the lagaan of performance

The LAGAAN of PerformanceManagerial lessons from India

Ali Anani

LAGAAN is not only a great movie; it is also a lesson for organizational performance

 The story: A small town in India suffers not only from a drought but the whims of British control. People of the town were asked to pay double tax. A young man of the town protests he is given a challenge – if his town can win a cricket match against the British, there will be no tax to pay. But if the town loses, it will have to pay triple the tax. Would people accept?

The big challengemake people eventually accept the challenge

The people won the challengeHow?

The first managerial lesson

The known equation that

Performance = Ability X DesirabilityIs not quite adequate

There is missing the gluing factor, which is

The Grand Purpose to direct people to the same goal

Now, Performance = Ability X Desirability x Purpose

The greater the purpose is, the greater the performance is

Influencing factors on the peoples’ success are:

AbilityDesirabilityPurpose

Graphically, these may be depicted as follows:

Ability

Performance

Desirability

Purpose

And, in a fractal form

Ability of Leader

Desirability of crowds

Purpose of Crowds

Performance

Ability of TeamsAbility of Individuals

Ability of Crowds

Desirability of Teams

Desirability of Individuals

Desirability of Leader

Purpose of Teams

Purpose of Individuals

Purpose of Leader

Performance has many other definitions as well

http://www.dsperformancegroup.com/pdf/equation_theory.pdf

http://eppic.biz/2012/10/12/my-performance-equation-yours-may-differ/

http://www.hsa-lps.com/E_News/ENews_Jan10/HSA_e-Xpress_Jan10.htm

The performance equationEmployee performance is a function of three critical factors:Clear expectationsAbilityWillingnessThese three factors must be present for an employee to achieve the expected results. This reality is expressed in the performance equation shown here.

http://catalog.flatworldknowledge.com/bookhub/reader/4?e=fwk-122425-ch05

The Second Managerial Lesson

Work is a three ring circus: Ability, Desirability, and Purpose.-- Ali Anani

Differentiate between short-lived pleasure and long-term risk by playing

the equation circus right

The proof is by using a bold metaphor

Sleeping with a wife or a night girl

Night is not right here

Sleeping with a night girlLack of desirability stems from

Lack of trustRisk involved No purposeMoney-basedShort-lived pleasure against long-term riskAnd feeling regretful afterwards

Desirability

Risk

Before sex

Desirability

Risk After sex

Have a lasting purpose to have a lasting performance.If not performance shall end up like melting icicles; if once it melts that is the end of it

People will perform if they are glued towards a great and honest purpose