Arts Management 2020 - Session 9

Today's session was about Performance Management. We looked at the core principle

Performance reflects Preparation. Nothing more, nothing less.

Preparation is on three levels - Physical, Skill and Mental.
Physical preparation 

• Speed
• Stamina/Endurance
• Flexibility
• Strength

Skill Preparation 

• Deconstruct skill, learn enough to self-correct, remove distractions
• Commit hours/effort,  get evaluation and feedback from mentors/coaches,
• Perfect practice makes perfect, practice time, performance time,
• Deliberate practice – strengthen your strengths, strengthen your weak areas,
• Feedback management (ABC - Activator, Behavior, Consequence), Feedback is the breakfast of champions
• What you cannot measure you cannot improve

 Practice the 3As –

• Acknowledge
• Appreciate (what you focus on grows),
• Ask for help (people repeat behaviors when appreciated) 

OKRs - Objectives and Key Results Technique to 10x Your Results

• 2 or 3 main Objectives (10x goals, should be 10x and not incremental, large enough to seem out of reach)
• 3 key results (set three key results for each objective. These key results should have a number and be very specific. The achievement of the key results will result in achievement of the objective. So think carefully and choose the key results well.)
• Share OKRs with your guide/mentor
• Share progress and get feedback with guide/mentor every 15 days or so
• Once the BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) is established, look for ways to achieve it. Tip - you cannot achieve these goals by merely doing what you have been doing always.

10x Process (based on my experience)

• Decide on 10 x outcome
• Identify key results required
• Eliminate all areas that could come in the way of your success
• Visualise/ Form template - 'what not to do' and 'what to do'
• Execute plan
• Monitor progress
• Take corrective action when things go off track
• Complete process

The Inner Game of Tennis Method 

Performance + Potential - Interference

You have two people inside you

Self 1 - the critic

Self 2 - the performer/executor

The key is to quieten the critic (interference) and strengthen the executor's confidence.

To improve performance

• Be non-judgemental (instead of using words like 'good' or 'bad' use words like 'interesting', 'how can it get better' etc)
• Feel Images – Create images of your best performances with feeling 
• Quieten Self 1 – give it something physical to do such as breathing, or focusing on some physical aspect of the body
• Trust Self 2 – it knows, instead of playing below your potential aim to play like a top players

 Mental Preparation

• Learning mindset (your mindset)
• Goals (vision, mission, objectives - your path and milestones)
• Context (your current position and the road ahead)
• Process orientation (how to correct course when things get stuck)
• Being secure (knowing what you know and what you don't, living in the question) 
• 100% responsibility (taking complete responsibility and finding the freedom to live your life)
• Explore and heal relationship with self, art, others, money, success (write about each one)
• Beliefs (about success, money, health, relationships, life, career, self, people)

Beliefs

We carry core positive and negative beliefs. We pick up beliefs to suit some need of ours. Our beliefs determine our experience. You are not your beliefs

 A belief is created by choice. It is a thought, a perception that can be changed. Beliefs affect thoughts, feelings., attitudes and actions and outcomes

By changing your beliefs, you can change your reality. First identify your negative beliefs (your life and your experiences reflect your beliefs, the words you use, emotions, what irritates you in others, your 'I am..' statements). Then change the story by using a different statement - make a positive affirmation (If your belief is 'I will never be successful' change it to 'I always number 1' or something strong like that). Use visuals, vision boards, small experiences to overcome and change your negative \beliefs. Be open to new and better possibilities when your old belief starts creeping in.

Some common negative beliefs

• I will never be enough
• I am always last or left out
• It is not safe to speak out
• Life is not fair
•  I am unworthy
• I don’t deserve
• Others are more important than me
• I have to do it all by myself
• I am unloveable/ No one will love me
• No matter how hard  I try it is not enough
• I am alone
• No one is there for me
• It is not safe to be me
• People abandon me
• I should have been a boy
• I must obey or suffer

 Deep-rooted beliefs can conflict with your work. All your hard work, skill etc will come to nothing if you have a belief that says you will never succeed. Start working on your core negative beliefs and start changing them. You can start the process right now and change your reality.