Some produce and some create extra work
An evaluation of yourself and your direct reports is something that should be done more often than once a year during the annual review. Evaluation should be a daily function because if you’re not improving daily then you are getting worse. When doing this evaluation, ask the following question.
Do I bring more to the table of my community bank than I take from it?
Most employees think they are a net gain, but in reality just a few are pulling the load. Statistics show that roughly 17% of the employees do 85% of the work, hence the so-called 80/20 rule. Another take on the 80/20 rule is that 20% of the time people spend at work, generates 80% of their production. How are you spending that 20%? Before the new year begins, figure out how much time you’re spending on productive work vs the time you’re spending creating extra work for yourself and others. Figure that out and you’ll soon discover if you’re a net drain or net gain to your bank.
Traits of a Net Gain
Here are a few things to consider in order to measure where you are…
- I abide by the Non-Negotiables – If you’re not aware of the non-negotiables, then get them from your manager. If your manager isn’t aware of the non-negotiables or your organization hasn’t established non-negotiables then stop reading and consider finding a new job because there are serious issues within the organization and it is either stagnant or losing ground.
- I produce – This means going above and beyond the job description. If you’ve figured out the minimum you need to do to keep your job and that’s your comfort zone, then you’re just a paycheck collector. A producer sets her own goals, higher than the expected standard. She is an innovator, based on proven performance. Does this describe you?
- My Values = My Words = My Actions – No one likes a hypocrite. Many people claim to have certain values and do a nice job of saying all the right things but when one really pays attention and watches what they do, their actions tell a different story. You can fool some people for a while but those who pay attention will see the real you. Understand your core values. If you truly believe them they will come out in what you say and what you do.
Are You a Net Drain???
Have these phrases come out of your mouth recently?
- I don’t have time – This is not uncommon for a “net drain” to use as an excuse for not getting her job done in an efficient manner or, to avoid taking on a new challenge that may not be explicitly written in her job description. If you ever catch yourself saying this phrase… Stop it! Take it out of your vocabulary. We all have the same amount of time each day. This phrase is just another way of saying I don’t manage myself very well. Sure, we all have busy parts of our day, week, or month, but if we’re honest, we can all make time to go out of our way to help with the task at hand. When you’ve exceeded expectations and your department is experiencing remarkable growth, then you’ve earned the right to ask for additional help or staffing.
- I’ll do things my way. I know best – If you’re the top producer in a growing bank you can get away with this. In fact, you might be right. The funny thing is, 99% of these successful people continue to ask questions, seek out more effective ways of doing things and know they don’t have all the answers. If you’re not demanding honest feedback and not pushing new innovations then you’re probably a drain and you’re likely a weak link.
- My core scores don’t represent my true value – This statement is just sad. Your core scores define who you are. If you ignore them you’ll never see success and your organization will suffer for it. Don’t have a core score or don’t know what that is? Then go to your manager immediately and get it. If your manager doesn’t know your core score it means that leadership has failed in this area. This is one of those times again when you start looking for another job, unless you just enjoy being in a job with no purpose, collecting a check.
Don’t be “that person”
Hopefully you now have a general idea of whether you’re a “Net Gain” or a “Net Drain”. Don’t be that person. No one likes that person. We all try to avoid that person. When you see her number on caller ID or she leaves a voice mail, you think extra work. When you get his email (copied to multiple people) you dread opening it. That person is a work creator by renewing discussions on things that have already be decided upon and by bringing up concerns that were never concerns but now must be discussed in several meetings to prove that the concerns were of no concern. It gets confusing after awhile. That person is a net drain. Make 2016 a year of production instead of “work” creation and be a net gain to your bank.
