Simple Performance Evaluation
I got a new GPS watch a few weeks ago to give me feedback while I train. It is a Forerunner 10 made by Garmin and it replaces a Forerunner 410 that I passed on to my son. I like it much better than the 410 and this is why:
- It cost less, a lot less.
- It is easier to read with my aging eyes.
- It is easy to operate.
- I get all the feedback I need and not a lot of stats I will never use.
- I can program it to provide basic feedback at specific intervals.
- At the end of my run or ride I get a summary of my performance that is actionable.
Bottom line is I get only what I need to improve my performance, it’s in a simple format and at regular intervals.
I think job performance evaluations, especially for smaller teams, need to be this same way. They need to do the following:
- Be easy and basic to administer and complete.
- Be completed at regular intervals.
- Provide good feedback that is actionable.
I like the Start-Stop-Continue method championed by Steffen Landauer, Director of Leadership Development at Hewlett Packard. This system asks people to share a few things that each of their team members should START, STOP, and CONTINUE doing. That feedback is collected in a 360 format from team members and then aggregated to present to the person being reviewed.
It is a process that is not complicated, provides good information and can be done on a regular basis without a lot of drama.
Feedback that is accurate, regular and actionable is invaluable wether you are trying to improve your run time or your performance at your job.
My Remote Office Tools
The last couple of posts have been about my move away from a permanent office space. I did it mostly because I want to interact with a different set of people. It has been a good move for me, but there have been a few challenges.
The biggest challenge in the beginning was what technology to use and how to stay connected. When the internet goes down at the church office we all walk around lost like the zombies on The Walking Dead until it is connected again. So selecting the right tech tools and staying connected became a priority.
Here is what I am using with an emphasis on connection and battery power-
- 13″ MacBook Air (6 hours battery life)
- iPad with 4G LTE Verizon (10 hours battery life)
- iPhone 4S
- Evernote
- Zengobi Curio 8 with Evernote integration
- Google Drive for file sharing with coworkers
- Google Hangout for the occasional video chat
I try to find places to work with WiFI access. When I can’t I use my iPad as a hotspot.
This plan works great unless I forget to charge something up overnight, otherwise I am good to go.
My New Office Space
In this post yesterday I talked about how I have moved out of my office at work. I gave up my office space to force a change in my work pattern, a change that would allow me to interact with a different set of people.
Without a space in our building I have defaulted to our local Panera which is not bad, but it was easy. My next step is to find some other places to work that are non-traditional. Here are a few spaces I have spent some time in lately:
- The lobby in our local airport.
- The lobby in our local hospital.
- The surgery waiting room in our local hospital.
- The Poultry Science Building on the Auburn University campus.
- The Foy Student Center on the Auburn University campus.
- The local library.
I look for space that allows me to work, but also lends itself to easy conversation starters if I feel good about talking with someone. My first day at a new office location I was able to reconnect with my third grade teacher, I haven’t seen her in 40 years.
So, any suggestions on places I could park myself for a few hours?
Moving Out of the Box
I’ve moved out of the box, literally.
Two months ago I made the decision to give up my office at Cornerstone Church (the big box) where I work. I did it for several reasons, but mostly because I need to get away from all the Christians. Don’t get me wrong, they are great people and in fact I’m one of them. But I realized that for the past six years I have spent almost every work day interacting pretty much exclusively with the same people.
As Christians we are supposed to spend time and build relationships with the nonbeliever, those who don’t know Christ. It is something I did for the first 28 years of my adult life. Then I started a new career at Cornerstone and the majority of my working hours have been spent either at my desk or in meetings with other Christians.
Don’t misunderstand, I needed those years of being surrounded by Christians. But the time has passed to move out of the big box and shake up my life. It is going to take some time and adjustment, but I’m already seeing a difference.
If you are on a church staff or in general spend all your time with Christians, take a look at your routine. Do you need to get out of the big box?
Team Fisher
This is my son Mike, he is a talented guitar player and a pretty good kid. Several years ago I made a not so valiant attempt to play the bass guitar so we could play together, it wasn’t meant to be.
A few months ago he decided to start training for his first triathlon, I thought that was pretty cool. We did our first race together last month and he placed fourth in his age group. I am sure this won’t be our last race as a team. In case it’s not obvious, I am just a little proud of him.
Proverbs 23:24 “The father of a righteous child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.”
Half a World Apart
I really like this picture. I took it last month when I was in Uganda with Brian Johnson. This particular day we were visiting Pastor Ernest in Bwenga, a town just outside Kampala. I like it because it shows two men with what seems like nothing in common.
- Brian is in his twenties, Pastor Ernest is in his seventies.
- Brian’s primary language is english, it’s not Pastor Ernest’s.
- Brian lives in a house with electricity and indoor plumbing, not Pastor Ernest.
- Brian has one beautiful child that looks just like him, Pastor Ernest has 17 foster children.
- They live thousands of miles apart.
With all these differences, what they do have in common is their deep devotion to Christ. It was evident in their conversation. It’s too bad they can’t spend more time together, they would both be even better men if they could.
Is Teamwork a Virtue?
According to Patrick Lencioni in his new book The Advantage teamwork should be considered a choice, not a virtue.
The Advantage is about organizational health in businesses, non-profits and churches. His premise is organizational health is more important than any other discipline to move an organization forward. I just started reading/listening to it this week but I am already fascinated.
My biggest takeaway from the first few chapters is Lencioni’s thoughts on teamwork. He says most companies either provide lip service to the idea of teamwork or they underestimate what it takes to achieve it.
Lencioni provides an analogy for teamwork. He says most organizations that talk about teamwork are like a team of golfers. They all go off and play their round of golf and then come back and add up their scores. But healthy teamwork is more like a basketball team. All the players must work together throughout the entire game to come out ahead.
I am a big fan of Lencioni because I have read and, to some degree, lived out almost all of his books. His writing is solid. I look forward to reading the rest of The Advantage and posting more about his wisdom.
By the Sword- Mike Fisher & Paul Gross
This was filmed during a mini concert at The Guitar Shoppe in Auburn, AL. I can’t wait to see where Mike is with this talent in 10, 20 or 30 years from now. And more importantly, what he is doing with it to add value to the people around him.