There are several views regarding the slang expression about a person having the chops to deliver the goods. One is they are savvy and have:
The ability, experience and skill to do something well.
Such a person has the personal and professional skills required to deliver certain outcomes. They may have the ability to do this when performing some activities, however, but not when doing others.
The term ‘having the chops’ is said to originate from describing superb musicians who played wind instruments. They had the stamina and technique required to play complex and prolonged passages.
The People Who Have The
Required Chops Approach
Imagine that you lead a team or you are recruiting a person. It can be useful to explore whether a person has the chops – the personal and professional characteristics – required to do certain things and deliver success.
One approach is to explore person’s positive history and successful patterns. Bearing this in mind, it can be useful to consider the following themes when looking at the person.
What are the person’s strengths? What do they have a track record of delivering? What are the strategies they followed to deliver these? How did they translate these into action? What happened as a result?
What is the person’s style of working? What is their attitude? How do they behave towards other people? Is the person positive and professional? What may be the pluses and minuses of their style?
Bearing these things in mind, what could be the person’s best contribution? What could I rely on them to do? What are the specific things I could hire them to deliver successfully?
Imagine that you are looking at a person and clarifying what they could deliver. If you wish, you can then do the following exercise.
There is another way it is possible to use the chops approach. This is when there is a particular role to fill. Let’s explore this approach.
The Particular Role Approach
Imagine that you are aiming to fill a particular role. When doing this, it can be important to start by defining the outcomes that somebody in this role is required to deliver.
Different roles will, of course, require different outcomes. Looking at these in headlines terms, however, the particular role may involve a person being able:
To deliver a certain level of performance;
To deliver a certain level of product quality;
To, if they are a leader, deliver a certain level of people morale and team performance.
Whatever the role, it is important to describe what they are to deliver in outcome terms. This makes it easier to make clear contracts with a person when agreeing on their best contribution to an organisation.
Imagine that you have defined the outcomes that you want somebody to deliver in a particular role. You can then write the names of people who you think may have the chops – the personal and professional skills – required to deliver these outcomes.
Some of these people may already be in the organisation. Alternatively, some may be people you interview who have the attitude and ability required to deliver the goods.
Imagine that you want to fill a particular role. If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
There are many ways to focus on whether a person as the strengths, strategic thinking and skills to do certain things. One approach is to clarify whether a person as the chops required to deliver success.
Let’s return to your own life and work. Looking ahead, can you think of situation where you may want to follow elements of this approach? How can you do this in your own way?
You may want to do this when looking at your own work. You may, for example, be considering whether you want to do a certain role or a particular piece of work.
Let’s assume that you feel motivated to do the work. Bearing in mind what may be involved, do you have the personal and professional skills required to deliver the goods?
You may also want to follow this approach when leading a team or hiring people. How could you then aim to put the right people in the right places in order to increase the chances of success?
If you wish, try tackling the exercise on this theme. This invites you to complete the following sentences.
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