Six Sources of Influence
I just finished Change Anything, by Kerry Patterson, Joseph Grenny, David Maxfield and Ron McMillan. This book chronicles a series of scientific studies around change and lays out the 6 sources of influence that it takes to make real change in your life.
I’ve outlined a few of the critical elements they discovered through months of research and interviews. In sum? To change one big thing, you have to change in six different ways to make that shift happen.
This is the Jen Spencer version of Cliff Notes to get you started:
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We are not robots.
When companies grow, it’s a natural reaction to scale and systemize processes to bring consistent service, prevent potential damaging scenarios and to be able to manage how the business runs.
Systemizing can impede the human factor.
Systems are meant to streamline processes. But they don’t remove the need for the human factor.
Humans are not robots. They are talent.
Our input makes a difference, especially, when you are dealing with exceptions.
So hire smart humans. Identify the purpose of your work. Empower them to understand where they can make a difference. And, then let them do their jobs.
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Performance Reviews for the Solopreneur (Part 2)
Assessing Your Performance
You are your business.
As solopreneurs, your biggest strengths and weaknesses are highlighted and amplified through your businesses.
The most incredible part of your business? Everything that happens is dictated by and catalyzed through you. Did I also mention this can be the most overwhelming part, too?
It’s important to be able to recognize where are you making the most difference in your business and where are you holding your business back. And while I have never met a solopreneur who wasn’t analyzing their business and gauging next steps, they are often caught in the cycle of working “in” the business versus finding time to work “on” it.
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Top Tips for Performance Reviews
Most people know what they do and don’t do well. And, those that aren’t aware, deserve to be educated. Here are some top tips on how to give clear, useful performance reviews that will help develop your employee(s).
1. Have your employee fill out their own evaluation as their manager is getting a full 360 degree view (in some cases this may be you).
2. Get a FULL 360 degree view (boss, peers, direct reports)
3. Compare the 360 with their self-assessment. Marry the results.
4. Give employee the results.
5. Meet with employee a week later to help them create a plan of action to leverage strengths, and improve on weaknesses.
6. Manager and employee check in each quarter to see where the employee is in relationship to their plan. Manager coaches as need be.
If you have used other proven methods you’d like to recommend? Please share!
Are you a Solopreneur? While you may not have employees, you have relationships with vendors and partnerships that help you fulfill your brand and work. Here are some recommends for how to fulfill this with your vendor relationships, so the cogs can be removed while the valuable relationships can continue to grow and evolve.
Performance Reviews for the Solopreneur (Part 1): Assessing Your Vendors/Alliances/Partnerships
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Performance Reviews for the Solopreneur (Part 1)
Assessing Your Vendors/Alliances/Partnerships
As a solopreneur, you may not have employees, but successful solopreneurs have partnerships and alliances that help them get their business done… well.
Similar to employee performance reviews, I recommend a partnership review at least once a year to keep the relationship growing and evolving. Here’s how it might look…
- Identify the vendors you use regularly to get things done. Some ideas: designers, assistants (virtual or real life), copywriters, bookkeepers, printers, etc.)
- List out the top 3 based on volume, their value, their potential impact on your business.
- Think through each relationship. Are you happy with the work they produce and results they create for you? What works beautifully? What needs some adjustment?
Some ideas: communication, timing + deadlines, quality of the work, metrix, costs, etc.
- At this point, you can make the decision to end a relationship and find some new partners in that domain OR move on to number 5.
- Find a time to connect in-person with your top pics. I encourage giving people a heads up that you are looking at ways to be more effective and productive as partners prior to your meeting. Let them know that you want their input in that conversation. You might want to help them prepare by giving them a few questions to think about (e.g. what’s working well, what could work better, any other information about growth and/or operational changes that might effect how you work together).
- Meet. Share the love. Share constructive insights. Solidify your relationship.
Additional Posts to Check out:
Vendor Love
Relationships vs Transactions
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Dad & Jen’s Top Ten
When I read this article about a dying father’s wishes for his daughter, I wondered what my dad would say in regards to his lessons and legacy of learning. I decided not to wait until he was dying to find out. To spark conversation, I sent him my top 10 list:
#1 We create our meaning. Isn’t it more empowering to create meaning that inspires?
#2 We typically are our own biggest barriers. The upside of this is once we recognize this, we can seek counsel, environments, head space that supports our dreams and goals, wants and desires.
#3 Team is essential to life.
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