creating a high performance culture john bull – founder of tall tree

Creating a high performance cultureJohn Bull – Founder of Tall Tree

Leadership ConventionMarriott Forest of Arden, November 16-17

Focus and aims for this workshop

• Insights on the key ingredients for creating a culture of high performance within the organisation

• Self awareness around the impact of our style and approach as leaders, and what we can do to improve the performance environment in the teams we lead


Why investing in leadership matters

PERFORMANCE

LEADERSHIP COMPETENCE

Top 5%

Hold yourself to a higher standardHold yourself to a higher standard

The top 5% of managers have almost twice the impact on performance as there merely ‘good’ colleagues.

Key insight: Hold yourself to a higher standard; the most important thing you can do to raise performance is to develop your management skills


Building & sustaining high performance

Four key principles that underpin this work…Four key principles that underpin this work…

1.1. P = T x E P = T x E The climate (The climate (EEnvironment) we create as leaders profoundly effects nvironment) we create as leaders profoundly effects how people behave & performhow people behave & perform

2.2. There are a number of specific environmental conditions that will consistently There are a number of specific environmental conditions that will consistently stimulate improved performance in human populationsstimulate improved performance in human populations

3.3. A key role of leadership is to create the right conditions for high performanceA key role of leadership is to create the right conditions for high performance

4.4. No matter how good we are, or think we are, we can always improveNo matter how good we are, or think we are, we can always improve


Three leadership cultures…1. Authoritarian

A stern I-know-best style where people are told what to do, little involvement…Goals, standards and direction on ‘how to’ handed down from leadershipLittle input into the strategyFocus is on supervising/managing implementation

2. Laissez FaireA pleasant leadership style but one which gives little direction

No clear leadership on vision, strategy or standardsLeaves people/structures largely to themselvesAvoids conflict or confrontation

3. Achievement LedEnsures clear direction, high standards, involves people and builds responsibility

Leadership engages everyone in a common aspirationCreates a performance environment with ambitious goals, standards & feedback to drive learningPerformance achieved through responsibility and accountability at all levels


A fundamentally different approach to leadership Thinking about our own style and how we need to develop it

Laissez FaireLaissez Faire AuthoritarianAuthoritarian

Achievement ledAchievement led


CCHHAALLLLEENNGGEE

SUPPORTSUPPORTCoaching and mentoring supportCoaching and mentoring support

Achievement ledAchievement led

Challenge and supportChallenge and support

(The aim is to make this (The aim is to make this positive,positive,

PULL not PUSH; i.e. their buy PULL not PUSH; i.e. their buy in to the goal & standards in to the goal & standards creates the challenge & creates the challenge &

pressure)pressure)


Another take on challenge & support

CHALLEGE

CAPABILITY / SUPPORT

Stressed

Bored


5 key ingredients of a high performance culture1. Engage people behind a clear meaningful challenge &/or purpose

o Clarity of purpose - People understand exactly what we’re trying to achieve, what we’re trying to make a difference too Challenge – goals create a positive creative tension between current performance and what we are aspiring for, driving a culture of innovation and continuous improvemento Engagement – people buy into what we’re trying to achieve, and are energised by it

2. Clarity of focus & high standardso Performance insight - absolute clarity as to what we need to focus on in order to drive success. o High standards. Okay is not okay! The goals & standards we set provide a constant challenge to continually improve in these key areas of performanceo Individual clarity of roles – each individual has a clear focus for how they can best contribute

3. Responsibility – distributed leadershipo Involvement –Everyone is encouraged to think about our key challenges & contribute their ideas; these ideas are listened to and acted on. i.e. People feel their experience

is valued and used to shape our approacho Distributed leadership - People are given a lot of responsibility & autonomy; and are encouraged to act on their initiative in pursuit of our goalso They are supported with coaching and mentoring to develop their ability to act on this responsibility

4. Feedback and recognitiono Frequent, high quality feedback drives learning & improvement – enabling people to accurately judge (and learn from) the effectiveness of their actionso There are clear consequences attached to individual and team performance

o Recognition - good performance is recognised and rewardedo Accountability - underperformance is held to account

5. Teamwork – shared goals drive effective collaboration (including with partners)• People see their role within a bigger picture; they understand their accountability to both their individual goals and overall team performance


Key leadership qualities and skills• High standards, ambition and drive

• Ability to engage people behind the goals •Gives clear direction•Ignite ambition in others and build confidence

• Performance insight •Ability to distil into a clear and simple strategy what success depends on

• Coaching mindset•Believes in people’s potential and sees role as leader to unlock that potential•Delegates responsibility

• Exceptional coaching skills•For drawing out and developing people's ideas and talents

• Facilitating reviews •skilled and disciplined approach to facilitating reviews to drive momentum and learning

• Feedback skills•Gives frequent recognition/positive feedback•An ability to challenge people and give difficult feedback in a way that inspires rather than invokes defensiveness. Willing and effective in challenging poor performance.

• Getting people to work together•able to pull people together around common goals, and create an environment where collaboration is a defining strength

And finally, a never ending commitment to keep developing their own leadership skills •self aware of their effectiveness and impact, open to feedback, aspire to be exceptional


Engagement

Igniting people’s motivation, and focusing that energy


What’s the purpose of a goal or plan

•To create ‘positive performance pressure’oWhich engages people, and inspires action

•To focus and direct that energyoFocusing where we invest out time and energy to maximise our impact with the limited resources we haveoGiving clear roles and responsibilities etc.

•To give an effective benchmark to review and hold ourselves accountable against


Setting out a clear focus for the teamSetting out a clear focus for the teamSet out a clear, compelling purpose, challenge or ambition:Set out a clear, compelling purpose, challenge or ambition:Make sure it is…• Clear and measurable• Challenging

Creates positive performance pressure

• Motivating/emotiveSomething people can get excited or passionate about

Define measuresDefine measuresWhat ‘curve’ are we trying to have an impact on?

Define your strategy in terms of what success depends onDefine your strategy in terms of what success depends onSet out what we need to focus on and excel at as a team to maximise our success?


To learn more about our research and work visit our website

www.talltree.org.uk

creating a high performance culture john bull – founder of tall tree

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