S2.LESSON.4: PERFORMANCE, It’s a YES or NO

Definition: the action or process of carrying out or accomplishing an action, task, or function

But is that enough?

Default view of Performance is Judgement, unmet exceptions, unspoken expectations, unrealized expectations.

These are some of the underlying factors that lead to failures of performance. In order to evaluate it, you really have to step outside yourself! 

Performance is a YES or NO question. I love to keep it that simple.

Performance is about producing the intended or desired results in the most efficient and effective way. 

So… here’s the hard question: Did you produce the results you intended to produce?

And… you can only answer YES or NO. There is no middle ground, no but’s, no well’s, no story, no interference. 

i.e. We would have but… Well, yes but… Or No, because… 

Drop that shit and sit in the Yes or No for a minute. The Yes or No is a matter of outright honesty. This isn’t the place to cut yourself any slack. If it didn’t go the way you would have liked it to go, then the answer is a no. 

Sure, we put the fire out, but got people hurt, destroyed the house, fill in the blank…

That is a no. We did not produce the result we wanted to produce. 

Now… once you’re honest, you can move to the next layer. If yes, awesome, how can we do it better, faster, easier, more efficient or more effective next time.

If no, then why. What worked AND what didn’t work? How do we improve what worked and how to we navigate what didn’t in a way that produces a better result next time.

We are really quick to high five, pat ourselves on the back, do a quick hotwash or AAR and move on. If you read most AAR’s they are full of reason, justifications and excuses as the why things went the way they went.

If you want to elevate your performance, the performance of your department, the performance of the people around you then your reviews MUST examine all the factors and accept responsibility that things didn’t go according to the plan or to standards.

The only way we grow is when we’re willing to be open, honest and humble about our performance. There is no place for Ego in performance. 

Here’s my recommendation for how to run a quick hogwash, AAR or whatever you call it:

• Question 1: Did we produce the result we intended to produce? YES/NO
• Question 2: Did we accomplish our task in the time we wanted, with the resources we wanted, using the methods we wanted? YES/NO
• Question 3: What worked? List things out but don’t get into consensus building.
• Question 4: What didn’t work? List them out.

Use the 4 Points of Awareness to help understand underlying contributors to the YES and the NO:

• The Situation
• The Environment
• Others
• Self

Take quick notes and whoever is responsible, go back, build out a timeline and look to the underlying or subtle factors that effected performance, enhanced performance, supported performance, etc.