A few years ago, I took my wife and brother-in-law to watch Zambia play an international football match. We had gone to support our team and sat in the open wing, which looked like a celebration.
As I sat there, I began thinking about how much pressure our players must have been under. Thousands of supporters wanted a win. But wanting a result and preparing people to deliver it are two different things.
What mattered was what had happened before that match: the training, the coaching, the clarity about each player’s role and the preparation for things going wrong.
That thought has stayed with me because I see a similar challenge in organisations. We demand results, but sometimes give too little attention to the daily practices that make results possible.
- Make sure everyone knows what winning means
On the football pitch, the score is visible. At work, success can be surprisingly unclear.
I encourage managers to ask employees: “What are the three most important results expected from your role?” The answers can reveal a gap between what managers assume and what employees understand.
Translate strategy into specific commitments. “Improve service” becomes “Acknowledge enquiries within two working hours.” Agree deadlines and quality standards. People should not have to guess what will satisfy their manager.
- Start with a short conversation about priorities
A team needs to know the plan before everyone runs in different directions.
Where daily coordination matters, hold a brief check-in. Ask: What must we complete today? What might delay us? Where do we need help?
Keep it focused. This should help employees organise their work, not become another meeting they must survive.
For teams whose work requires uninterrupted concentration, a shared written update may work better. The purpose is alignment, not attendance.
- Make ownership and commitments visible
One phrase I would encourage managers to challenge is: “We are working on it.”
Who is responsible? What remains outstanding? When will it be completed?
A simple tracker with an owner, deadline and status can prevent confusion. It also makes handovers between departments easier.
Managers must apply the same discipline to themselves. If an employee needs your approval to proceed, your unanswered email may be the reason their target is slipping.
- Coach during the game
Imagine a coach noticing that a player is struggling but waiting until the season ends to offer advice.
Yet employees sometimes hear about a recurring weakness for the first time during their annual appraisal.
Give feedback while it can help. Describe what happened, explain its effect and agree what should change.
Be equally specific when recognising good work. “Your preparation helped us answer the client’s concerns” teaches more than “Well done.”
Correct privately, listen carefully and leave the employee clear about the next step.
- Check the conditions before blaming the person
Before labelling someone an underperformer, I would ask: Have we equipped this person to succeed?
An employee may lack training, reliable equipment, information or authority. A payroll officer cannot consistently meet deadlines when attendance records arrive late from other departments.
Find the cause. Remove obstacles, demonstrate unfamiliar tasks and arrange support where needed.
Then agree a reasonable improvement deadline. Support and accountability should work together; neither is effective on its own.
- Keep score carefully
In football, everyone knows a goal matters. In organisations, poorly chosen measures can reward the wrong behaviour.
Banking provides a useful example. In its October 2025 Financial Stability Report, the Bank of Zambia reported a non-performing loan ratio of 3.8%, describing the low ratio as supporting satisfactory asset quality. Its discussion highlights why banks monitor whether borrowers are meeting their repayment obligations alongside the growth in lending.
Imagine a commercial team exceeding its loan sales target, only to discover later that some borrowers are not servicing their loans. The initial celebration now looks premature. I would ask: “Are we rewarding the amount lent without paying enough attention to whether it comes back?”
A practical performance dashboard should therefore track loan disbursements alongside repayments, early arrears and non-performing loans. Commercial, credit and collections teams should review emerging problems together, assign follow-up actions and intervene promptly. Accountability should reflect each team’s responsibilities.
The same principle applies throughout the organisation: measure the quality and sustainability of results, then act on what the numbers reveal.
- Let leadership set the pace
People notice what their managers repeatedly accept.
Missed commitments, favouritism and ignored customer complaints gradually become normal when leaders fail to respond.
Recognise dependable performance. Address persistent shortcomings fairly. Follow up on agreed actions.
Above all, keep your own promises. A manager who demands urgency but delays decisions weakens the very culture they claim to want.
The Do’s
- Do clarify priorities, deadlines and expected standards.
- Do give prompt, specific feedback.
- Do remove obstacles and develop people.
- Do recognise results and helpful teamwork.
- Do apply accountability consistently.
The Don’ts
- Don’t confuse activity with achievement.
- Don’t change priorities without explanation.
- Don’t humiliate employees or discourage questions.
- Don’t reward shortcuts that damage quality.
- Don’t save surprises for appraisal day.
Get off the terraces
Looking back at that afternoon, I think about the difference between supporting a team and preparing it to win.
As leaders, we cannot spend the year in the terraces, demanding better results, then step onto the pitch at appraisal time carrying a scorecard.
Our place is alongside the team: setting direction, building capability, correcting mistakes and insisting on standards.
The annual appraisal records the season. What we do tomorrow helps determine the score.
About the Author
Dr Chilao Mutesa is the Founder and CEO of Puku Solutions, a Zambian human resource and management consultancy. He brings over 24 years of experience, including senior leadership roles in mining, telecommunications, financial services and higher education. He advises several organisations in Zambia on human resource matters, with a focus on strengthening leadership, organisational performance and people management.
His governance experience includes a past appointment as Governor of Chengelo School. He currently serves on the boards of the National Pension Scheme Authority (NAPSA) and Beta Feeds Limited, and is Vice President of the United Federation of Employers in Zambia.
An Honorary Fellow of the Zambia Institute of Human Resource Management, Dr Mutesa holds a PhD in Management Education, Masters of Business Administration, Diploma in Management Studies, Certificate in Labour Law and is a certified Human Resource Data Analyst. He brings a people, strategy and governance perspective to organisational challenges.
For consulting engagements, speaking invitations or board and committee opportunities, contact him directly at chilaom@pukusolutions.com.
