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First months of the year. A lot of people complaining to be overly busy because of having to schedule their yearly evaluation interviews. Almost impossible to get the most out of those interviews whilst trying to fit in everyone in an already busy schedule. Preparation? Follow up? Maybe you are one of them. Or maybe you are the one still postponing. Or you’ve just finished yours, happy they won’t come back in the first half of the year. By the way, did you have your own already?
So why not outsource? Performance management is much more than an obliged talk between an n and an n+1 once or twice a year. In origin it has been designed to impact your organizations’ success, profitability and growth potential. Directly. Supported by an executive coach, as an organization you (and your HR) are aligned at all times. The only difference is that someone keeps pushing the schedule. Reports back to you. Gets you around the table if needed. While you stay in the lead. While you are able to focus on growing your business.
From a coaches perspective, executive coaching is nothing more than
1. Work 1-1 with someone who is paid by his or her employer to reach a personal goal (target preferably as specific as possible) in the context of the overarching organizational goal or mission and potential future opportunities.
2. Analyze this person’s behavior in terms of strengths and weaknesses, successes and failures, when weighed against the jointly set objective of the personal and organizational goal mentioned in point 1. A process that is based on self-diagnosis, assessment, 360, etc.
3. Define the gap between the desired outcome and today’s competencies and behavior, getting a clear view on the (personal and financial) investments needed and potential stakeholders to be involved. Setting smart goals for business and personal (leadership) growth.
4. Assure there is mutual (!) willingness, feasibility and belief in the potential ROI to move forward whilst finding and buying into new constructive ways to close the behavioral gap. Not only constructing an actionable plan, but increasing the focus. Courageous and humble.
5. As in anything, practice being the key to success, start the behavioral rehearsal, distinguishing ends from means, tapping into hidden resources, identifying success measures. Engaging all stakeholders (HR and business), showing discipline. Making efforts and growth visible.
6. You want to get the best out of your people and yourself. And whilst effort is important, we keep assessing all actions along the way. Where did we succeed? Where did we go wrong? What is potentially triggering failure? We evaluate and make adjustments if needed.
Six steps in a continuous process. With a guaranteed ROI.
Tell me, what are you waiting for?
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About the author
Being a certified executive and personal coach, Sofie Varrewaere is associated to the Marshall Goldsmith Stakeholder Centered Coaching team and owner of the global executive coaching practice BigFish4.me. As a behavioural expert she has many years of experience working with the top layer of several multinational organizations. Her passions include playing her quarter grand piano and messing around with acrylic paint on large sized linen canvas. When she’s not catching some proverbial Big Fish, you’ll probably find her in her daily boxing class or in the swimming pool. She is luckiest doing what she does best, challenging others and herself to perform at their best
SOFIE VARREWAERE 