One common error leaders make when trying to align their team is to attempt to unite them behind Objectives, Key Results, and Key Performance Indicators.
I talked last time about the importance of understanding the common purpose for your team, but it’s a mistake to try to articulate that purpose in terms of goals, deliverables, and metrics.
When I was in the corporate workplace, one of my teams was responsible for a system that delivered lab results electronically to tens of thousands of physician offices across the United States. Sure, we had measurable service levels that we were expected to achieve, but those didn’t define our purpose. The clearest understanding of our purpose came one Thursday morning when the entire system halted for almost three full days.
There was a principle that often reminded us about the value of our work. It went like this: “It’s not a transaction; it’s a patient.” When results stopped being delivered, we realized that someone’s grandfather would have to delay his surgery. Someone’s sister wouldn’t receive the diagnosis her doctor had been waiting for to guide her healing.
Think about how the world would be worse off if your department stopped working correctly. What’s the problem you solve?
To articulate your purpose in a way that inspires and motivates your team, talk about the human impact you have on the people who depend on you.
If you’d like a thinking partner to help you craft your story in human terms, let’s talk. Visit stevedwire.com/talk to start the conversation.
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