Basic Skills: Managing Performance (E)
by Laurus Nobilis
 

Posted: May 2010

Managing performance is crucial for the business, since the activities without adequate output are counterproductive for the company.

 
Definition

Creates disciplined performance routines that can be monitored, evaluated and adjusted in order to achieve agreed objectives.


 
Key Behavioural Indicators

• Establishes and communicates clear and measurable goals.

• Uses “excellence” as the standard of performance for self and others, communicates, and role models the standards and measures associated with it.

• Holds self and others accountable for performance and results.

• Ensures adequate talent acquisition/strategic staffing to have the people and skills needed to deliver results.

• Focuses and guides others in accomplishing business / performance objectives and personal development plans.

• Uses various sources of information to monitor progress of work relative to desired results.

• Gives specific, constructive, fact-based performance feedback and recognition.

• Determines how much direction is needed to obtain desired performance based on individual’s/teams competencies and skills.
  

Tips for Development

• Define and communicate standards of excellence for self and others.

• Measure and track key performance indicators of successful performance. Remember that people do best in things you and the company pays attention to and reward.

• Set clear and measurable goals and action plans for each staff member to continuously improve his/her knowledge, skills and contribution to the company.

• Focus on specific observable behaviours, not on personality or attitude. Specifically identify the gap between expected performance and actual performance and its negative impact – on the project, on the organisation, on other people.

• Be a coach. Draw out the person’s perception of the situation. Listen and solicit his/her ideas for improvement. Mutually discuss ways to improve performance. Get a commitment to next steps, show confidence in his/her ability, and follow up.

• Encourage people to push and stretch limits by rewarding risk taking. Help people see failure as a learning experience. Stand behind them and help them maintain self-esteem. Give people permission to fail and to learn from their failures to reach new levels of excellence.

• Be aware of your non-verbals. Use eye contact and supportive gestures to enhance your messages. Be aware of your tone of voice.

• Plan your communication approach based on what you hope to accomplish and to appeal to others’ needs, goals, concerns and communication styles. Put yourself in the other people’s shoes to be able to view issues from their perspective. Target your message to your “audience”.

• Be sensitive to other’s feelings. Show respect and always preserve others’ self-esteem. Avoid personal attacks and defensiveness. Encourage constructive disagreement and sharing of ideas that are different from your own.

• Recognise the value of and respect differences in race, culture, background and experience. Be aware of your biases and stereotypes to avoid communicating them. Take time to learn about different cultures and countries to avoid offending.

• Recognise the value of effective listening for interpreting others’ needs and perspectives and for responding to others to have the desired impact. 

• Use empathy to reflect others’ feelings. It’s important to respond to feelings as well as content.

• Look for ideas on how we can make it/do it better throughout the organisation. Involve people at all levels in the challenge of achieving breakthrough results.

• Encourage people to think “what if “ and “how can we” to challenge them to come up with new ideas and to overcome obstacles.

• Measure and track key indicators of successful performance. Remember that people do best in things you and the organisation pay attention to and reward.

• Confront areas of performance that need improvement promptly and tactfully. Focus on how to improve for the future, not on blaming the past.

• Focus on specific observable behaviours, not on personality or attitude. Specifically identify the gap between expected performance and actual performance and its negative impact – on the project, on the organisation, on other people, on customers, etc. 

• Set annual development goals and action plans for each staff member to continuously improve his/her knowledge, skills and contribution to the organisation.

• Discuss and clarify individual performance expectations and how they relate to our strategic direction.
  

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