Confronting and Removing Barriers to Optimum Performance
It is surprisingly easy to rapidly improve personal and business performance. First, identify what is holding you back - then remove it! It is as easy as that. Change need not be a painful process - nor does it need to take a vast investment in time to create the future you want. It really is not necessary to devote lots of time to navel gazing and developing action plans to develop new strengths and skills.
Quite often what stops us achieving our goals is no mystery
In reality, what stops "high performance" is a failure to remove that which inhibits its achievement.
For instance I have worked with a great number of managers who wanted to improve their Leadership skills. I have heard on many occasions - "I don't listen enough" or " I need to really delegate more effectively" ..or ."I need to stop taking over".
Well the answer is right there - stop doing those things that inhibit performance rather than trying to develop new strengths.
Those who experience real pressure and stress and never have time to relax, refresh and energise themselves should stop setting themselves too much to do and adopt balance to their lives.
People who lack confidence in public speaking need to stop worrying and practice presentations frequently.
Managers who are poor at managing their time need to stop procrastinating and set achievable goals.
Managers who are too directive with staff just need to stop over-talking and interrupting and start listening - ideas from others often come along very quietly.
Too much training and development focuses upon striving to learn completely new skills, thinking these will overcompensate for our current limitations. They never do.
The simple answer is "conquer our weaknesses" first. Build on strengths second. To make this practical for managers, I request that they write down their greatest weaknesses - keeping this list to themselves.
Then I ask them to think imaginatively about what they could have achieved in the past and in the future if these weaknesses were magically "spirited away". Focusing upon removing barriers to personal performance is the cornerstone to success.
To overcome old habits or behaviours which inhibit personal performance, think through the following:
What steps can you take to ensure that your "weaknesses" remain in the past?
What will be the cost you in the long-term if you fail to eradicate your weaknesses?
What new habits or behaviours will stop you reverting to your old behaviours?
Choose a role model who acts and behaves in the way you prefer to act - and think "what would that person do to avoid such limitations holding back their performance."
Focusing upon eradicating weaknesses is a very simple personal strategy for improvement. Working on one limitation at a time can significantly impact upon personal performance.
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