The Three Laws of Performance

About the Author

Steve Zaffron is the CEO of Vanto Group, a global consulting firm that designs and implements large-scale initiatives to elevate organizational performance. Zaffron has directed major corporate initiatives with more than 300 organizations in 20 countries. He is known for his work in leadership development and organizational transformation.

Dave Logan is a senior partner of CultureSync, a management firm, and is on the faculty at the Marshall School of Business at the University of Southern California. Logan has extensive experience in leadership and culture change, having worked with numerous Fortune 500 companies and other organizations worldwide. His expertise lies in transforming organizational culture and leadership practices to drive performance.

Main Idea

The main idea of "The Three Laws of Performance" by Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan is that performance, whether individual or organizational, can be dramatically transformed by rewriting how situations occur to people. This is achieved through three fundamental laws that shape perception, language, and the future.

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• The First Law: How People Perform Correlates to How Situations Occur to Them
• The Second Law: How a Situation Occurs Arises in Language
• The Third Law: Future-Based Language Transforms How Situations Occur to People
• Rewriting the Future of Leadership
• The Self-Led Organization
• Mastering the Game of Performance
• Breaking the Performance Barrier

The First Law: How People Perform Correlates to How Situations Occur to Them

The First Law of Performance states that people's actions and performance are directly related to how situations occur to them. This idea challenges the common-sense view that people act based on a shared understanding of facts. Instead, it posits that the perception of those facts is what truly drives behavior.

"What we see is just the way it is. None of us sees things as they are. We see how things occur to us." - Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan

This law emphasizes the importance of perception in shaping performance. When a situation is perceived negatively, it often leads to disengagement and poor performance. Conversely, a positive perception can inspire proactive and innovative actions. The key takeaway is that altering how situations occur to individuals can transform their behavior and performance.

• When employees view a challenging project as an opportunity for growth, they are more likely to approach it with enthusiasm and creativity.
• If team members see organizational change as a threat, their performance may suffer due to fear and resistance.

The Second Law: How a Situation Occurs Arises in Language

The Second Law of Performance asserts that language shapes how situations occur to people. Language includes not just spoken and written words, but also body language, symbols, and unspoken assumptions. This law highlights the profound impact that communication has on perception and, consequently, on performance.