The first and best victory is to conquer self
Plato
One of the toughest tasks for you as a business owner is managing yourself. Moreover, also being able to determine the cause of your performance challenges. Since decisions to remedy the problem will depend on the diagnosis. Therefore, an accurate assessment is crucial.
So, let’s explore many factors influencing managing self-performance. You are then, less likely to ignore a possible source of performance deficit.
Many factors influences work performance, so, when performance is excellent, performance is a result of many circumstances that collaborate to make this excellence possible. Therefore superior performance requires that all the key influences on behaviour be in place.
Let’s look at several factors that affect or determine the level of performance. However, if you have a deficit in any one of these factors, your performance will suffer.
Aptitude
Aptitude refers to your natural ability to perform the task or tasks. Each of us has strengths and weaknesses that determine if we can learn or perform a task. Therefore, poor aptitude for a job could mean that you could never find out how to do it, even with all the support in the world. Assessing your aptitude is considered tough.
Skills
Even the simplest responsibilities require skills. Because skills differ from aptitude in that, they can be learned. Up to the limits imposed by aptitude. So, to assess whether a performance deficit is a result of lack of skill. Ask the questions, “If your life depended on it, could you do the task?” If the answer is no, then it could be a skill problem.
Clarity
A person must understand the nature of the task, and what is expected. Hence, if this clear communication is lacking, no amount of skill or motivation will bring about efficient performance. Managing self, like performance management, is the standard means for the conveying understanding of the task. Also, the best way to assess your understanding is to buddy with a trusted friend. Then take them to step by step over the task as if they are hearing it for the first time.
Effort
If you have the aptitude, skills, and understanding of the task required. It may be that factors are causing you to only “not make an effort”. These may be personal. Alternatively, related to the work environment. Assessing whether there is a motivational problem is hard. This situation is best done by examining other indicator behaviours i.e. procrastination, not having clear goals. Failure to produce a valid 90-day strategic business plan.
Sometimes the effort is not an on/off button. You may be putting in a limited amount of effort. As a result, producing inferior results. Performance requires that effort be initiated and sustained over time.
Your performance can be reduced due to factors beyond your control. If this is the case you should be in a position to identify these. Then seek the advice of others on how to reach a solution.
Important
With managing self, it is important that performance challenges be addressed as soon as they occur, and the above factors are examined to determine whether they are contributing to the problem.
Lack of results will manifest itself in a level of negativity or self-doubt. Also, that will be harder to overcome the longer it is left.
Do You Need Help?
Typically running our businesses is fulfilling and rewarding. The challenge, I have encountered, is for you to be humble enough to just ‘ask’ for help. Do you need help? You can contact me here.
