Menu of High Performance Behaviors
This Menu is meant to be a tool to help codify the wide range of behaviors that make for inspiring, productive and empowering coworkers and leaders, and so that you can create a list of shared core skills for your team and thus standardize how you give feedback, how you hire, and how you decide on promotions. BTW, no one, ever, will be great at all of these. Many will not apply to your role or career path. Hence why it is a “Menu” - I recommend choosing 6 or so that you feel matter most to you to achieve, then get your manager’s, mentor’s, coworkers’ and/or reports’ thoughts to help you confirm the six that matter most this year in your role. Update in a year if needed!
1. Self-Regulation
Remains reflective, thoughtful and dedicated to understanding multiple perspectives in emotionally-triggering situations
Demonstrates the ability to differentiate between assumptions and facts
Demonstrates self-awareness of own strengths and weaknesses, including personal biases
Uses time well: Prioritizes well, is time-accountable and keeps to deadlines.
2. Empowers
Provides actionable, balanced & timely feedback to peers and/or reports that specifically supports their own growth, and/or the team’s goals.
Gives props equitably: applauds others’ progress and wins to build team-wide confidence.
Demonstrates genuine care for the success and well-being of others.
Delegates or shares work in a way that builds capacity and expertise across the team (does not “hog” work).
Conveys trust in others: presumes best intentions, allows others room to “fail forward”
Shares their own knowledge in a way that does not silence or push others down.
3. Balance of Collaboration with Advocacy
Listens and observes as well as they speak.
Uses open questions and inquiry to explore options, not decrease them.
In problem solving, balances team’s needs with company needs.
Builds trust and rapport between work groups
Co-designs solutions and ideas with stakeholders and those impacted by their work.
4. Conflict and Communication
Clarifies their own needs and boundaries and communicates them positively.
Seeks and listens well for feedback in conflict conversations.
Effectively communicates key messages efficiently, even under pressure.
Can communicate their own rationale and train of thought with others.
Contributes equally in team discussions.
Engages in healthy team debates, and is open to new ideas and data, even if it contradicts their original position.
5. Adaptability
Shows openness to innovative ideas, thoughtful risk-taking + unconventional solutions.
Demonstrates adaptability to unforeseen needs and changes.
Helps the team identify future barriers or areas for growth to better weather future storms.
Contributes optimism and perseverance to their team: approaches problems with curiosity and problem-solves concerns to find new solutions.
Does not prioritize tradition over better solutions: supports greater efficiencies and evolving policies that support multiple stakeholders.
6 Leadership Specific
Supports equitable career growth for reports, with challenges and opportunities, not just with promotions/ raises.
Clearly communicates expectations, balancing autonomy with guidance & support.
Pushes decision making to the lowest appropriate level: to develop employees' confidence in their ability to make those decisions.
Lines up resources so the team has what it needs for success.
Helps clarify who owns what.
Models effective levels of transparency, does not hide bad decision-making with secrecy.
Leads productive, engaging, equitable team meetings.
Troubleshoots unproductive communication dynamics on team early and as often as needed.
Recruits and retains a diverse team with complementary-skills
Develops a shared vision and strategy with appropriate levels of the team.
Licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License: Paloma Medina 2020