Team Performance Management

What is performance management?

The phrase “Performance Management” was coined in the 1970s by Dr Aubrey Daniels, a clinical psychologist. At the time, he used it to describe the technology and the importance of managing behaviour and the result of the behaviour. Effective management would ensure proper behaviours are being executed, which would, in turn, produce favourable results. He later associated this approach to the interactions of people whether in a formal or informal setting.

With the proper training, management can adapt the conditions of the workplace (e.g. policies and procedures, available skills to train and motivate employees) in order to deliver success for the organisation and the people who work there.

This is often achieved through the setting of performance goals to address behaviour, competency, and results. Remember to involve employees in the setting of their performance goals.

Most systems to deliver performance management require the following:

·         Clearly identify the job’s purpose as well as the duties associated with it.

·          Determine goals and how to measure outcomes.

·         Rank job priority.

·         Characterise the standard of performance for critical aspects of the position.

·         Discuss employee performance and provide feedback. This should at least be done on a quarterly basis.

·         Keep track of performance records.

·         If necessary, create an improvement plan to better employees’ performance.

3 elements of Performance Management Goals

Behaviour: Employees have complained about feeling remote from management. Communicate with employees in person every week, rather than just sending emails.

Competency: New equipment is being installed. Perform all operator training within three weeks.

Results: Sales are down. Increase sales by 5% this quarter.

Three Phase Process for change and improvement

Kurt Lewin, also known as the “founder of social psychology”, introduced a three-phase theory of change that goes hand-in-hand with performance management. The process includes the following:

Phase One: Unfreezing: This phase is extremely important as you aim to understand change and how it takes place. This phase is crucial because it includes coming to the realisation that change needs to happen. It also requires one to leave that which has been comfortable in order to make this change possible.

In order for someone to decide whether or not they are willing to change, they must weigh the advantages and disadvantages of this being done.

Phase Two: Change: In Lewin’s model, he pointed out that “change” is not a one-time event that takes place, but rather the inner-transition that takes place as a response to the outward changes that are taking place.

Due to the uncertainties of “what will happen next”, this phase is considered one of the more difficult ones to achieve. And because of this, it is important for employees to have access to training and coaching to help ease the transition.

Phase Three: Freezing: Also known as “refreezing”, this phase is the establishment of new norms and gaining stability after the institution of change. This phase can sometimes be misleading. It seems to be a long-term state, when in fact it is one that can change to “Unfreezing” within a matter of days. So, although this stage cannot be viewed as the “last”, having the ability to successfully make it to this point is a great accomplishment. This could allude to the fact that it is becoming easier for someone to adjust to change, which is crucial because it happens regularly.

Appraisals and effective management

According to Entrepreneur.com, a performance review is defined as “An analysis of an employee’s work habits undertaken at a fixed point in time to determine the degree to which stated objectives and expectations have been reached.”

While each organisation has its own ideas of what a performance review should include, here are steps that should be taken with regard to all performance reviews:

·         Preparation: Both the employer and employee must be adequately prepared for the review. This may involve reviewing any notes, engaging in a one-on-one discussion with the employee beforehand or simply making the employee aware of the review in advance.

·         Prioritise the meeting: To show the employee that this review is a top priority, there should be a formal agenda that is adhered to. There should also be as few interruptions as possible.

·         Encourage positivity: When speaking to the employee, invoke positive responses by communicating in a positive manner.

·         Clarity: Be sure the purpose of the meeting is clear from the beginning.

·         Expectations: Review the job description, why it is needed, and the standards of performance required.

·         Explain the employee’s performance: Discuss the employee’s actual performance, whether it fell below, met or exceeded expectations. Give specific examples.

·         Employee feedback: Allow the employee to express their concerns or suggestions.

·         Goal-setting: Discuss goals for areas that require improvement. If there are no “areas for improvement”, create goals to enhance the knowledge and skills of the employee for personal development as well as bettering the department/company as a whole.

·         Follow-up:  Determine the appropriate method and or time for follow-up.

·         Closing: The meeting should end positively. Review the contributions the employee is making to the organisation. Inform the employee that you are willing to help in any way necessary.

Effective communication

Listening

Here are some behaviours that help to foster a good relationship between a manager and a member of their team:

·         Demonstrate interest by listening for issues that are not readily disclosed to you.  Perhaps you overhear a conversation where your team member is struggling with something.  Demonstrate your commitment to that person by encouraging them to discuss it with you.

·         Demonstrate listening by giving your undivided attention and avoid interruptions like answering the telephone or looking at email.  Note and mirror things back to your member of staff to demonstrate you are listening.

·         Demonstrate respect by keeping the relationship professional at all times.  Avoid putting your team member down, even in a joking manner.

Questions

Good questioning skills are a building block of successful communication. Questions help us gather information, clarify facts, and communicate with others. Here are some questioning techniques that you can use throughout the communication process.

Open Questions

Open questions get their name because the response is open-ended; the answerer has a wide range of options to choose from when answering it.

Open questions use one of six words as a root:

Who?

What?

Where?

When?

Why?

How?

Open questions are like going fishing with a net – you never know what you’re going to get. Open questions are great conversation starters, fact finders, and communication enhancers. Use them whenever possible.

Closed Questions

Closed questions are the opposite of open questions; their very structure limits the answer to yes or no, or a specific piece of information. Some examples include:

Do you like chocolate?

Were you born in December?

Is it five o’clock yet?

Although closed questions tend to shut down communication, they can be useful if you are searching for a particular piece of information, or winding a conversation down.

If you use a closed question and it shuts down the conversation, simply use an open-ended question to get things started again. Here is an example:

Do you like hockey?

Yes.

Who do you follow?