I recall a business analyst saying to me "I don't know why you want me to look at that measure again, the rate hasn't changed since the last time I reviewed it." I explained that the lack of improvement was precisely the reason I wanted him to look at it again. I was shocked by his blasé attitude towards performance management, but I was pleased that he'd given me an idea for another article! Standing still will usually result in your organisation moving backwards because whilst you stagnate your competitors will all be attempting to move forward. Unless you're in a rowing boat or a tug-of-war team, forward momentum is key to success. If you become complacent about your performance, you'll soon start shipping customers, and then you'll get that sinking feeling! Please check out my full article on LinkedIn using the following link: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/performance-improvement-least-were-going-backwards-jon-stephenson/

1. Jon Stephenson
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/stephensonjon
• Recruit & retain people with the right attitude – don’t let anyone rock the boat!
• Provide a clear vision – ensure everyone works as a team and moves in the same direction!
• Consider the end-to-end process – look upstream and downstream for impacts and solutions!
• Guard against complacency – you don’t want to start shipping customers and get that sinking feeling!
• Move forward at a sustainable pace – create a sense of urgency but don’t go overboard with your plans!
• Equip them with the best tools – you don’t want to find yourselves rowing up a certain creek without a paddle!
• Ensure everyone is working hard – don’t just take a back seat and let them row your boat gently down the stream!
• Use peer group comparisons – everyone is in the same boat!
• Set clear benchmarks – ensure you have got all your ducks in a row!
• Act on the causes of variation – don’t just sit back admiring the view!
• Be curious about under/overperformance – sticking your oar in is ok!
• Empower your people to improve their work – it may be a master stroke!
Performance Improvement – at least we’re not going backwards!