The best tool is the People Analyzer. It made the biggest impact and helped us identify the Right People for the Right Seats.
—KELLY IMHOFF, marketing, Staley, Inc.
People Analyzer might sound a little scary—maybe even a little cold. Actually, it’s really not. In fact, after working with thousands of managers, we can tell you that, at first, your manager was probably a little apprehensive as well. Really, how many times have you heard a manager say, “I can’t wait to analyze my employees”?
This tool has a higher purpose. Great organizations are built by having the Right People in the Right Seats—100% across the organization—and that’s what the People Analyzer helps you do. In Chapter 2, we defined the Right People as people who fit in your company’s culture. These people act according to your company’s Core Values.
In Chapter 4, we defined seats using the Accountability Chart. The Right Seat means placing everyone in a role where they can best contribute to the organization. This is the job where their innate talents and skills are put to the best use. Each seat is defined by an average of 5 roles and responsibilities as shown below:
The People Analyzer is a simple tool that pulls Core Values and the Accountability Chart together and helps your organization identify if they have the Right People in the Right Seats. As Doug Hebert puts it, “The People Analyzer was a real eye-opener for me. It is really clear when people don’t align with our Core Values or fit their role—it’s just not their [thing].”
So how does it work?
On the People Analyzer you list a person in the left-hand column and then your company’s Core Values across the top, as shown:
The person is rated on how they live or don’t live your company’s Core Values with a plus, a plus/minus, or a minus. Here are the definitions for each rating:
• A plus (+) means that they live the Core Value most of the time. No one is perfect.
• A plus/minus (+/−) means that sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t live the Core Value. They’re hot and cold.
• A minus (−) means that most of the time they do not live the Core Value.
When completed, the People Analyzer might look like this example:
Every company sets a minimum standard, or “The Bar,” for the People Analyzer. You will notice it listed at the bottom of the People Analyzer. This is the minimum score a company will accept from the People Analyzer. If you have 5 Core Values, our recommended Bar is any combination of 3 “+’s” and 2 “+/−’s.”
The next step is to determine if each person is in the Right Seat. Using the Accountability Chart, each person is evaluated against their seat’s roles and responsibilities using 3 criteria called “GWC.” This stands for:
1. GET IT: Do they “get” the job?
• Do they understand all the ins and outs of the position?
• Do they understand how their job relates to and affects others?
• Do all the neurons in their brain connect for that job?
• A flight attendant who’s rude or a salesperson who doesn’t understand the product after months of training are examples of people who don’t “Get It.”
2. WANT IT: Do they “want” the job?
• Do they genuinely want to do the job?
• Do they get up every morning wanting to do it?
• Do they show passion for it?
• For example, at a family business in Texas, the accounts receivable clerk told her manager, “I’ve been doing this for 10 years. I really would like to do something else. I guess I just don’t want this seat anymore.”
3. CAPACITY: Do they have the “capacity” to do the job?
• Do they have the emotional, intellectual, and physical ability as well as the time to do the job?
• A receptionist who can’t work the phone system or a pest-control field rep who is scared of bugs are 2 examples of people who don’t have the capacity for their seats.
The answer to each GWC question is a yes or a no. Either they Get It, Want It, and have the Capacity to Do It, or they don’t. There are no maybes. When those 3 columns are added, the completed People Analyzer will look like this example:
The minimum standard, or “The Bar,” for GWC is 3 yeses. The People Analyzer will now show a complete picture of whether your company has the Right Person in the Right Seat. The above example shows that Sally is the Right Person in the Right Seat.
The next step is to apply it to yourself. That will give you a very clear answer of whether you are the Right Person in the Right Seat. Here’s how to do it:
1. On the following diagram, fill in your company’s Core Values across the top followed by Get It, Want It, Capacity to Do It.
2. Fill in your name in the far-left column.
3. Give yourself a +, +/−, or − for each Core Value based on your honest assessment of how well you live that specific Core Value.
4. Give yourself a yes or no for Get It, Want It, and Capacity to Do It.
5. Compare yourself to your company’s Bar.
6. Note: In order for this to be a useful tool, you need to be completely open and honest with yourself about how you live your company’s Core Values and if you GWC your current seat.
Once you see the results, don’t worry. If you’re the wrong person, it doesn’t mean you are a bad person. It only means you might be a better fit in a different company culture. If you’re in the wrong seat, it just means you need to find a seat that better fits your talents and skills—a seat where you can be more successful.
As an employee in a professional services firm on the West Coast said, “I was in the wrong seat and failing. It sucked and it was affecting my personal life. I finally got into the Right Seat, and I’m much more successful—and a lot happier.”
At this point, you’re probably wondering, “How did my manager complete this ‘thing’ on me?” Since your company is using EOS as its operating system, you’ll have a chance to find out. And this leads us to the Quarterly Conversation.
Imagine being able to sit down with your manager every 90 days and have a real, open, and honest discussion about how you are doing—about what’s working and what’s not. Most employees we’ve talked with would love more feedback and opportunities to discuss how they’re doing with their manager.
That’s why we teach every manager to have Quarterly Conversations with their direct reports. So, hopefully, you are already having them with your manager. If not, you should request them.
The Quarterly Conversation is just that, a conversation. It is not a formal performance review; there is no documentation, but it is okay for you and your manager to bring notes. In fact, for your first Quarterly Conversation you might want to bring your People Analyzer and compare notes with your manager. Remember 2 things, though:
1. Notes are to help you prepare for the conversation, not to document it.
2. Your manager is probably just as nervous as you are.
The Quarterly Conversation is an informal, face-to-face, one-on-one meeting for you both to talk about what’s working and what’s not. It takes about 60 minutes. This dialogue should be a 2-way street—an opportunity for you both to clarify expectations, to communicate well, to keep the circles connected, and if necessary, to make course corrections.
A Quarterly Conversation, taking place every 90 days, works because, as we mentioned in Chapter 5, human beings tend to lose focus and fray around that point. Meeting at 90-day intervals with your manager is a great way to reset for the next 90 days.
When preparing for your Quarterly Conversation, focus on 2 topics: “What’s Working” and “What’s Not.” Here are some questions to ask yourself when preparing for the “What’s Working” discussion:
• What am I most proud of accomplishing in the last quarter?
• What changes did I make to better accomplish my job?
• What did I do well to hit my Rocks and Measurable(s)?
• Am I working on projects and in a role that really matters?
• How have I demonstrated the company’s Core Values?
• Did my manager provide the necessary tools and direction to do my job well?
When you start preparing for the “What’s Not Working” discussion, it is important to understand that this is not meant to be a blame session. You are identifying issues that you can work on with your manager to resolve. Also, please keep in mind that everyone has aspects of the job that are “not working”—it just makes us normal human beings. Here are some questions that may help you prepare:
• What makes my job more difficult?
• What processes and procedures are broken?
• Have I identified the root cause of any issues I’m having?
• What could I have done differently in the last quarter?
• How have I not demonstrated the company’s Core Values?
• What could I have done differently to hit my Rocks and Measurable(s) (if you missed any)?
• How could my manager have helped me be more successful?
• What’s not working for your manager? (If you don’t know, ask.)
We’re often asked how Quarterly Conversations fit with Annual Performance Reviews. The Quarterly Conversations should complement the Annual Performance Review by keeping you in the loop regarding your performance. A good or bad Annual Performance Review should never be a surprise—if you and your manager are doing a good job of keeping the circles connected.
A final note: please don’t wait for your manager to come to you. If you don’t have a Quarterly Conversation set on your calendar with your manager, go to them and ask them when would be a good time to start.
When your company has implemented the People Analyzer, you’ll reach a point where you have 100% of the Right People in the Right Seats. Work will get done more efficiently, and mistakes will be rare. Communication will improve, and expectations between managers and employees will be crystal clear. The company will function like a well-oiled machine, consistently hitting and surpassing targets. Your role is to evaluate yourself, openly and honestly, using the People Analyzer. To help with that, ask your manager the following 3 questions.
1. What was your analysis of me, using the People Analyzer?
2. When will we start having Quarterly Conversations?
3. What do you think is working and what is not?
