Tracking team performance is essential for any team facilitator who wants to ensure that the team is aligned, productive, and engaged. However, measuring and monitoring team performance can be challenging, especially in remote or hybrid settings. How can you use effective strategies to track team performance and foster a positive team culture? Here are some tips to help you out.
The first step to tracking team performance is to define clear and realistic goals and metrics for the team. These should be aligned with the team's purpose, vision, and values, as well as the organizational objectives and expectations. You should also involve the team members in setting and reviewing the goals and metrics, so that they feel ownership and accountability for their work. Some examples of goals and metrics are: customer satisfaction, quality, efficiency, innovation, collaboration, and learning.
One of the most important principles I have learned as a sales manager and leader is the implementation of agreed upon, measurable goals (AMG's) for the effective execution of objectives and the essential engagement of each team member. This requires an acknowledgement (and commitment) from the organization: "proficiency of efforts has its limits." (In other words, there is a point of diminishing returns if expectations are set too high.) Knowing what is possible and working together with team members to establish what it looks like to be good, excellent, and deficient in their role requires clear vision, clear communication, and a passion to enable and influence each one of the team members to meet and exceed their own expectations.
The second step to tracking team performance is to choose the right tools and methods to collect and analyze the data. Depending on the type and complexity of the team's work, you may need different tools and methods to track different aspects of performance. For example, you may use project management software, surveys, feedback forms, dashboards, reports, or analytics platforms. You should also consider the frequency and format of the data collection and analysis, and how to communicate the results to the team and other stakeholders.
The third step to tracking team performance is to provide regular feedback and recognition to the team and individual members. Feedback and recognition are crucial for motivating, developing, and retaining the team members, as well as for identifying and addressing any issues or gaps in performance. You should provide feedback and recognition that is timely, specific, constructive, and balanced, and that links the performance to the goals and metrics. You should also encourage peer feedback and recognition within the team, and create a culture of appreciation and learning.
The fourth step to tracking team performance is to review and adjust the performance plan periodically. This means that you should evaluate the progress and outcomes of the team's work, and compare them with the goals and metrics. You should also solicit feedback from the team members and other stakeholders on the performance plan, and identify any strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, or threats. Based on the review, you should make any necessary adjustments to the goals, metrics, tools, methods, or feedback and recognition strategies.
If goals are mutually agreed upon it is a much more collaborative experience when goals, and/or their execution plans, need to be adjusted. When members of my team "fell short" of their desired productivity, our conversation would always begin with a review confirmation of how the goal was determined to begin with. If uncontrollable circumstances were a part (or all) of the cause of the "shortage", a we would decide to: change the expected outcome; or update the tactics needed to "catch-up" to the original objective. If the cause was controllable (in other words, the team member chose to drift away from the original plan) the decision was regarding their commitment. In either case, availability of all required resources is reaffirmed.
The fifth step to tracking team performance is to celebrate and share the successes of the team. Celebrating and sharing the successes can boost the team's morale, confidence, and cohesion, as well as showcase the team's value and impact to the organization and the customers. You should celebrate and share the successes in a way that acknowledges and appreciates the contributions of each team member, and that highlights the lessons learned and best practices. You should also use the successes as an opportunity to set new or higher goals and metrics for the team.
The sixth step to tracking team performance is to involve and empower the team members in the whole process. This means that you should not only inform and consult the team members, but also delegate and collaborate with them on the performance tracking activities. By involving and empowering the team members, you can increase their engagement, commitment, and ownership of their work, as well as their trust and respect for you and each other. You can also leverage their skills, knowledge, and perspectives to improve the performance tracking strategies and outcomes.
One goal-setting framework I've found helpful is Objectives and Key Results (OKRs). Apart from being useful in goal-setting, it helped my team align initiatives with specific objectives to ensure they're achieved. Here's an example of how OKRs work: Objective: Get back to shape after Christmas holiday Key Result: Lose 10kg in two months Initiative: Run 7 miles daily The OKRs are then documented, tracked, and reported real-time using OKRs softwares like profit.co, ClickUp, etc.