As a leader you set the standard for performance in your organization. There may be several ways to set this standard, some healthy, some not healthy for the organization. If you desire a healthy organization, then as a leader you must demonstrate healthy performance through your every interaction with employees/volunteers.
The performance of those around you will seldom rise above the performance level of the leader. While you may not be doing the same work, your actions and reactions will set the true performance standards – and they might not be the organizations stated standards. Negative performance from a leader will not produce greater performance from those throughout the organization. Negativity does not breed positive action.
Leaders need to comprehend and appreciate a few ideas about performance standards. What is it – exactly – that you desire to measure with the performance standards you set for the organization? Are we setting performance standards for quality or quantity? Some set performance standards to evaluate employees. Others still to provide coaching and training for performance advancement.
As you think through the performance standards for your organization, ask yourself and your leadership team, the following questions:
1. What are our expectations from the performance standards we set? (What outcomes do we want?)
2. Are willing to live up to and exceed the performance standards we set for others?
3. To what extent will I (we) as a leader encourage and assist others to exceed performance standards?
4. To what level of consistency will our actions and interactions be in communicating true performance standards?
5. How will our response as leaders be communicated both verbally and non-verbally?
Raising the performance standard levels for your employees/volunteers means first raising the bar in your own leadership. Are you ready and willing?
George Yates is an Organizational Health Strategist and coach, assisting churches, organizations, and individuals in pursuing God’s purpose for life.