Managing Performance for Business Success

Our process of Performance Management / Improvement engages employees so they have a thorough understanding of performance management as an ongoing business tool rooted in accountability to meet commitments. The process initiates a dialogue that is created and focused on how the individuals’ results are linked to the overall business goals which, in turn, must be linked to the values and vision of the organization: creating a Line of Sight for each individual employee. 

One of the primary issues of performance reviews is that they are often perceived as being arduous and not fair.  Often, the only objective measure is the attainment of the business results.  That is to say they only measure ‘what’ the individual has achieved. How the person achieved the ‘scoring’ becomes a case of perception of the manager versus the self-perception of the direct report.   SAGL has worked with clients to find a way of ensuring the dialogue between manager and direct report covers both ‘what’ and ‘how’ in a way that is Fair, Accurate, Safe and Trustworthy (F.A.S.T.). Our F.A.S.T. Performance Management work is about focusing on what is possible and what can be done to ensure an employee meets their commitments to the objectives while demonstrating the desired behaviours of the organization.

One of the key elements to a having a successful performance management / improvement process is to make senior executives accountable for holding honest dialogues with their direct reports. Knowing that people do not leave organizations but rather, leave managers, it is essential that all employees are held to the desired standard of behaviour in all situations. If the leadership is not setting the direction and holding their direct reports accountable for their behaviour this will trickle down the organizational chart.

The Performance Management / Improvement Process is initiated by training both the managers and the direct reports on mutual expectations. The manager session will give the participants an opportunity to apply what they have learned by offering practice in setting both job objectives and strategic business objectives, developing meaningful performance measures (for both), building a development plan, conducting powerful dialogues, and how to monitor employees’ progress during the year.

This is a unique program that has successfully integrated many factors of the Performance Management Process. Such factors as:

1. •    Business objectives
   

2. •    The Role objectives and responsibilities
   

3. •    The Values of the organization
   

4. •    Role Specific Behaviours
   

When managers prescribe answers, they ‘tell’ their direct reports ‘what to do and how to do it.’  When managers ask questions, they give freedom.  The freedom of making the choice of what to do leads to commitment.  The traditional approach of providing answers leads to ‘blame’ and ‘excuse management.’  This process teaches managers that getting commitment from their direct reports has more to do with providing them with the bigger picture and asking them questions and less to do with ‘telling’ them the answers of what to do and how to do it.

This Performance Management Process is part of the integrated talent management system. This process engages your employees in the design specific to their needs, the culture of the organization and the strategic business plan. The process is designed to provide your employees with the capability to hold meaningful dialogues focused on achieving the desired business results.  This process enhances employee understanding of how performance management / improvement is the mutual responsibility of the manager and the direct report.  It also illustrates how it is the direct report who will ultimately decide the outcome of the process by the actions they choose to take.

This process will help your organization and employees achieve the following results:

•    Link performance of the individual to the team, the team to the division, and the division to the company vision and values

•    Understand how to ask questions that help the direct report pinpoint how the individual contributes to the success of the team and the company

•    Enable the participant to understand how to set performance measures that are integrated with the others on the team and with the needs of the organization

•    Learn how to provide feedback on behaviours without upsetting others

•    Measure the success of demonstrating the right behaviours through reinforcement

•    Understand that without positive consequences improvement will not happen as they wish based on the concept of moving from strength to strength