How to Build a Data Driven Leadership Team that Really Thrives Easily
What would it mean to you to have a Team that operates on its own?
A team that has good metrics and knowledge of the numbers so that they know what their targets are, and if are getting an A, or getting an F?
How would it feel to know that that team is self-sufficient and able to propel themselves without you micromanaging them?
How would it feel to have a one-on-one quarterly review, and use objective data to show the person they’re getting an A, but also show the person where maybe they’re not getting an A?
Data-driven leadership. It’s what is going to make such a difference in your business. Here are three things you need to be looking at.
Number one, what is the data that matters?
While every Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is a metric in some form, not every metric is a KPI. You’ve got to discern what is the valuable data and information that will tell you the true story and not just vanity metrics. Perhaps it is, how long does it take to resolve a client complaint? Or how long to fill an order? This type of data can give us insights if our team is handling things well or if there is the need to put focal attention on an area to ensure that it does not become a major problem for our clients and our reputation. This can also help us open up the conversation in an objective way when asking questions. For instance, starting off with, “I see on the report it is taking on average 12 business days to handle a client complaint, can you help me understand what is going on in that time frame?” can help set the parameters of the discussion.
Number two, what do you want to accomplish to get you to your goal?
It is easier to get to your goals when there are clear targets… and it is easier for your Team to help you get to your goals when you articulate what you want! Take the precious time to get clear on what you want and then let your team know how to help you reach these goals!
In my law firm days, it was a lot about moving cases forward, getting to completion faster, NS making sure our clients were included and updated. So… what is the data that will show you if indeed your team is doing that? And not just a legal team like in my law firm days, but all parts of your business. What is your admin team, your financial team, your marketing and sales team doing to communicate with your team? For us it was a) tracking the number of calls, emails, and updates, and b) tracking the number of days between communications.
It is so much easier to reverse-engineer your plan when why know the end goal.
So talk to your team about your goals, then ask, what are their data points? What are their metrics? And which are the ones that matter, and that ultimately at the end of the day, tell you if you’re getting somewhere? Then ask for those reports on a regular basis and review them!
Number three, how are you going to have those conversations?
Once you have data, then you can have productive conversations. But how do you start those conversations? What are the scripts?
No good conversation starts with, “Well, I just have this feeling you’re not doing good enough.” Yeah, that’s not good enough. Leaders, we want more from you!
Data-driven leadership is starting the conversation with objective information and letting the numbers tell the story. Come from a place of curiosity and then ask how you can support them. “I noted that last week our numbers show we hit 8 when our goals are to hit a minimum of 15. Can you help me understand why the numbers are so low?” This will allow a conversation to ensue rather than a full frontal battle.
Bottom line: Leadership is hard. But it is easier with Data!
Like this Content? Here are More Posts We Think You’ll Love!
-
What Can an Executive Assistant Do for You?
We all know an Executive Assistant can do things like handle your email and calendar, but are you aware of all the other ways they can make your life easier – and your business more profitable?
As a business coach, one of the most common questions I get asked is, “I know I need an Executive Assistant, but how do I work with them? What do I delegate? How do I train them?” (Ok, that’s three questions, but they’re usually asked all at once!)
I firmly believe that every business owner needs an EA, and that your EA should be one of your first hires. A lot of business owners question whether they can afford one…my answer to that is that you can’t afford not to have one.
Here are three reasons why.
-
5 Surprising Ways Your Executive Assistant Can Help You Get More Done
When most people think of an Executive Assistant, they think of the administrative tasks like calendaring, email management and managing meetings. The fact is, the Executive Assistant is the secret weapon for top-level executives and I love all the things they can do in such a demanding role to make our lives better.
Here are some additional tasks for your high-level assistants.
-
3 Ways Small Business Owners Can Give Back and Make a Positive Impact
As small business owners, it’s easy for us to get caught up in the day-to-day hustle – even to the point that we need to intentionally schedule in time to step back and plan. However, there are other opportunities that can be easy to miss as we get busy: the opportunities to use our platforms to give back and make a positive impact.
There are so many different ways we can do this. Honestly, that’s part of what I love about it, because we’re all going to see different needs. None of us can fill every need, but together, each of us can do our part to fill some of them.
