| You want your employees to consistently and | | | | performance rating; other employees might be able to |
| continuously perform at high levels but they are not. | | | | complete their assignments more timely; or the office |
| You find that performance issues vary. Some | | | | might receive fewer complaints about product |
| employees do a great job of communicating with | | | | deliveries. |
| customers while other employees do better at | | | | Go beyond the traditional results by thinking about who |
| managing time. In other instances, the same | | | | and/or what is impacted by employee performance. |
| employees perform well in one area and not so well in | | | | For instance, a change in performance could impact |
| another. As for inconsistency, that happens as well. | | | | the organization mission, external customers, |
| You cannot always depend on the same employees | | | | workplace accidents, team profits, internal |
| to deliver the same level of performance on a | | | | departments, community groups, and others. Do not |
| continuous basis. | | | | just consider what could happen to the employee or to |
| Unfortunately, your performance discussions are not | | | | his or her workload. Consider what could happen to |
| effective. When you talk about performance | | | | other employees and to the organization as well. |
| improvement, employees become defensive. You | | | | Step 3: Link Performance to Results |
| even find yourself on the defensive as you try to | | | | Here, you want to link the performance you want to |
| explain the changes you want. So what do you do? | | | | the results that will be achieved if employees deliver |
| You identify mutually positive reasons for improving | | | | the performance you want. For instance, improved |
| performance by linking performance improvement to: | | | | time management could affect customer service, |
| results that are important to employees and to results | | | | individual productivity, or office goals. The more results |
| that are important to the organization. Follow these | | | | you can link to performance the better. Just make |
| three steps: | | | | sure the results are meaningful to employees. That |
| Step 1: Identify the Performance you Want | | | | means if you link performance to goals in the |
| Start by identifying the areas where you want each | | | | organization strategic plan, employees need to know |
| employee to improve his or her performance. You | | | | about the goals in the strategic plan. On a personal |
| may want some employees to stop doing certain | | | | level, if employees are interested in more time off, |
| things, while you may want others to start doing | | | | offering opportunities to do more exciting work may |
| certain things. Or perhaps a small change is | | | | not be very motivating. |
| necessary. Consider the behaviors that are important | | | | Go For It! |
| to you and your organization. | | | | You have identified areas for performance |
| For example, if your focus is communication, then | | | | improvement, you have identified workplace results, |
| determine specific communication behaviors. If your | | | | and you have made meaningful links between |
| focus is teamwork, then determine specific teamwork | | | | performance improvement and workplace results. |
| behaviors. The operative word is specific. | | | | Now, you are ready to talk to your employee. This |
| Employees cannot deliver the kind of performance | | | | approach gives you a whole new way to handle that |
| you want if you are not clear about what you want. | | | | performance discussion. You have multiple ways to |
| Step 2: Identify Results of Performance | | | | explain the importance of cooperation and |
| Once you have identified the performance you want, | | | | contributions. So the discussion is not just about the |
| determine what happens if the employee performs | | | | performance you want. The discussion is about how |
| satisfactorily or does not perform satisfactorily. For | | | | the performance you want can lead to positive results |
| example, if an employee completes all assignments | | | | for the employee and for the organization where the |
| timely: he or she could receive an improved | | | | employee works. Go for it! |