To recap, Part 1 of this article highlighted the trend of more frequent conversations between managers and employees, called “check-ins”, that move performance management to an ongoing conversation focused on continuous improvement. Part 2 is about creating a solid foundation at the start of the conversation series.
Trend 2 – Conversations that effectively clarify expectations in terms of performance goals (the what of work), capabilities and behaviors most needed to successfully achieve the goals (the how of work), and resource needs. It behooves managers and employees alike to master this practice.
Goals – What better way to get all employees moving in the same direction than to align employee goals with those of the organization? And take it up a notch by crafting goals that are more challenging than the last round for prompting employee continuous improvement. Everyone will get energized.
In practical terms – Select a memorable goal format (ex. SMART, OKR) and write goals in a way that are accomplishable within the performance period. This could mean converting long-term goals into a series of short-term goals which makes objective evaluation of quarterly goal achievement straight forward. Like anything new, practice makes perfect over time.
Capabilities & behaviors – Rather than boil the ocean in terms of capability needs & behaviors, focus on the few that are most needed to successfully achieve the goals.
In practical terms – Narrow the list to 2-3 capabilities & behaviors that represent the ones your organization will act on. For instance, which capabilities & behaviors support company values, business strategy execution and employee recognition & reward? On the flip side, which ones could derail employee progression, if any?
Resource needs – Want to convey your steadfast support to employees? Do so by predictably and realistically addressing resource needs and their availability. Everyone wants to be on a winning team and set up for success. That means sensibly allocating resources upfront.
In practical terms – When times are lean, as a manager this involves going to bat for shepherding resources. It may also include revising goals, so they reflect the reality of available resources. Do it upfront since attributing unachieved goals to the absence of enough resources doesn’t reflect well on anyone and diminishes trust.
Adoption benefits – When employees’ goals are clear and aligned with those of the organization; everyone is set up for success and feels connected to a greater purpose. Couple that with foresight around resources and capability needs – well that adds to the win/win recipe. And when goals change and employees are asked to pivot, things proceed more smoothly if the discipline of addressing resources immediately follows!
Stay tuned for part 3 of this article!
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