7 Sustainable Performance Straight Talks

Is inefficient performance and productivity fog rolling into your teams and organisation? It is time to reassess, repair, and rebuild the broken parts. The speed of change is unsettling, and no one is immune to it. We cannot shield ourselves against inevitable change or move to another utopia. This article is about imminent action to prevent you from remaining in the organisational bubble.

1. The environment matters

The environment plays a crucial role in shaping organisational performance. A healthy and sustainable environment ensures the well-being of employees, which directly influences productivity, creativity, and job satisfaction. Moreover, a commitment to environmental responsibility can enhance a company’s reputation, fostering trust and loyalty among stakeholders and the community.

A sustainable practice involves making choices that protect and preserve the environment for future generations. Selecting and collaborating with suppliers and partners who prioritise sustainability can help organisations minimise their environmental and carbon footprint.

Action

1. • Organisations must eliminate performance waste e.g. inefficient recruitment practices and ineffective performance management systems.
   • Foster a culture of sustainability.
   • Reduce performance waste, conserve and adopt renewable energy sources and ecofriendly products and services.
   • Create an organisational environment and green performance culture.
   • Encourage employees to participate in environmental community initiatives.

2. Organisational happiness

Organisational happiness refers to the overall well-being and satisfaction of employees within a company where “quiet quitting” is not a norm. When employees feel valued, supported, and engaged, they are more likely to be productive, innovative, and loyal. By fostering a culture of happiness, organisations can create a more motivated and committed workforce, ultimately leading to improved performance and success.

Action

1. • Create a positive work environment and opportunities for growth and development.
   • Create a system for recognition and rewards achievements.
   • Create a healthy work-life balance through WFH and WFA as examples and where applicable.
   • Develop a culture of organisational transparency.

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3. Leadership is a team sport

Leadership is a team sport because it thrives on collaboration, communication, and mutual support. Effective leaders understand that achieving goals requires harnessing the diverse talents and perspectives of their team members. Team-oriented leadership also promotes shared responsibility and accountability, empowering individuals to take ownership of their contributions to work towards a common vision. Ultimately, leadership is not about individual glory but about cultivating a cohesive and high-performing team that can overcome challenges and achieve greatness together.

Action

1. • Foster an inclusive and cooperative environment to inspire employees to trust leaders.
   • Encourage innovation by demonstrating excellence.
   • Drive collective success by walking the talk.

4. Swift shifting

Swift shifting refers to the rapid and efficient transition from one task or activity to another.

It also refers to organisations who embrace change by constantly scanning the environment. In a fast-paced work environment, the ability to swiftly shift between responsibilities is essential for maintaining productivity and meeting deadlines. Additionally, organisations that foster a culture of swift shifting can respond more effectively to external changes.

Action

1. • Create management to support adaptability, focus, and time management.
   • Create a system to capitalise on emerging opportunities.
   • Track progress and identify areas for improvement.

5. Intergenerational contentment

Intergenerational conflict is past tense. Intergenerational contentment refers to the harmonious coexistence and mutual satisfaction among different generations within an organisation. By fostering open communication, shared goals, and collaborative efforts, intergenerational contentment promotes a sense of unity and collective well-being.

Action

1. • Create a variety of opportunities where individuals from various age groups appreciate and respect each other’s perspectives, values, and contributions.
   • Create a mentoring programme where the wisdom and experience of older generations are transferred.
   • Create opportunities for younger generations to ensure their energy, innovations, and ideas are embraced and channelled in the right direction.

6. Curious Learning

Curious learning is the practice of cultivating a sense of inquisitiveness in the pursuit of knowledge application, contributing to productivity and performance enhancement. It involves actively seeking out new information, exploring different perspectives, learning from errors, and embracing the unknown with an open mind. By fostering a culture of curious learning, organisations and individuals can adapt more effectively to changing circumstances.

Action

1. • Create a learning organisation culture and implement it through community of practice meetings occurring regularly.

7. Performance bandwidth

Performance bandwidth refers to the capacity of teams and organisations to handle multiple tasks, projects, or challenges simultaneously without compromising quality or efficiency. It encompasses not only the availability of resources and skills but also the agility and effectiveness of processes used to manage workload. Focus on making work more strategically orientated to adapt to fluctuating demands.

Action

1. • Foster a sustainable growth environment to stretch employees and processes.
   • Workshop ideas to streamline internal processes and incentives in line with a green performance culture.
   • Create a quality and customer satisfaction mindset.
   • Embrace and implement technology and AI tools.

By developing and integrating these actions, organisations will contribute to a healthier external and internal environment, while enhancing their reputation and overall people performance. Performance complacency can easily be removed if there is a willingness to do something different. Replace it with new performance improvement methods and environmentally healthier approaches to change.