In today’s world, more than ever, a focus on results is essential. What for? Because everything goes fast! Competition is fierce, there is a lack of manpower, you have to go fast, well and precisely. It is therefore important that team members remain results-oriented.
Here’s how, as a leader, you’ll be able to do it.
A. Be clear about the result
Every day, I talk to managers who sometimes get speechless, when I ask them:
“What are the expectations of you, exactly?” or “What are the expectations in terms of deadlines, quality, content, cost?”
And if they do, many admit that their teams may not be so clear with ALL expectations. Because it’s not their role, or we don’t want to give them “too much”, or we think it’s not useful, or we just haven’t thought about it.
If you want to have tips on how to keep your team in results mode, read the article “Is your team in solution mode and results-oriented?“.
And let’s get back to you.
How could you be clearer with the result? (Which would allow you to be more results-oriented.)
A clue for you is to ask yourself if you know the FINAL result expected, in a specific way.
As a manager who gives or receives requests, you may be given solutions rather than needs.
Do you follow me? 😊
I hear this a lot: my clients give me solutions, not needs!
Well, what I see is that managers often do the same thing with their team: they give the solutions and not the needs.
When you ask: give the needs, not the solutions.
If you receive solutions: ask for the needs.
And how do you do it? Here are some examples of questions to ask:
- With this project, what do we want to achieve in the end?
- What is the purpose of this task?
- What need does this project fill?
And why go looking for the “why”?
It’s simple.
Meaning creates meaning, and meaning gives motivation and long-term energy to pursue a goal.
If you don’t understand why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’re more likely to procrastinate than to be results-oriented!
B. Stay in Solution Mode
When you are less motivated or committed, or when you are facing a problem, you have to know how to get back into solution mode.
Here are two ways to do this:
1. Put your energy on what you control
Avoid stress and anxiety by focusing on what you control. Tony Robbins, a coach and strategist I love, often says, “Where focus goes, energy flows.” This means your energy follows your focus.
Do you really want to waste energy on what you can’t control? The weather? Decisions over which you have no control? The others?
The invitation here is to put your focus on what you control and what you can influence.
You control your skills, your attitude, your gestures. In other words: what you say and what you do AND what you think.
And see how you can influence the people around you, through your proposed solutions and your attitude towards clarity and results.
If you want a tool on areas of control, influence, and concern, read this article.
2. Surround yourself with people in solution mode
Another thing you control is what you say and WHO you talk to 😊
Do you have more negative, energy-hungry people who are looking for problems? Decide authentically whether you need these people in every situation.
For my part, like you I imagine, I have people around me who are more critical or who always see the glass as half empty. I will consult these people for certain elements. They are usually more cautious than I am and give me a vision that I don’t naturally have.
That said, I put things in perspective because when you know the specific result you want to achieve and it makes sense, you can change the means to get there, but not the destination!
In conclusion
In order to remain in solution mode and results-oriented, dare to ask for clarity and understand the why. This will give you energy to move more easily towards the end result.
Put your focus on what you control and can influence and surround yourself with people who have a positive impact on YOU.