Home
>
Team Building
>
If You Can?t See It, They Won?t Do It

If You Can?t See It, They Won?t Do It

Recently, while developing a customer service program, I asked my client to provide me with detailed descriptions of behaviors he wanted his team members to engage in. He called me back a short time later and told me that his department heads were having a difficult time with the assignment. They knew what the employees were doing wrong, but they couldn't put into words what excellent performance looked like.

You may be saying to yourself, "Where did he find these managers? How could they not be able to describe acceptable behavior?" Actually, this situation is very common. Most team leaders know what they want their members to stop doing, but they aren't clear about what they want them to do instead. By following the steps listed below, you will have a clear plan to guide your members to outstanding performance.

Describe What It Looks Like - You need to get clarity about how you want your team members to act. Create a picture in your mind of what outstanding performance looks like. Concentrate on the actual behaviors that are involved. Don't use phrases like an excellent team member would have a good attitude. That leaves too much room for misinterpretation. Focus on the behavior. If team members had good attitudes, what would they do? How would they use their bodies, their voices, what actions would they be taking?

Choose The Most Critical Elements ? Once you have listed the excellent behaviors, prioritize them. List the most critical behavior that absolutely must be done. Then list the second critical behavior, the third, etc. You will come up with a hierarchy of behavioral standards.

Communicate Your Expectations ? Once you have determined the most important behaviors, you must let your staff know what is expected of them. One of the biggest reasons for poor performance is that team leaders are not effective in communicating expectations to their team. Most people want to do a good job. However, ideas of doing a good job are very subjective. You must clearly state the behavior that you expect. If there are areas where employees are weak, provide them with the necessary training to improve their skills.

Give Feedback ? Let your team members know how they are doing. Provide both positive and constructive feedback. Don't wait for the annual evaluation. Feedback should be a continuous process. If a team member is performing at a high level, let him or her know. Often, we don't take time to recognize good behavior, but that is wasting a very important motivational tool. People like to receive praise for a job well done. When they receive that praise, they are more likely to repeat the behavior. Let team members know when their behavior falls short of the mark. Again, focus on the behavior, not the personality. Describe the incorrect behavior and tell them the behavior that is expected. Once they begin to perform in the appropriate way, recognize and praise the new behavior.

Continue To Add New Behaviors ? As team members become adept at key behaviors, it is time to add new ones to the level of expected performance. By setting up expectations in steps, it prevents staff members from feeling overwhelmed. It also allows them to experience the sweetness of success as they gain mastery over the previous skills.

So as you lead your team on a day-by-day basis, remember if you can't see what you want them to do, there is no way they will be able to do it. Follow this plan and you will discover that you have created a high performance team of which you can be proud.

About The Author

Della Menechella is a speaker, author, and trainer who inspires people to achieve greater success from the inside out. She is a contributing author to Thriving in the Midst of Change and the author of the videotape The Twelve Commandments of Goal Setting. She can be reached at della@dellamenechella.com. Subscribe to free Peak Performance Pointers e-zine - send blank e-mail to della@dellamenechella.com.

professional maid services Park Ridge ..

In The News:

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

Major Marquis fintech breach exposes 400,000-plus Americans' data through unpatched SonicWall vulnerability, with Texas hardest hit at 354,000 affected.

Free up iPhone storage fast by clearing large photos and videos from Messages app. Simple steps for iOS users to delete attachments without losing chats.

Scammers are flooding inboxes with fake tracking alerts that mimic real carriers, exploiting the holiday rush to steal logins and personal data.

The Fox News AI Newsletter brings you the latest news on AI technology advancements and the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

Texas family reunites with missing 11-year-old cat Grayson after 103 days using Petco Love Lost's AI photo matching technology and community help.

Tired of AI customer service loops? These insider tricks help you escape "frustration AI" and get real human help when you need it most for urgent issues.

Unlock richer audio from your streaming apps with simple tweaks to volume normalization, equalizer settings, and quality preferences for cleaner sound.

Scammers are sending fake Facebook settlement payout emails that mimic legitimate notices from the privacy settlement administrator to deceive users.

If You Can?t See It, They Won?t Do It

Team Building