High Performance Leadership

You've likely heard of SMART goals, generally described as: Specific Measurable Action Oriented (or sometimes "Achievable") Realistic,and Time specific Here's another way that I use to describe the key components of goals: PARTS PEOPLE ACTIONS RESULTS TIME STANDARDS People = those needed to drive your goal Actions = what you will do Results = what your goal will achieve Time = how long you have to reach your goal, your deadline Standards = the criteria you will use to measure success How are you doing on your goals today? -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

What happens to your project team as your project gets closer to the deadline? Does it gain momentum? Does it play fast and enthusiastically toward the goal? High performance leaders do not assume that a project team will remain cohesive thru the project and beyond. They could get distracted. Resources could dry up. Technology could break down. Relationships could strain or get muddled. What's a leader to do? Increase the level of communication. Drive deeper, more meaningful conversations to see how everyone is doing. Keep team meetings focused and on task. Reward people for progress made -- but don't forget anyone. Singling out top performers at the expense of those carrying the bulk of the load can backfire. T here's much that a high performance leader can do to keep a project team fast AND friendly. What would you do? -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com

Does everyone on your team know their role? Does everyone on your team know not only their own role on the team but also the roles of every other team member? Often teams struggle because they haven't taken the time to define roles. Who does what. Who is responsible for the main tasks. What are the deliverables. Which projects are prioritized and who is in charge of getting those done. High performance leaders make certain, with great clarity, that the roles on their team are clearly defined. They can be flexible. They can grow. But people need to know who's in charge of what. What can you do today to clarify at least one role on your team? -- Douglas Brent Smith http://frontrangeleadership.com