Performance Improvement LIFE-cycle

Success at the Speed of Leadership™

Dillard Partners, LLC www.dillardpartners.com

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Improvement

LIFE-cycle



Performance Improvement (PI)• The prefix “LIFE” in LIFE-cycle incorporates the

following: – Lifelong Learning (Awareness so we can Learn)– Internal Locus of Control (Acceptance so we can

Change)– Fulfillment (Action so we can Grow)– Excellence (Achievement so we can Lead)

• This applies equally to groups and individuals—organizations don’t exist apart from organisms (i.e., people)—and its main objective is the development, promulgation, and continual renewal of servant-leadership.



LIFE-cycle (L-c)• The LIFE-cycle is irreducibly complex (meaning

all 4 stages must be completed for performance to improve), and the stages are sequential (meaning the LIFE-cycle always begins with Stage #1: Life-long Learning and ends with Stage #4: Excellence) and progressive (meaning each stage builds upon the previous stage).

• The suffix “-cycle” indicates that it must be repeated on a continual basis for sustained performance improvement over time.



PIL-c Practical Model• The PIL-c is not a “theoretical framework”, rather

a practical model for thinking about leadership and acting on it in a way that can produce a stable and effective platform for those who dare to believe they can make a positive difference in this world.

• LIFE-Cycle is comprised of 4 basic performance targets, called “waypoints”, and 4 basic emotional elements called “connectors”.



PIL-c Model Construct• The building blocks of the model are the

performance waypoints.• The mortar between the bricks are the emotional

connectors.• Both are used to build a strong and stable

servant-leadership platform.

Improvement Stage

Performance Waypoint

Emotional Connector



Stage 1 - Lifelong Learning

Emotional Connector: Knowing our strengths and weaknesses (Awareness)

Performance Waypoint: Understanding how our thinking impacts our behavior/ performance, and how our behavior impacts others (Learn)



The Power of LearningAwareness helps us break free from Unconscious Incompetence, leading to a state of Conscious Incompetence (i.e., we know that we don’t know) and producing the potential to Learn.

Openness to learning moves us toward a state of Conscious Competence (i.e., we know what we didn’t know before), releasing unlimited potential to learn something new about ourselves, the World, or the interface.



Alternative = Ignorance

Unconscious Incompetence (we still don’t know that we don’t know what we don’t know).

Epitaph: “It might be just as offensive to be around a man who never changed his mind as one who never changed his clothes.” – Country Parson



Stage 2 – Internal Locus of Control

Emotional Connector: Accepting ourselves as we are now (Acceptance)

Performance Waypoint: Deciding to improve ourselves (Change)



The Power of Internal LoC

Acceptance of what you learn about yourself — of what is and isn’t working in your life — releases your potential (energy) for worthwhile Change, which must be carefully planned out (i.e., what to change, what to change to, and how/ where to start). Result is Conscious Competence.

You must: (a) believe that worthwhile change is possible, then (b) believe in your own ability to change before you creating a plan for change.



Alternative = External LoCReasons (for not changing your mind) equal excuses, which safely secures Intentional Incompetence...the conscious choice to remain incompetent rather than risk worthwhile change.

Epitaph: We are the best health educated society in the history of mankind but we don't take information and use it to motivate us to change our behavior" – Dr. OZ



Stage 3 - Fulfillment

Emotional Connector: Committing to a plan around worthwhile changes (Action)

Performance Waypoint: Monitoring our progress over time (Grow)



The Power of FulfillmentPotential is fulfilled through taking Action on worthwhile change in the right way and for the right reasons (for the benefit of others), which produces a newfound capacity to Grow.

Action around worthwhile change is empowered by intrinsic motivation (i.e., having enough of the right reasons) to apply the right methods — enabling growth. Result is Unconscious Competence.



Alternative = Unfulfillment

Articulate Incompetence – more savvy, though less rational, arguments for remaining unchanged.

Epitaph: “Little men with little minds and little imagination jog through life in little ruts, smugly resisting all changes that would jar their little worlds.” - Marie Fraser



Stage 4 - Excellence

Emotional Connector: Increasing personal effectiveness (Achievement)

Performance Waypoint: Giving the best version of you away for and with others as Servant-Leader (Lead)



The Power of ExcellenceAchievement in excellence produces excellence in Achievement, which increases economies of scale, skill, and scope for much broader opportunity to Lead and create opportunities for performance improvements through the next iteration of the LIFE-cycle.

Both increase our potential to cast a wider net for permanent, positive changes for others, and in the World around us.



Alternative = Mediocrity

Short-circuit our potential for improving performance and neglect the positive difference we can make in the World.

Epitaph: There once was a very cautious man, who never laughed or cried, he never cared, he never dared, he never dreamed or tried. And when one day he passed away, his life insurance was denied. For since he never really lived, they claimed he never died.



Summary• Awareness helps us Learn and, through

Acceptance, releases our potential (energy) for worthwhile Change!

• That potential is fulfilled by taking Action on worthwhile changes in the right way and for the right reasons (FOR OTHERS), which allows us to really Grow.

• To reach excellence in Achievement from this growth, engaging others provides meaningful feedback and releases a newfound potential to Lead in ways never before imagined.



Change the World?• Leading others will be a natural consequence

through the law of attraction (i.e., others will choose to follow your lead).

• As servant-leader, modeling service as a gift will help others become more aware of their own potential, and through awareness learn, and by learning accept, and by acceptance, change...and so on.

• As the leadership goes, so goes the >>>!

Documents

Performance Improvement LIFE-cycle