Successful logistics demands that everyone knows what they must do, they do it to standard, they keep improving, and they work as part of a team. Managing & motivation tips to achieve high performance, therefore, include three basic things. The first is effective management, the second is that the resources are in place so tasks are performed correctly, and the third is that individuals work as a team supporting each other.
In Part I of this series we said we would start at the beginning and keep it practical not theoretical. Let's begin.
Effective Managers
They give the team direction – a clear understanding of what they will do and how they will do it to achieve the goals they are working on. Effective managers encourage their team members to want to do their best (we’ll cover that, later, when we look at how to motivate) so managers have to show they are committed to the goals and are enthusiastic about achieving them.
Effective managers, therefore, know the intended result, have a plan to get that result, make sure the resources are in place so people can work efficiently and effectively, keep everyone informed so they know they are on the right track, pay attention to the team (because they are at the sharp end and know the details) monitor progress and problems, support and delegate as appropriate.
When a manager can check off each of these, they know they are not only effective, but they are leading a strong team. Now let’s look at teamwork.
Effective Team Performance
There’s an old adage that goes “There’s no 'I' in team.” Well there is. There are lots of them. And each ‘I’ plays their part in building teamwork, keeping the team working together, and achieving goals.
Take football as an example. The quarterback’s job is to get the ball to, say, the wide receiver in such a way that the receiver has the best chance to catch, run and score. The quarterback’s tasks are clear, and only the quarterback can perform. Other individuals must do their part to enable the quarterback to not be tackled, so he can prepare to throw, and then throw the ball in such a way that the receiver has the best chance of catching it cleanly. The receiver’s responsibility is to be in the agreed place at the agreed time to catch the ball and then run as well as he can, avoid being tackled as well as he can, and then score a touchdown. Lots of individuals do their specific tasks, so the team succeeds. It’s just like logistics, except with a football.
Effective teamwork, therefore, demands that each individual knows the goals and really wants to achieve them, so they commit themselves to playing their part as well as they can. They must know and trust their fellow team members, trust the process the manager put in place, and they must be capable enough to perform the tasks that are part of the overall plan. We will also go into detail on that in a later article.
The Take-Away
Management and motivation rely on SMARTER goals, the tasks to achieve those goals, competence to perform the tasks, and committed individuals working in high-performing teams. It’s what Professor John Adair called Action Centered Leadership. In our next article (Part III) we will look at SMARTER goals, how to set them, agree them and work to achieve them.
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