environment. 

In the spirit of the season, I thought it appropriate to share the research that relates the benefits we can expect from being grateful.

Selfishness comes naturally to most people. Wishing for more rather than being thankful for what we have is a theme portrayed in nearly every classic holiday film or tale.  Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carole, George Bailey in It’s a Wonderful Life, and the Grinch in The Grinch who Stole Christmas were all finally saved from their selfish ambition to recognize and savor the smallest treasures of what they had.  

Gratitude can be simply defined  as the acknowledgement and pleasure in having received. For centuries, the topic was ignored by serious scientists because most believed the concept should be left to the realm of philosophers and theologians.

More recently, as serious researchers began studying gratitude in earnest, they found some surprising benefits for both organizations and individuals.

Gratitude is responsible for significant enhancement of mood,  and it increases prosocial behavior (i.e. being kind and doing things for others).

Researcher and professor Dr. Robert A Emmons writes in Positive Organizational Scholarship: The Foundations of a New Discipline:

"The cultivation of gratitude may be important in organizations not only because of the direct effects of improving organizational climate, but also because as a cognitive strategy, gratitude can improve individual well-being and lower toxic emotions in the workplace, such as resentment and envy.

…Studies have shown that employees’ happiness and well-being are associated positively with performance, morale, commitment, and can reduce absenteeism and staff turn-over. The techniques to improve gratitude, a key ingredient in positive emotion, could enhance individual and organizational well-being."

So, regardless of what has happened to our stock portfolios and our balance sheets, perhaps we can remember that the best way to instill well-being to our organizations is to recite the words of George Bailey,

“Hello, Bedford Falls! Merry Christmas, movie house! Merry Christmas, Emporium! Merry Christmas, you wonderful old Building and Loan! Hey! Merry Christmas, Mr. Potter!”

Resilience: Are You Able to Thrive Under Stressful Conditions? Part 2

Dr. Salvatore Maddi, a professor of psychology at the University of California says,

“People who are high in hardiness enjoy ongoing changes and difficulties. They find themselves more involved in their work when it gets tougher and more complicated. They tend to think of stress as a normal part of life, rather than as something that's unfair.'' 

As mentioned yesterday, resilience has been a topic of intense study by researchers. The research has given us clear characteristics of what differentiates people who thrive under stress from those who become less healthy and tend to languish.

The researchers indentified the traits of commitment, control, and challenge at the “transformational coping skills” shared by those who become stronger during stressful times.

More specifically, the people who possessed these coping skills were able to:

• Find the personal meaning in the challenge, rather than detaching and giving up.

• Plan out sound problem-solving strategies.
• Facilitate an atmosphere of support and encouragement among co-workers
• Help those around them build the traits of commitment, control, and challenge (they decrease the isolation, powerlessness, and fear that others feel).

Most importantly, while researchers believe that resilience traits come more naturally to some people, they’re finding that these skills can be taught.

Closely examine the “transformational coping skills” listed in the last blog. Which skills should you deliberately work hard to develop? Which skills could you focus on teaching to those you manage?

In addition, be alert to hire people who have demonstrated these traits throughout their lifetime. Hiring “top talent” based on a short-term track record (i.e. performance on their last job) may not be the only criteria worth considering when you add people to your recruiting pipeline.  Look for people who demonstrate resilience.

Also, tailor your interviews to include questions that allow candidates to demonstrate their natural tendencies to be committed, seize control, and see opportunity amidst challenges.  

Editor's Note:  Much of the above research was accessed through the Center for Confidence and Well-Being.  This organization is a great resource on this topic if you care to learn more on your own.

 

Resilience: Are You Able to Thrive Under Stressful Conditions?

How are you and the people you manage handling this economic downturn?

The research on resilience tells us there are two possible outcomes in responding to the current economic stressors. Either you’ll become stronger and more successful, or you’ll become weaker, less mentally healthy, and less likely to do great things in the future.

Which outcome will best describe you?  The answer to this question will depend on how you’re able to handle job-related stress and whether you can become a resilient person. 

Management consultants Salvatore Maddi and Deborah Khoshaba conducted a 12-year study of the Illinois Bell Telephone (IBT) company staff who were enduring almost constant organizational change during the de-regulation changes in the telephone industry.

Every year for 12 years, 450 IBT employees (including supervisors, managers and executives) were interviewed, evaluated, given psychological tests, and given medical examinations.  While everyone in the organization was feeling stress, almost 50% of those sampled lost their jobs. The purpose of the study was to research how people under job-related stress handled these difficult conditions. 

The research revealed that the employees reacted to the stress in two distinct ways:

• 65% of the employees suffered additional serious stress-related events in their lives such as divorce, heart attacks, depression, anxiety, and drug and alcohol abuse.

• 35% of the employees thrived under the stress.  If they stayed at IBT, they rose to the top of the heap.  If they left, they either started companies of their own or took strategically important employment in other companies.

When the data started to show a distinct difference between the two groups of employees,  the researchers then attempted to quantify what caused a person to be part of the second group. 

In their book, Resilience at Work, the researchers outlined their findings.  A “Resilient Person” is someone who possesses the following three attitudes: commitment, control, and challenge.

“As times get tough, if you hold these attitudes, you'll believe that it is best to stay involved with the people and events around you (commitment) rather than to pull out, to keep trying to influence the outcomes in which you are involved (control) rather than to give up, and to try to discover how you can grow through the stress (challenge) rather than to bemoan your fate.”

In short, their commitment allowed the resilient employees to engage more fully in the job at hand (or with a new opportunity for those who lost their jobs).   This helped them to understand and interpret the events that were having an impact on them.

Their sense of control empowered the resilient employees to consider ways that they could proactively influence the changes that were affecting them. Their less resilient colleagues tended to passively withdraw effort, believing there was little they could do to impact what they believed was their fate.

The resilient employees interpreted the stressors and changes as a challenge, and tended to look for the potential opportunities that change would bring about. They took the outlook that change is an inevitable part of life. It didn’t mean that these people enjoyed the stress, but the positive outlook they took positioned them to keep an eye open for new opportunities.

More tomorrow on how to apply this research to what you’re facing in your workplace...

Editor's Note: 

Much of the above research was accessed through the Center for Confidence and Well-Being.  This organization is a great resource on this topic if you care to learn more on your own.

 

Tapping Your "Best Work" - Part 3

Up to this point, we’ve talked about “Engagement” from a work perspective.  In fact, I’ve even defined “Engagement” as the state when we are immersed in work for its own sake.   Personally, each of us wants to experience engagement in our own work, and we want to see those around us experience engagement, as well.

If you’re experiencing a lack of engagement in your work, you may want to look at some issues outside of work as contributing factors to your condition. 

You know intuitively that what goes on in other parts of your life will have an effect on your work.  But, what types of activities are proven to renew your energy level?   Here are some ideas:

Find a new challenge in your off time.

Pursuing a goal, challenge or new hobby can breathe vital new life into every facet of your existence. When I examine my own history, every time I set out to accomplish something challenging and new, every component in my life improved. I’ve seen it in countless others.

Find ways to serve others daily.

Research has proven that people who serve others are much happier than those who look out for themselves. Make it a point to daily do something for someone without any guarantee of return. Have positive conversations with strangers. Go out of your way to serve those who work for you.

Learn about those around you. 

Schedule appointments with people for no other reason than to learn more about them, how their life is going and how you can help them achieve their goals.

Desire or engagement in one’s work and life doesn’t guarantee success, as there are many things that will always be outside of our control. But your personal desire will be a beacon to those around you. If you have it, people will be drawn to follow you and your vision.

Tapping Your "Best Work"--Part 2

"The fullest representations of humanity show people to be curious, vital, and self-motivated. At their best, they are agentic and inspired, striving to learn; extend themselves; master new skills; and apply their talents responsibly

… Yet it is also clear that the human spirit can be diminished or crushed and that individuals sometimes reject growth and responsibility. Regardless of social strata or cultural origin, examples of both children and adults who are apathetic, alienated and irresponsible are abundant.

Such non-optimal human functioning can be observed not only in our psychological clinics but also among the millions who, for hours a day, sit passively before their televisions, stare blankly from the back of their classrooms, or wait listlessly for the weekend as they go about their jobs."

-Richard M. Ryan and Edward L. Deci

If you read part one of “Tapping your Best Work” and found yourself lacking the desire to do your best work, you’re not alone—millions of people struggle with this problem and want to be reinvigorated.    Fortunately, there is a great deal of science around motivation, personal strengths, and engagement in one’s work.

“Engagement” is another way of referring to that state when we are immersed in work for its own sake. That is, we’re driven to do the work for intrinsic reasons (meaning, contribution, curiosity) rather than solely for extrinsic reasons (pay, recognition).  Understanding engagement, both in yourself and those with whom you interact, is vital in building a foundation of understanding for your role as a recruiter, coach or leader.

We can’t tackle this topic in just two discussions, but I will share a few ideas of how you can start reinvigorating your sense of engagement right away.

Approach critical tasks with methodologies that create “Flow.” 
 
Flow (a term coined by psychologist Mihály Csíkszentmihályi) is the mental state where a person is fully immersed in what he or she is doing by a feeling of energized focus, full involvement, and success in the process of the activity. Flow exists in any interesting sport, game or work task. Creating flow in any task requires that you have the following conditions:

• The task must be challenging (i.e. not easily obtained or accomplished).

• The task must require a high personal skill level to accomplish.

• The task has must have clear goals and rules of performance.

• The task must be performed in an environment where you have the ability to concentrate and avoid distractions.

• In accomplishing the task, there must be a way to gain ongoing feedback about your progress.

• In accomplishing the task, there must be a way to measure or gauge success.

Think about the tasks that you perform on a daily basis.  Do some of the tasks you perform fit the criteria of producing flow?  If not, then you may need to add some tasks or a project that would allow you to experience more flow in your workday.  At the same time, remove some things from your schedule that have no chance of producing flow.

If you’re a manager, are the people you manage performing tasks and projects that fit the criteria of producing flow?  If you do not know the answer to this question, it’s important that you find out.  By nature, each individual experiences flow differently based on their talents, strengths, and interests.  If an employee is experiencing flow in their day-to-day work, they’ll be engaged and produce their best work.

If you’re a recruiter, are those in your recruiting pipeline experiencing flow in the tasks and projects they are performing in their current jobs?  Most are not.  If you can engage a person in a dialog concerning these issues, you’ll have clearer insight concerning their true motivations for staying in an existing job.  You’ll also better understand the objections and fears of making a change. 

Being able to inspire candidates to consider new roles by indentifying with their deep frustrations will put you on a new footing in the recruitment dialog.   Demonstrating how a candidate could then be experiencing flow in his day-to-day work transforms you from a recruiter into a trusted and credible career counselor.