The Top 7 Steps to Create Leadership-Driven Performance

The Top 7 Steps to Create Leadership-Driven Performance
We know from leadership simulation assessment data that exceptional leaders drive exceptional performance. Exceptional leaders don’t just set the pace; they cultivate a high performance culture that helps people to perform at their peak. Leadership-driven performance is about more than hitting targets; it’s about fostering an environment where people and the business thrive together.

How to Create Leadership-Driven Performance
Based upon action learning leadership development feedback, here is a deep dive into how to create leadership-driven performance, combining strategic insight with actionable steps.

1. Define and Align Strategic Goals with Purpose
   We know from organizational alignment research that strategic clarity accounts for 31 percent of difference between high and low performing leaders. Leadership-driven performance starts with strategic clarity and strategic alignment. Leaders must articulate a purpose that resonates with their teams. This means not just defining what success looks like but explaining why it matters and having their teams fully buy into and commit to it.

   Ensure that there is a clear line of sight between every individual and team goal in a way that directly supports strategic priorities. When employees see a clear and meaningful connection between their work and the organization’s mission, they are more connected, motivated, and engaged.

   Do your leaders know how to create effective team charters to set their teams up for success?

2. Foster a Culture of Accountability, Transparency, and Strategy Execution
   We know from organizational culture assessment data that that accurate, open, trusting, and fair leadership practices help to move strategic work forward. Performance thrives in a culture where accountability and transparency are the norm. Leaders must set clear expectations and establish trusted and transparent systems for tracking strategy execution progress.

   Just remember that a culture of accountability isn’t about micromanagement; it’s about empowering employees to have an ownership mindset where they fully own their responsibilities and have the resources and support that they need to succeed.  Leaders must be able to lead situationally through regular one-on-one performance check-ins, constructive two-way feedback, and a continuous learning mindset.

   Do your leaders know how to build a high performance environment?

3. Build a Pipeline of Future Leaders
   High-performing teams require leaders who can consistently attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent.  Leadership-driven performance prioritizes growth — for leaders and their employees. By championing career growth and development, leaders demonstrate their commitment to both individual and organizational success.  This can include customized training sessions, access to stretch assignments, 1×1 coaching opportunities, and cross-functional collaboration to broaden expertise.  The goal is to ensure that people’s jobs give them a chance to learn and grow and that they have opportunities to learn new skills that will help them to succeed and become future leaders.

   Do your leaders have the career development mindset required to build a robust leadership pipeline?

4. Lead by Example, Especially During Times of Change
   Leadership-driven performance requires consistently modeling the behaviors you want to see in your team. Leaders who consistently “walk the talk” inspire others to do the same — especially during times of change. We know from change management training participants that effective change leaders know how to keep the team and the work moving forward in a way that makes sense to the business AND the people.

   Are your leaders enhancing their leadership credibility and trust by helping everyone understand what matters most through their day-to-day actions and words?

5. Empower Decision-Making
   We know from new manager training participants that micromanagement stifles creativity and slows progress. To drive collective performance, leaders must empower their teams to make decisions within their areas of expertise.

   Use decision making training to provide the right decision making framework and skills; then give employees enough autonomy and support to achieve the desired results in a way that makes sense to them and their teams. Empowered employees with decision making authority are more likely to take ownership of their work, adapt to change, and approach challenges with innovative solutions.

   Are your leaders empowering effective decision making across the organization?

6. Create a Feedback-Driven Environment
   Effective feedback is the cornerstone of individual and organizational growth. We know from employee engagement action data that employees who receive regular, timely, and relevant feedback are more engaged. Great people managers use feedback to create a development-focused culture.

   Leaders who create a culture of employee feedback are almost five times more likely to build high-quality future leaders.  That means proactively creating enough psychological team safety to encourage constructive debate and two-way feedback through one-on-one meetings, project team retrospectives, and timely information flow.

   Do your leaders receive and act upon feedback in a way that leads to tangible changes?

7. Celebrate Successes, Big and Small
   Recognition is a powerful motivator. Leadership-driven performance thrives when the right behaviors and achievements are noticed, encouraged, acknowledged, and rewarded. Whether it’s a team reaching a milestone or an individual excelling in their role, it is important to reinforce desired behaviors and outcomes to maintain and boost morale.

   According to research by Teresa Amabile from Harvard Business School, nothing contributes more to a positive inner work life than making progress in meaningful work. Even small achievements enhance motivation to do more.  Great leaders create a positive feedback loop by celebrating steady progress in meaningful work.

   If people contribute to the organization’s success, do they know they will be proportionately recognized?

The Bottom Line
Leadership-driven performance is about more than hitting metrics — it’s about developing leaders who can attract, develop, engage, and retain top talent AND drive successful strategy execution at the same time.  Do your leaders have what it takes?

To learn more about building effective leaders, download 6 Traps That Can Sabotage Success as a Leader