Stop talking about results

Managers often talk about results, sales, profit, etc. There are targets and objectives to achieve – at an individual and team level – to meet the organization’s medium and long- term goals.

There is a truth: If you want to achieve amazing results you have to stop talking about them and start the discussion about performance.

I got to know the topic of performance evaluation in 2005 thanks to my boss, the International Business Director of the company I was working for at that time. Andy is his name, and he is now working together with me and my team supporting our customers in their international and intercultural challenges.

One day, early November, he wrote an e mail to me and the other two export managers of the company, asking us to evaluate him. It was something like “Hey folks, what kind of vote would you give me as your boss and as a sales manager?”. I remember exactly the moment I looked towards Fabio, one of my export colleagues, the same split second he was looking to me sharing an equivalent look of surprise as we sat in the office with a stunning view over the Milan metropolitan area. With that first email, Andy was introducing to us the topic of performance management and KPIs. During a Skype call he reassured us he was sure that we were working hard and he had data to back it up…but the question was, “Was everyone working on the right things?” Did our work achieve the outcomes that he and the organization needed and expected?

Having a Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) management tool in place would have enabled us to quickly answer these questions, by quantifying individual and organizational goals, and evaluating performance accordingly.

From that moment on I started a journey measuring my performance rather than my results and supporting people and organisations doing the same using a specific model. In order to do that properly and bring value to our customers, I use the powerful tool of business coaching. This has enabled me and my team to develop a framework called PMS 4.0 which stands for People, Marketing and Sales 4.0 and represents a model of sustainable international growth for small and medium sized enterprises aiming to boost their business everywhere in the world.

On the 18th of November, for the first time ever, we have decided to share that model with everyone eager to grow internationally. At the marvellous location of Villa Calini in Franciacorta we are holding a workshop running from 10 am through to 6 pm. Yes, the workshop is in Italian but we will soon be offering webinars in English plus you can ask us for a specific customized training package to be organized at your site either in Italian or English.

It may be that you are not too interested in participating and discovering our model. I realise that it’s not for everybody or every company, but actually for those who are ready to take their business to a higher level.

Anyway, if you are among those who do not really believe in training and coaching activities, perhaps you can still do me a small favour? Stop evaluating your sales through results as this is old- fashioned and thoroughly ineffective.

Cheers,

Lucilla