Executive Productivity
If you could increase Executive Team productivity, how would you and your business benefit?
Last year I worked with two Executive teams, who as a result, were able to demonstrate an increase in productivity of 49% and 28%.
How often do you as an Executive Team look inwards to review your own productivity?
News headlines in 2017 confirmed that the UK productivity gap has widened to the worst level since records began. The Office of National Statistics identified that UK workers produce 16% less per hour than the average of the other G7 countries.[1]
Consider the hours you spent last year at board meetings, reviewing data to identify business wide performance and opportunities for improvement?
How much time do you spend on your individual and collective productivity?
As leaders of your business, everything that you do (your actions) and how you do it (your behaviours) define what is acceptable in your business. These are mirrored by the actions and behaviours of your managers and staff.
The productivity puzzle:
Definitions and calculations vary:
Labour productivity is calculated by dividing output by labour input. The UK reported an estimated increase of 0.9% from Quarter 2 (Apr to June) 2017 to Quarter 3 (July to Sept) 2017; the largest increase in productivity since Quarter 2 in 2011. [2]
Our simplistic definition considers:
Productivity = (outputs/inputs) and focuses on systems, processes and people
How much of your time do you spend focussing on each of these at your Board meetings?
Our experience tells us that Executives and managers target systems and processes to seek the greatest productivity improvements. The reality is that your people who use your systems and processes increase or decrease productivity through everything that they do (their actions) and how they do it (their behaviours). Their actions are often measured and shared to spread best practice or addressed to improve productivity. However behaviours often go unmanaged. It is no surprise then, that unacceptable behaviours are copied by their colleagues, they become the norm, creating a toxic, less productive environment.
And the same also applies in the board room. Unacceptable behaviours are unlikely to be challenged. Their impact is difficult to measure. Few have the courage and capability to know how best to react or respond to limit the damage on productivity.
Facilitated workshops:
The Five Behaviors of a Cohesive Team provides a platform and the catalyst for significant behavioural change. Based on the book The Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni, each team member receives a profile that describes:
- Their own behavioural style
- The team RAG rating for: Trust, Conflict, Commitment, Accountability and Results
Client Results:
Based on the definition of a Cohesive Team:
“People who share a common goal as well as the rewards and responsibilities for achieving them.
Where team members readily set aside their individual or personal needs for the greater good of the team the business.”
The Executive Team that achieved a 49% increase committed to 6 x ½ day workshops over 6 months to fully explore and achieve behavioural change. They now understand the need for and the benefits to be achieved from a business wide culture change which is now being planned.
The Executive Team that achieved 28% increase, committed to a half day workshop to surface and address the key behaviours impacting on productivity.
Exploring and adapting behaviours is not for the faint hearted and can be rewarded by a significant increase in productivity.
Keen to explore further? Then please do contact us: info@valuingyou.co.uk
[1] Office of National Statistics: bit.ly/2qUE1RE
[2] Office of National Statistics: http://bit.ly/2Bsm90z
