Nov 19, 2018
Part 7 of our series on building High Performance Teams
continues to look at the second pillar - People. And in this case
The Right Role for your people.
Once you’ve formed the right group of people, which we covered
in Ep 86, now its about taking a step back and analysing if you
have the right role for each of those people. A role that will
bring out their best and get the job done for the team.
The best people can crash and burn in the wrong role and a low
performer can start thriving in a role that plays to their
strengths and focuses on work that they value.
Remember, an individual can outgrow a role and when that
happens every day they turn up can feel like a step back. It can be
soul destroying and in situations like that it’s a significant move
if you can help them feel appreciated for their real potential. And
sometimes a role can be too big or the wrong shape for
someone. E.g. If they’ve been in an operational line management
role which plays to their technical expertise and they’ve shifted
into an internal support role which is all about influencing it can
be a huge leap. Particularly if they have to lead transformation on
a topic or through a process that is new to them.
Of course,
every role has suck factor. And mostly people understand that and
can handle it to a certain point. As the leader it’s your job to
make sure that the suck factor doesn’t get too much or get them
down.
Here are three steps to optimising the roles of your
people:
1. Start with a blank canvas and considering the targets and
challenge the organisation needs of you draw up the roles that you
need to do the job (without the people’s names).
2. Once you’ve worked out the roles and tasks that need doing
add in your people to each of the roles.
3. Be creative about how you can make that role more
interesting and challenging in a way that brings out their very
best. Consider their strengths, their goals and the kind of work
that they value.
Remember, a basketball coach would never put a 7-foot tall
centre at point-guard and netball coach wouldn’t put a wing-defence
at goal attack. They’d be doomed to failure. Think like a coach.
How can you make the lives of your people better through role
adjustment alone.
Now you’ve got the right people, get creative and smart so
that they’re also in the right roles. Once you’ve done that, you’ll
find an immediate boost to performance and energy across the
team.
For more info check out
www.chiefmaker.com.au/87