Channelise high performance using eight P’s
We are all interested in successful performance outcomes, whether in our professional or personal lives. Contextual factors, including the work environment, manager support, and availability of the right resources, help enable successful outcomes. It may be interesting to note that while these contextual elements do play a part, there is another aspect, which is a set of elements more intrinsic and inherent to the individual, and they differentiate the individual's ability actually to deliver performance outcomes. One can observe across organisations that, given the same context and similar educational or experiential background from which they come, some individuals do very well. In contrast, others struggle or are, at best, average. The contextual factors motivate performance; however, the individual channelises the driving of the best outcomes through a set of intrinsic factors. These include the Eight P’s viz., Plan, Preparation, Passion, Persistence, Proactiveness, Positivity, Positioning, and Patience. These factors help to channel the performance and have a force multiplier effect when the contextual factors are favourable. They can also help individuals to tide over a challenging contextual environment.
Detailing the Eight P’s
The eight elements are the levers individuals would have in their repertoire to help channel high performance in a given context. The contextual factors motivate individual performance; however, the individual channelises the driving of the best outcomes with the help of the intrinsic factors. I briefly discuss the eight elements that can help an individual ringfence high performance.
Plan
Without a plan, you are most likely on the way to planning your failure. This is true, whatever the context. The plan helps you move professionally or personally in the intended direction. The plan points to our destination or goal and details out the steps. Without small and well-thought-out steps, one can go off track for a long time and not even realise the same. The plan is also an excellent tool to align the actions with the strategic objectives. The best vision and mission statements without a concrete plan are bound to be pretty worthless in achieving the organisation's and individual's goals.
Preparation
There is a saying that the best woodcutters are the ones who spend sufficient time sharpening the axe and only then jump down to cut the trees. Being prepared helps start well and ensures that necessary resources are available as and when needed. Preparation is key to delivering the tasks at hand and discussing performance progress with one’s manager or senior. Preparation is also essential to ensure that one can overcome unforeseen blocks and hindrances.
Positioning
This is about identifying one’s unique skills, capabilities, and strengths and positioning them to the right set of stakeholders. Those can include the ones who decide role fitment and staffing as well as the people in the immediate as well as related chain of reporting of the specific individual. It’s crucial to ensure proper positioning to utilise one’s skills and capabilities to the best possible extent on social media channels, too. These may include internal social media platforms for those working in organisations with such networking options. Imagine the frustration of not moving in the direction of realising one’s potential, let alone being misaligned and underutilised in the skills and competencies that one possesses.
Proactiveness
It is the ability to anticipate and to solve a problem even before it manifests or ends up being a problem that could potentially affect the organisation. Individuals anticipating the issue can plan a preemptive solution to minimise disruption or negative impacts on the effectiveness or outcome. Progress is sustained when a problem is kept at bay, and this leads to less time wasted by disruption and also saves effort and energy that can go into solving an emerging new problem or issue.
Passion
When someone has a passion for something, it can never be pursued for another's sake. It’s always a self-driven pursuit. Passion is when a person does something they want from the bottom of their heart. They are even ready to undergo hardship and suffering. Deliberate practice over and over leads to high performance; however, it is the passion that enables one to practice something repeatedly. This is like Mozart, who practised for hours on end, getting to the detail of every note till he reached near perfection in harmony because of how the notes were strung together. It is also important to differentiate between harmonious (relating to various facets of your life/work) passion and obsessive passion (where the thing you are passionate about becomes an obsession). Obsessive passion can be negative to one’s self-identity, but harmonious passion can enhance and strengthen one's identity.
Persistence
It is the ability to stick with something and pursue it and not get swayed and move on from one to the other without achieving progress. When we need to achieve a goal, there is always a chance of coming across obstacles. One should be able to overcome the blocks and continue rather than get dissuaded by each stumbling block. It may take a few or many attempts to achieve something that can lead to tremendous value. One should pursue tasks to completion with confidence. Of course, when we speak of persistence, it does not mean we stick to something we should have given up. This skill comes when we can evaluate our choices and consider the chosen options after weighing them with data and heuristic approaches.
Positivity
If one approaches work or a task with a positive frame of mind, they view the task in a better light, are more patient, and have greater inherent motivation to complete the task. Studies have shown that the ones who smile and are happier at work are more productive. The reason is that happiness leads to better cognitive functioning. A positive mindset helps enhance self-efficacy and improves focus. Further, positivity is contagious and can affect fellow workers and companions. Also, positivity rubs off contextually. For example, a lousy day at work and a great day at home would be rare.
Patience
Act in haste and repent later at leisure. This is the reason one needs to be patient. Patience helps one understand others' perspectives and communicate more effectively. A patient individual will be able to accommodate diverse viewpoints and also involve more people while making a decision. This helps with better problem-solving approaches and higher chances of successful outcomes.
In conclusion
As discussed, these above eight elements are important in channelling successful performance and outcomes. Given a positive work environment, effective leadership, and the right resources, the combination of the 8 P’s will magically drive the best effort and outcomes. The reason is the moderating effect of the context that will be added to the individual’s repertoire of these eight elements.
It can be observed that five of these eight elements, viz., plan, preparation, positioning, and being proactive, as well as being persistent, are verbs or action elements. They enhance performance. The other three elements, passion, positivity, and patience, are personal characteristics and help reinforce the action performance enablers.
So next time you get that feeling of why you or someone else cannot achieve a targeted level of high performance, it would be good to assess the eight dimensions and see where there is a scope to help enhance the delivery of tasks and objectives through any of these elements that are a part of your repertoire of Eight P’s. After all, the contextual variables are not in your control, but what is in one’s control are the 8Ps that can channel high performance and also act as a true force multiplier