Hello Everyone….I hope you are having a good weekend. I am writing my Monday blog today because starting at 7:30 in the morning I will be in a recording studio here in Orlando for three days reading my book for Random House Audio Books. My book will be available in the following formats:
Hardcover, Audio CD, Download, Ebook.
For more information and to pre-order the book go to my website: www.leecockerell.com
PEOPLE, PROJECTS, PROCESSES, AND PROFIT: THE FOUR Ps
To all of the leaders out there that meet with other leaders from time to time and have business updates, make sure that you are asking the right questions. From time to time, I hear about leaders that just ask, “How is everything?” The answer to the question is usually, “Everything is just fine.”
I can tell you for sure that everything is never fine.
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There are always issues around people’s performance that need to be discussed, with agreement on the next steps to be taken.
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There are always projects under way that need to be discussed to understand if they are on time and on budget.
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There are always processes that need to be worked on and improved, implemented, or discarded.
A good question by a manager would be, “Tell me what processes you are working on to take the hassle out of our customers and fellow associates lives.” “Also, tell me how we are doing on the profit for your area. Are we having any problems in any areas with labor cost or expense controls? Will we achieve our budget?”
Other good questions are, “Take me through each of your direct reports: tell me what they are doing well, tell me what they need to improve on, and also tell me how you are working with them to develop them for the future.”
Another good question is “What can I do to assist you with any of these issues?” or “Is there anything else that I need to know about your business that you have not told me?”
The best way to have trust with one another is to talk about the tough issues and the good issues and to offer help and to ask for help. This is what a great partner does. So when you are out and about, ask your leaders about People, Projects, Processes, and Profit. . . .Lee
PS: If you want a fifth “P“, add Passion. this is usually the one thing that separates good performance from great performance.