Performance Management is a business tool that:

• Implements the organization’s strategic business plan by breaking it down into manageable chunks
• Aligns people and resources to the critical business outcomes
• Measures business results
• Links the appropriate behaviors to business objectives and outcomes
• Provides a structure for feedback and coaching
• Creates a stronger link between outstanding performance and rewards

A solid performance management approach supports the strategic direction of the organization and ensures the right people are in the right place, doing the right things to implement the strategy.

 Performance management strengthens the organization’s ability to align individual goals to achieve its critical business strategies that will improve its ability to deliver strong results.

Tips for Giving Feedback:

• Ensure it is timely and specific
• Reinforce efforts and acknowledge progress
• Seek a private location to eliminate embarrassment or interruptions
• Maintain respect and self-esteem with the individual
• Check for understanding

Tips for Receiving Feedback:

• Practice good listening techniques
• Focus on understanding, not formulating your responses
• Seek clarity if you don’t understand something
• Resist the temptation to interrupt or defend
• Say “thank you”

A high performance culture:

• Encourages collaboration with employees who participate, share and are open to new ideas
• Holds each other accountable and responsibility is sought
• Establishes trust at all levels
• Focuses on employee development and helps individuals drive their own development
• Embraces change to learn and grow
• Learns from its mistakes
• Makes decision based on sound judgement with facts and guiding principles

When conducting a one-on-one consider the behaviors you want the employee to:

1. START doing?
2. STOP doing?
3. CONTINUE to do or do more of?

While all three of these may not apply at every feedback opportunity; these provide a foundation so you can focus on the most critical behaviors that will help the employee be successful.

 And, remember, the benefits of giving feedback are:

• Reinforces the appropriate behaviors you want an employee to repeat
• Establishes clear and concise expectations of work performance
• Allows for discussion of inappropriate behaviors and sets the stage for determining what actions the employee needs to take to change those behaviors
• Encourages ongoing development on specific skills needed to meet the current and future organizational challenges

Watch for future postings at Notes of Excellence to learn more about Giving Feedback - An Essential Management Skill