Still in the clarity mode, if as a leader you want to build a culture of performance, retain performance, improve performance in your team, or even wake up from their slumber, you will need to put in the work. And like most sustainably built structures, it does not happen overnight. What I observed from experience with leaders that have consistently lead teams that perform regularly is that they focus on managing outcomes and what they can control. And there is more. Let me share a few action points that you should consider as 2023 begins to take shape. 

SET CLEAR GOALS WITH DEADLINES 

I cannot emphasize how important clarity for everyone in your team is. And if you have ensured everyone in your team is aware of what they ought to do and how it contributes to the bigger picture, from the existing plan for 2023, draw up goals with ambitious targets. These are powerful as it creates a sense of urgency and purpose. If you as the leader, tolerated sloppy behaviour, people missing deadlines with no consequences, start by setting clear goals and deadlines. It is important that they are ambitious not to be confused with unrealistic. Even for the tasks considered minuscule. For others leading teams that you need them to improve their performance, focus goals and deadlines solely on key tasks needed to boost their performance. 

CHECK IN ON DEADLINES 

Pretty obvious, isn’t it? But you will be shocked how many leaders do not check in on deadlines. I was guilty of this too for many years. We will just set goals and deadlines after the meetings, include in the minutes, and then just move on. No wonder we were all over the place and performance was lacklustre. If you have been doing this, let me inform now. It is one of the reasons your team is not performing. Nip it in the bud now because it is contagious. Do not let the new team members join the team interacting with this counterproductive culture. Help them to get better at delivering performance. Do this repeatedly even if you start sounding like a broken record. Your team will be better off for it. Once deadline performance is great, you can then start tracking only important tasks.

IMBIBE ACCOUNTABILITY AS A MAJOR PART OF THE NEW CULTURE 

Checking in on deadlines is an excellent place to begin. However, keep in mind that consequences shape behaviour. I mean… think of the last time you had to get a task done but did not. Why do you think you did not do it? Because neglecting it has got no consequences, or at least you thought so. Again, as the leader, you need to take responsibility for ushering a change in culture. And that includes doing away with all the negatives and embracing all that is required to build a performance-based team. Meet and agree with team members on what to do and what not to do, how they spend their time to meet with their deliverables. It could be as simple as breaking into bits major tasks to focus on this quarter and how to allocate time accordingly to boost productivity. 

USE TANGIBLES TO EVALUATE PERFORMANCE 

I once worked in an organisation where bonuses were shared based on who had never been a recipient before. The HQ usually gave out bonuses to branches and managers used their discretion on metrics based on any but performance related. Everyone was happy but it had a negetive impact on performance. People became entitled and high performing team members did not see a need to break a leg. As a leader, you want to commend effort not reward it. It sends the wrong message. And while you are at it, use facts, figures, and other tangibles at your disposal. Just ensure that you are objective and fair. 

There is so much more you can do but this is what tops the chart for me. With people leaving jobs with short notice, you want to add career planning for your team. People tend to stay where they know organisations care about them. As you begin to set goals and deadlines, checking in on both regularly and holding the team accountable, you will begin to see results; a performance-based culture. And when the results start trickling in, ensure you evaluate success not on abstract goals but on facts and tangible results.