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Help
Your Clients Solve Even the Most Difficult People Problems
Performance analysis
(PA) is a powerful tool that you can use to solve virtually
any performance problem facing your organization. But to be
effective, it's important that your internal clients fully
understand the value of this type of analysis. Before recommending
PA, first explain the analysis process to them. This will
help minimize the tendency for your clients to jump to premature
conclusions about the causes of performance problems (e.g.,
"These people are just plain lazy!") to inappropriate
solutions (e.g., "Teach them to be more motivated!").
Here are some
consulting tips to help you guide your clients through the
PA process:
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Acknowledge
the problem: Be reassuring, nonjudgmental and validate
what your client is telling you.
-
Clarify
the problem: Find out what the client's performance
expectations are and what specifically is or is not being
done.
-
Identify
the causes: In most cases, you will have to gather
information from various sources; work with your client
to determine the best way to do this.
-
Recommend
possible solutions: Your role should be to recommend
courses of action and to communicate the risks and benefits
of each. It's your client's role to select the best solution(s).
-
Identify
action items: Identify steps that both you and your
client must complete to implement the solution(s). Establish
dates (and times, if necessary) for each action item.
Above all, you
will maximize your chances of successfully solving performance
problems if you first put your clients at ease and earn their
trust.
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