Rob Smith on LinkedIn: A large part of performance is creating a process, or great habits, that… (2025)

Meaning behind my business name that no one asked for!Rarely do I get asked the meaning behind my business name, but I’m telling the story anyhow, so buckle up!My business name Ollivier is a metaphor for challenging yourself to take your first steps to achieving your big ambitions.Let me explain.- Ollivier is the name of a mountain in the southern alps of New Zealand.- It was also Sir Edmund Hilary’s first major climb in 1939. - If you don’t know, Hilary, alongside Tenzing Norgay was the first person in 1953 to reach the summit of the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest.- Mt Ollivier was essentially his first summit challenge until 14 years later he achieved the greatest of accomplishments.So for me, the name Ollivier represents taking my first step in my own journey of starting my own business back in 2015.This is a pic of me and my old buddy Ryan Crilly in 2012 on top of Mt Ollivier, which today is a fairly straight forward ascent. Your audacious goals may seem insurmountable right now. Don’t worry about that. Just take the first step and start your journey.+ Share and follow for more

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It’s The Manager - From GallupI love this book!I take a lot of my research on leadership and management from the good folk at Gallup and reference their research through my coaching and management training workshops.Their book, "It’s The Manager," is a game-changer for anyone looking to boost their team's performance.Why is this book great? It offers practical insights that help managers unlock their team's full potential. The key takeaway: managers have the most significant impact on an employee's success. By using the strategies in this book, you can give your team what they want most—a fantastic job and a fulfilling life.I often gift this book to clients because it's such an invaluable resource. Whether you're a seasoned manager or just starting out, "It’s The Manager" is a great reference for anyone that wants to level up their performance as a team manager.I would love to hear your book recommendations. Feel free to comment or send me a direct message.+ Share and follow for more leadership posts like this.

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Japan - I didn’t realise this is where it all began.It’s 2002 and I never thought I would be living in Japan. I lived there for two years up until 2004.Having new experiences in life is one of my core values and I’ve built this into various career choices.Teaching English in a new country was a new experience and it took me way out of my comfort zone. Through this experience was when I developed and understood my passion for helping others to learn and grow.This is the passion that showed up when I was a manager in recruitment and definitely now as a coach.Sometimes it is only when you look back at your journey, you recognise pivotal moments.Where did it all begin for you?This photo was taken 21 years ago with one of my students. I look like a different bloke!

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What builds trust, retains talent, supports growth and helps with decision making?The answer is feedback.☑️ Builds trust:In a high-trust culture, feedback is not seen as a tool for criticism or control but as a means of helping - we are just trying to help each other improve every day.Consultants then believe that feedback is given with their best interests in mind, and this perception is vital for the feedback process to work effectively.☑️ Talent retention:Retention is a challenge for all agencies. We want to ensure we are holding on to our high potentials and top performers. You need to find a way to differentiate yourself as a business and make your team feel valued, challenged and supported. ☑️ Supports growth: If we are regularly giving feedback on great work – consultants will more likely lean on these strengths to deliver placements. Additionally, if we are discussing areas of improvements, and offering our support as managers, we are encouraging growth and continuous improvement. This is how we grow careers.☑️ Decision making:As leaders, if you are open to feedback, the insights and perspectives of these conversations can help you make more informed decisions in a more agile way. An open feedback culture will help you to keep your finger on the pulse.How has feedback helped you and your team? #givefeedback #growth #retention

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Gallup research also tells us that 70% of employee commitment / engagement is directly attributed to the quality of managers and team leaders in your agency.Your managers are the custodians of your consultants and therefore the performance of the business. The key role of a team manager is to be a multiplier of performance; therefore, they must be equipped to have the right communication skills that ultimately drive results.Right communication skills = better resultsDo you agree?#communicationskills #engagement #performance #teamwork

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Struggle with performance in your teams?The right feedback could be your missing link.Feedback matters more than ever. Why?- It can help increase levels of self-awareness and uncover any blind spots about performance or behaviour.- Positive feedback is motivational - reinforcing the skills and behaviours that your team do well, ensuring they continue to build on the gaps.- Development feedback on improvements can also be motivational. It enables your teams to see where they may have skills or behaviour gaps.I go into more detail in my Feedback for Performance training where it is a strategic approach to building a feedback culture that delivers results. How has feedback helped your teams?+ Share and follow for more leadership posts like this #performancetraining #feedbackculture #selfawareness #feedback

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Appreciation goes a long way.I see a real gap in the amount of recognition people get for the good work they do. Typically, feedback arrives when corrective action is needed and that is fine, but we need to bring balance to our feedback and offer positive insights to the strengths or good work we notice.A lack of recognition is something that consistently comes up on manager feedback surveys.Again, for your agency, what’s the balance between the positive and critical feedback that you deliver to your team? #appreciation #recognition #feedback #recruitment

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Feedback isn't just words; it's the bridge between expectation and excellence.Key principles:- Setting expectations and feedback conversations: clear goals make feedback productive.- Action-oriented feedback: drives performance and empowers consultants.- SIFT - Specific, Impact, Feeling, Take Action: precise, actionable feedback.- Feedback as recognition: boosts morale and reinforces good behaviours.- Open dialogue: builds trust and encourages collaboration.- High-impact 1:1s vs. daily feedback: balance detailed sessions with regular feedback for continuous growth.Follow these principles to see instant wins. I would love to hear how it has helped you and your teams.+ Share and follow for more leadership tips like this #keyprinciples #action #sift #performance

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KPIs don’t have to be scary.Honestly, they don’t!Don't shy away from discussing activity KPIs. They're valuable when relevant and insightful. Here's why:- Understand skills and development: KPIs reveal your team's skill levels and development needs, helping prioritise activities effectively.- Drive high standards: collaborate with your team to show how maintaining high standards in recruitment steps boosts their success (and commission!).- Identify opportunities: a drop in key metrics is a chance to ask insightful questions, then train and coach to improve skills.Saying "do more!" isn't enough. Want to learn how quality ratios can enhance consultant development? Let's connect!+ Share and follow for more recruitment leadership tips like this #kpis #activity #recruitment

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