Center Stage Management is a simple approach that practically guarantees your team’s best performance. Leaders are responsible for motivating their teams to give their best performance. Some leaders prefer to push, prod, and cajole. Others rely on more subtle methods. They prefer to set the stage to naturally pull “best performances” from their team. Center Stage Management is a powerful, practical method for creating a positive environment that will pull the best performance from every team member.
The process
- Hold a regular public status review. Set a schedule and stick to it.
- Each team member presents his/her own work.
- Invite interested outsiders.
- Set a time limit for each presenter.
- Status reviews only, no problem solving.
- Prep team members for their first reviews to ensure a good showing.
- Take the opportunity during the review to quietly but firmly clarify expectations and establish standards for quality of work.
- Emphasize positive feedback. Take serious criticism “offline”.
- Use the review to issue rewards for goals met and for excellent work.
- Review and close projects and tasks as a group.
The result
- improved sense of ownership and accountability
- increased sense of pride in workmanship and quality
- thorough completeness of work
- higher productivity
- dedicated cooperation and commitment
- renewed respect for the team process
- transitioned to “we” speech and less focus on traditional “you” and “I” speech
- positive social pressure to turn in “personal best” performance
- better understanding of the difference each team member can make
Successful leaders understand that a little structure and up-front work to create the right social environment dramatically increases performance.
