28: Get Out of People’s Way to Drive Productivity

In episode #27, we looked at what we can do in order to coach others to be productive. Now, we’re turning the focus on ourselves as leaders to examine what we might be going to get in the way of people’s productivity. Move to Outcome Based Meetings “Work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” – Cyril Parkinson Two Warning Signs: You can’t figure out what to talk about. You’re doing a data dump. What would awful thing would happen if we didn’t meet today? Am I clear on what outcomes I want to have come out of this meeting? Move to outcome based meetings vs. schedule based meetings. You should have: Stated outcome Clear agenda Action items Align working environments with people Fortune Magazine says that drop-ins are the #1 productivity killer in offices Be conscious of how and where people like to work Put people on teams? By all means, assuming they work best that way. Otherwise, can people work alone? Every leader should see this: Watch Susan Cain’s TED talk on The Power of Introverts Create a Results-Oriented Work Environment (ROWE) ROWE was created by Cali Ressler & Jody Thompson Get clear on what you want people to accomplish this year Get it on paper and establish milestones Manage people towards that – not when and where they work Lead people on their terms How can I best support you and your development? “Treating people fairly does not mean treating them the same.” Discover More Activate your free membership for full access to the entire library of interviews since 2011, searchable by topic. To accelerate your learning, uncover more inside Coaching for Leaders Plus.