Here we are, June.  Holy cow!  We are almost halfway through this calendar year, so it is time to take an assessment to see if your company is heading where you want it to be. If not, how can you ever make a positive impact in the community of people with mobility impairment? 

Can you imagine delivering a prosthesis to a new amputee and not following up with them to check their progress?  Even someone who is an experienced wearer can benefit from a quick check-in.  Why is it ok to wait until the end of the year to check in on your business? Think of them as a strategic pit stop, a chance to reassess company goals, evaluate how well things are going, and make sure everyone is still in the right role to drive the company forward. Drawing inspiration from Jim Collins' idea of having "the right people on the bus" and ensuring they’re in the "right seats," mid-year reviews can be a game-changer for any organization that wants to grow and excel. 

Jim Collins, in his book "Good to Great," talks about the importance of not just having the right people on the bus but also making sure they’re in the right seats. This means it’s not enough to hire talented people; they need to be in roles where they can shine and help the company reach its goals. Having the right people on the bus means hiring individuals who fit the company’s culture and values. These are the people who are not only skilled but also passionate about the company’s mission. They’re the ones who will go the extra mile, innovate, and drive the company forward. 

It is hard to find these people, but I think it is incumbent on leadership to ensure that the company culture is authentic and transparent, don’t hide from who you are.  It is far more important to find the right cultural fit than to hire a warm body to do a job.  You can train a person how to perform tasks, but you can’t train attitude, passion or cultural fit.  Lately I have had the opportunity to participate in the assessment of several practices’ operations and I am finding a surprising number of staff who seem to be disengaged in their jobs. You need to understand why they are disengaged.  Are they on the wrong bus? Or maybe they are just in the wrong seat?  If they are on the wrong bus, get rid of them. 

Getting them (or ensuring that they are) in the right seats means placing them in roles that play to their strengths. This requires understanding each employee’s capabilities and potential. It also means that you know what you need to move the company where you want it to go.  Maybe you need to reassign roles or even make the tough call to let someone go if they’re not a good fit for their current (or an available) position.  It is not uncommon that the skills needed to get you where you are will not take you where you need to be. 

Your mid-year review provides several benefits, especially if you can take a critical look at who’s doing what and where they are taking you. By following Jim Collins' advice to not only have the right people on the bus but also ensure they are in the right seats, you can position yourself for greater success. Drive it home!