Oct
04
2018
Understanding performance management
There are so many different aspects of management, but performance management is one that shouldn’t be pushed to the side for ‘another day’. Instead, view it as a technique which benefits your team member, your team, and your organisation.
What is performance management?
Beyond the day to day management that takes up such a large portion of our day, performance management looks at the bigger picture. It’s all about working with people to help them reach their optimum potential through planning and monitoring.
It’s also a lot more than an annual review; it’s a continuous process packed with objectives, feedback, and coaching to ensure that goals are met. This ongoing process explores how to get the job done in ways that best meet the working needs of the individual, the team, and the organisation as a whole.
The performance management cycle
It’s important to remember that performance management is an ongoing cycle rather than a one off meeting. By ensuring the cycle is continuous, team members will feel valued and also have the tools that they need to do their job properly.
So what does this cycle look like?
- Setting standards
- Identifying barriers to success
- Creating a development plan
- Measuring performance
- Deciding on creative action
- Ensure action is taken
This simple process gives structure to performance manager, and helps guide you and your team in the right direction.
Setting the right goals
Performance management starts with setting goals, so making sure the right ones are established is vital.
Defining clear targets and standards ensures that staff understand what they’re trying to accomplish and how their work fits into the bigger picture. It also gives them something concrete to work towards which is great for motivation.
A brilliant model to use when objective setting is SMARTER;
Specific
Measurable
Agreed
Realistic
Time-related
Evaluated and Reviewed
By ensuring objectives follow the SMARTER model, team members will have goals that make sense and are crystal clear. There won’t be any confusion over deadlines or success rate, and staff will feel that their targets are achievable.
Discover more about performance management, and other aspects of management, on our two day course Moving up in management - extending your management skills.
