How to Convert Potential to Performance

Your team is probably full of potential but how do you convert it to performance? 

Step 1 - identify the potential of your workers, which is to gain an awareness of their hard and soft skill possibilities. 

Step 2 - discern what potential should be converted for the benefit of the business and for the individual’s personal growth. 

Step 3 - establish an action plan and execute it in partnership with each worker. 

 How does identifying and converting potential impact on workplace performance?  When workers are correctly aligned in a business, they become top performers. 

When workers are nurtured the law or reciprocity provokes loyalty. 

When workers are given opportunities to grow and develop their value proposition increases raising the value of the business’s greatest asset.

Step 1. Revealing your team’s potential starts during the hiring process and continues throughout each worker’s tenure and the depth of discovery is aligned with the trust established between worker and business leader.  One way to reinforce this trust and reveal potential is through regular pre-planned Performance Appraisals that include conversations around employee growth and development.  A management open-door policy will also invite impromptu conversations of the same.  All these conversations should be aspirational but realistic. 

Step 2. You discern what potential should be converted by establishing with the worker what is attainable, identifying the resources and training needed, and any barriers to success along with any possible solutions to these barriers. 

Step 3. To establish and execute an action plan that converts potential to performance you need to first envisage what this looks like with the worker.  Then you need to secure the resources, training, mentors, and champions.  And then all parties need to apply commitment, courage, effort, and grit and there should be an awareness that fear, and self-doubt can come into play in this process. It is best practice to review your progress at reasonable and regular intervals and to tack as required. And all gains should be celebrated.

Finally, reach for the stars and raise your team members up and treat them with respect.  If you would like expert support on this topic, you can reach us at ripple.net.nz/contact.