There is a strong relationship between belief, attitude, behaviour and results: belief determines attitude, which underpins behaviour and behaviour generates results. An organization needs to ensure the beliefs of its employees align with the results it hopes to achieve. If we don’t share the beliefs of the organization, or don’t trust that the organization is living up to what it says it stands for, then we aren’t likely going to give much beyond lip service to achieving the strategy.
How, then, to develop the beliefs needed to get the results we desire? It is important to know what we stand for and confirm that the critical mass of people in the organization buy into these beliefs. We have always encouraged asking questions in order to gauge the perceptions of our employees (click here to learn more about the CORE Strengths survey).
Once a common set of beliefs is established, we must be vigilant to ensure we demonstrate the ways we live up to those beliefs. The attitudes of our employees are closely tied to whether they perceive that we are true to those beliefs.
A great set of stated beliefs and the right attitude is critical, but is still not enough. We need to help all team members maximize their performance efforts through coaching, tracking, and celebrating their milestones.
Achieving results is the ultimate desired outcome (hence our company name). However, not all goals are easy to measure, and often organizations come up short. It is key to determine whether a shortfall is an issue of a poorly identified goal (perhaps lacking specificity) or unrealistic definition (unattainable quantities or timelines). It is always best to assume a structural, not a people issue, is the root of a problem. Most individuals want to do the right thing, but too often do not understand what is expected of them.
Once you are satisfied that you have the goal well defined, then shift your focus to accountability: ensure there is buy-in into the beliefs of the organization. Check that the right attitude prevails and confirm that the team is focused on productive behaviours. If each of these steps line up correctly, then there is a very high likelihood you will get the right results.