Uncovering the Secrets to Effective Performance Management

In many ways there are no secrets to implementing effective performance management. Performance Management is a process and a process which if implemented effectively should ensure that both employees and managers remain both productive and motivated.

The actual process itself should hold no secrets. There are simply a number of steps to be considered within the Performance Management process these being as follows:

1. Agree roles and responsibilities and the objectives and targets that go with the role. Ensure that both the manager and the employee know what success looks like in relation to each objective. Sales targets are easy to quantify but project objectives may not be so easy to define success.

2. Ensure the actions needed to achieve the targets and objectives are agreed and achievable.

3. If some of the actions needed are deemed out-with the capability of the person who has to achieve them, then create a development plan in order that the person is trained accordingly.

4. Agree a review process by which each individual is coached and supported to keep on track as regards both their objectives and targets together with their development plan.

5. Mid and Year end appraisals should be simply a "tick box" exercise holding no surprises. If there are then the process building up to the appraisal is not working.

The secrets to Performance Management do not just lie with the actual process but more with the skills and discipline needed to make each of the steps work effectively. And it is the way these skills are used, or not used, that can cause the whole performance management structure to collapse.

At each of the stages there are challenges in any role. Let us look at each step in turn.

1. Objective and Target Setting ? The biggest challenge here is where all the targets and objectives are handed down without any consultation and support. If a manager does not take an employee through their objectives and targets then demotivation and in some cases panic can set in. Employees need to understand exactly why they are expected to deliver various objectives and also what the exact manager's expectations are. The aim of this stage of the PM process is to ensure clarity and focus. Leave people in the "fog" and they get lost! Do not simply "dump" objectives on people.

2. Once the objectives are set then employees need to be supported in being coached through exactly what they need to do in order to achieve these objectives. Very capable people will need less support than newer employees but all the same, time should be taken to coach them effectively. Again the challenges here are one of the manager putting time aside and also in relation to the ability of the manager to coach effectively. Most managers will advise and direct as opposed to coach and as such they really need to look at their skill level in coaching. Directing is quicker but can be very de-motivational and much less effective.

3. Training. Everyone pays homage to training and training plans but very few people actually deliver an effective training plan. Managers usually abdicate responsibility for the training plan leaving it to a training department or to the employees themselves. Even though training needs are identified, the only solutions to meet these needs may be the "sheep dip" approach of getting them on the menu of training events supplied by training department. But are they specifically what is actually needed? And what role does the manager take? Do they sit down with the employee and agree learning objectives? Do they monitor progress against these objectives? What about coaching the person post-training enabling them to implement their newly found skills directly into the workplace?

4. In terms of reviewing an employee's progress, does the manager spend enough time with the employee? How well are they utilising essential field visit (distant managers) and review skills such as contracting, coaching models such as GROW and OUTCOMES®; use of the skill/will matrix, behavioural analysis, giving and receiving feedback and of course, motivational models such as MASLOW'S and CARERS? ? Field visits are not just about going out with an employee for the day to check up how "they are getting on" and sitting in on a few customer calls. There is a lot more to it than that!

5. The aim of regular reviews and field visits is to ensure that the employee keeps on track with regards their objectives and targets. If the employee enters into an appraisal not knowing exactly what they have done in terms of their objectives and targets or not knowing what their manager is specifically going to say to them in the appraisal then the performance management system has not worked and has to be reviewed to see where the faults have originated. The only surprises that should be delivered are the good ones like an increase in pay that was unexpected or a better car! If employees are "in the dark" about what to expect at their appraisal, then I would hate to be in the shoes of the manager who is conducting the appraisal when it comes to their turn!

Performance Management is a simple uncomplicated process but one which needs discipline and a great degree of skill to implement effectively. Get it right then you are on the way to success; get it wrong and you can look forward to a really stressful year end appraisal.

About the submitter:

Allan Mackintosh is a Performance Management Coach who specialises in developing performance management skills in managers and sales managers. He is the author of "The Successful Coaching Manager" book, has written numerous articles, and is the creator of the OUTCOMES© and CARERS? coaching models. He can be contacted on 00 44 1292 318152 or via his website at http://www.pmcscotland.com. Allan also represents Reivers Development, a specialist organisational transformation company. http://www.reiversgroup.com

---

What We Have Here Is A Failure To Communicate

Today's successful organizations are the ones which carry on open... Read More

Performance Appraisal Checklist: Raise Not Just Appraise Performance

It's that time again! Perhaps the most dreaded management practice... Read More

Succession Planning? ... Not on My Watch!

At first blush, it would appear there is no shortage... Read More

The Challenges of Human Resource Management

IntroductionThe role of the Human Resource Manager is evolving with... Read More

Group Decision Making : Are the Decisions Really Made by the Group?

GROUP DECISION-MAKING: Many managers feel they are well-versed in areas... Read More

Running Successful Meetings - The Key Steps To Getting It Right

We all complain about meetings which are a waste of... Read More

Being a Great Boss

Are you one of those bosses that people just love... Read More

Setting a Pitiful Example: Twenty-six Warnings to Heed *

TO: All Parents [and Employers and Managers]From: Your Child and/or... Read More

Creativity and Innovation Management - Core Competencies and Competitive Advantage

Following is a brief definition of core competencies and competitive... Read More

To Thine Own Self Be True--Its Better for Business: What Arthur Andersen Would Say to His Company

As a child, you probably heard, "to thine own self... Read More

Problem-Solving Success Tip: Use Your Project Management Skills

Solving a big problem is a project: you're far more... Read More

Action Learning: Its More Than OJT

For centuries companies have used on-the-job training (OJT). OJT works... Read More

Top 7 Methods to Empower Employees

How many times have you asked someone to do something... Read More

Increase In-House Nursing Homes Collections

The following nursing home collections report outlines 11 guidelines you... Read More

A Winning Way to Handle New Ideas

Janet DiClaudio, who was charge of medical records at two... Read More

Budgets that Damage - The Downsides of Making the Numbers

In my organisational career, I had budgets from the age... Read More

Dont Get Caught With Your PR Down

Why risk the embarassment when with a little basic PR... Read More

Knowledge Mapping

This module focuses on the basics of Knowledge Mapping, its... Read More

Business Intelligence & Data Warehousing in a Business Perspective

Business IntelligenceBusiness Intelligence has become a very important activity in... Read More

Dealing with Marginal Performers: The Therapeutic Approach

--PREPARATION: The purpose of the therapeutic approach is to spark... Read More

CEO: The Key To Fix ingThe Marketing/Sales Collaboration Problem

We all know that achieving better alignment, synergy and cooperation... Read More

Why Half of All Mergers Fail After the Honeymoon Ends

Marriages and corporate mergers in America have at least one... Read More

The High Cost of Employee Turnover Among Project Managers

Imagine for a moment this scenario from a frustrated Senior... Read More

Solve Problems Permanently - Ask WHY

As Albert Einstein said:-"The significant problems we face today, cannot... Read More

Making a Decision to Outsource: Driving Factors

Most executives view offshore outsourcing most of all as a... Read More

Project Management 101

Project management is a very important business concept because it... Read More

Do the People in Your Organisation Dress For Success?

What really amazes me, with all the personal and professional... Read More

ISO 9001 What Records Does My Business Need To Keep?

Which documents must I keep for ISO 9001?In addition to... Read More

Are Your Marketing Pieces Up to Date?

The other day someone asked me for one of my... Read More

When Business Becomes A Battlefield

"We have to be careful it's like a minefield out... Read More

How To Delegate for Fun and Profit

Ah, the wretched pain of delegation. It comes easy to... Read More

Identifying Potential in Ourselves and Others

If there is someone nearby as you read this look... Read More

Innovation Management ? how does the user benefit?

Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation... Read More