Performance management’s purpose is to allow individuals to perform at their best.
An individuals performance is never static professional squirrel removal, there is a continuum. The purpose is to drive performance and it is.
From the day to day leadership, reviews, corrective actions, and terminations of their direct reports, I have trained and coached hundreds of leaders in the art of performance management as an HR professional. My approach is not only powerful but simple when
applied consistently.
- Establish and gain an understanding of the employee of what’s expected and what happens if expectations aren’t met.
- Communicate on a regular and consistent basis. I encourage so the worker has the opportunity to bring forth challenges or any roadblocks leaders to have one.
- Address problems right away. There shouldn’t be any surprises when it comes to performance than it is afterwards and it is a lot easier to correct course early.
- Hold individuals accountable. It is far easier than if they have not if clear expectations are set.
- Documentation is everything, always follow up with the individual in writing so you have a record of what has been discussed. This will make things more easy if things don’t improve.
- Follow unless it’s warranted the process when it comes to action, do not skip steps.
- Don’t make it personal. There is no reason to raise your voice or make a judgment about the individual’s character. Bear in mind that the goal is to improve performance.
A situation can turn around and protect you if things don’t work out when done. The key is to remember that the purpose of performance management is to achieve consistent engagement and performance that is optimal.
If you are looking for help, advice or need advice regarding performance management, creating policies, processes or training contact me. I’ve developed many tools over my 20+ years and I am willing to share what I have and understand. Being a leader is a continuous process and having the ability to work through performance problems is only one aspect of what leaders will need to do, but it is critical to the achievement of the individual, company and the leader.