PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT And APPRAISAL

As definitions of management have changed, the role and definition of the managerial coach has likewise changed. It is no longer sufficient to have business and managerial savvy or skill sets that may prove to be dated. It is now necessary for coaches to also understand business work groups, integrated product teams, virtual employees and the ways businesses are re-structuring to meet market demands.

The coaching task is increasingly complex and challenging partially due to increasing requirements from businesses for greater employee output with declining resources. The task is also impacted by competition from companies that out-place jobs to domestic or off-shore companies, or both. As a result coaches are challenged understand ways to manage business resources, systems and processes that were never designed for these new demands. Coaches must now help managers to learn and settle in to the new roles and responsibilities required by businesses.

Performance Management and Appraisal, is one of the Essential Management Skills modules offered by Mentorsys. These modules are resources for managerial coaches when working with both new and seasoned managers.

Performance Management and Appraisal is written for coaches to use in part, or as a workbook. It is intended as a guide for coaches who may be new to business coaching. It is also written in a manner that directly addresses and tasks the manager. Please use this method as a guide, and feel free to adapt the words to your particular coaching situation.

Performance Management is a process that enables employees to reach optimum performance in order to help the organization achieve its goals.

Performance Management means managing the way employees commit to themselves, the company, customers and stakeholders.

In this paper, managers are instructed in planning processes while adhering to Company organization expectations, employee expectations, and the manager’s own expectations.

Performance planning establishes performance standards. Such standards, along with planning, are established through goals that are:

• Specific
• Measurable
• Achievable
• Results-Oriented
• Time-bound
• Supportive
• Recognized and/or Rewarded

Managers will:

• work with the features of planning and employee goal setting to ensure consistence between expectations and outcomes
• work through the performance assessment model to determine whether the manager and the employee are both operating from the same perception of the job, in terms of results and relative priorities

Performance management is a process that enables employees to reach optimum performance to help an organization achieve its goals.

Performance Mangement Cycle

Adapted from Dennis C. Kinlaw, Coaching for Commitment Supplement, p.10.

Implementation of the Performance Management Process

Performance management is a high involvement and collaborative process. Employees are involved in each stage of the process, from helping to define what performance needs to be, to determining developmental needs and pursuing them, to reviewing performance.

High involvement performance management leads to better performance, motivation, agreement and satisfaction. Involvement builds commitment and ownership in the task.

What are some strategies you have used or that were designed for involving employees?

“Hold on to the things that are working . . . Let go of the things that are not . . . Take on new things that may work . . . . Move on, move on . . .”
Frederick Hudson

THE PLANNING PHASE
EXPECTATION AND PERFORMANCE WORKSHEET

(Reproduced by permission of Metawest Training and Consulting, Inc. Tucson, Arizona)

Use this worksheet to plan a collaborative performance discussion with your employee(s). This dialogue will:

• Identify mutual expectations,
• Determine methods for meeting both the employee’s and the organization’s objectives,
• Highlight potential problem areas,

Ensure consistency between expectations and outcomes. This will also help determine whether you and your employee are both operating from the same perception of the job in terms of results and relative priorities. Use active listening skills to engage in a two-way conversation to uncover needs and expectations.

Reference your company’s vision, mission, your unit’s business plans, the job description and/or your performance plans to complete this worksheet.


One: Clarify Organizational Expectations:

• What is your Team’s purpose / mission?
• What are your program’s key objectives for this evaluation period?
• What are some key cultural influences that the employee needs to factor into how (s)he performs the work?
• What are your individual objectives that support your program?
• What are this individual’s overall position responsibilities?

Two: Discuss Employee Expectations

• Create several questions to inquire into the employee’s needs, abilities, personal and professional objectives in relation to this work.
• How feasible is it for the employee to meet his/her objectives in your company?

Three: Clarify Individual Expectations and Performance Standards
What is the employee expected to accomplish? What are the standards that must be met: the measurement criteria to be used to distinguish whether the employee is meeting, exceeding or falling below standard? Measurement criteria can include standards on quality, cost, schedule, quantity, accuracy, innovation/creativity, service time, people interaction, customer response.

• Formulate SMARTS objectives for each major area of responsibility. Refer to Establishing Performance Objectives.