The 3-Legged Stool of Great Performance model
When you became The Boss, your new priority shifted from being technical expert to being the developer of technical expertise in others. This shift is rarely accomplished well because it’s difficult and uncomfortable. Since it’s now your responsibility though, let me offer up a tool to help you develop world class employees. And I define “world class” as the best employees in the world!
My 3-Legged Stool of Great Performance™model is the perfect diagnostic tool for employee performance issues and gives guidance on how to develop that world class status.
In a three-legged stool where all three legs are evenly balanced, all it takes is for one to be removed to cause the whole thing to collapse. Let’s start by diagnosing a performance problem. Our employee, Jim, is not performing well. Start with this:
Me: “Jim, your performance is not up to my standards. Do you even know what you’re doing here?”
Jim: “No. Nobody showed me how to do the job.”
We just solved the problem. It’s a SKILL problem. We fix SKILL problems with training. Training fixes SKILL problems. If we train Jim, the problem goes away.
Or does it?
Me: “Jim, your performance is STILL not up to my standards. Do you even know what you’re doing?”
Jim: “Yes. I just don’t want to do it.”
We have another problem. It’s a WILL problem. WILL becomes an issue when someone knows what to do, they just don’t WANT to do it. We handle WILL problems through motivation and sometimes discipline. That will fix the problem.
Or will it?
Me: “Jim, your performance is STILL, STILL not up to my standards! Do you know what you’re doing?
Jim: “Yes”
Me: “Do you want to do the job?”
Jim: “Yes”
So what’s the problem?
It’s most likely a FOCUS problem. FOCUS problems happen when someone has the SKILL and WILL but is still not successful. Most likely it results from a disconnect with the expectations of the role (we need Jim to be assertive but he’s not assertive enough) or maybe Jim doesn’t align his performance according to our corporate values.
We fix FOCUS problems through coaching. If Jim refuses, then we are back to a WILL problem and that requires motivation or discipline.
Do you see how this works?
Once we diagnose the performance issue, then we can use training, motivation, discipline, and coaching to turn Jim into a world class employee. Or of course we might have to fire Jim. The choice is his. And yours.
So this week, get started developing those World Class Employees!
