How is Your Performance Management Performing?

Hey that may sound like a silly question, but it's legit! Here's why...

I know that performance management, particularly for managers, can be challenging and without some basic knowledge to navigate its terrain, it feels like you're stumbling in the woods, can't see where you're going and don't know how to get out...and wish you'd never entered it in the first place.

That's why @LinkedIn Learning asked me to create a course written specifically for managers on how to Manage Employee Performance Problems. Don't let the "course" word deter you from checking it out. My approach and mantra is to keep it real and keep it simple. You'll get helpful tips, insights and strategies.

I have a fierce conviction about that mantra because I think a lot of processes and tools we use in business, particularly related to human resource management just overcomplicates management and the employee experience, wasting time and money.

As an example, there is a ton of software choices for performance management available. And in the first section of the course under the subsection "What is Effective Performance Management?", I actually recommend software as a helpful tool. However, the best way to use this tool is by first having in place a firm understanding of and basic practices in place for effective performance management. Then plug in the software to serve what you're trying to achieve. In all things tech, you want the tech to serve you, not you serve the tech.

For me, as a course author, one of the best aspects of creating the course was being able to infuse my expertise in connecting human behavior to better business outcomes. That's why you'll find it so practical. In fact I want to share with you one of my favorite sections that amplifies my motto - keep it simple, keep it real. I want to share it because even if you never take the course, you'll glean the gist of how easy and uncomplicated effective performance management can be when you understand and include a few simple principles of human behavior.

In part 4 - Continuous Information Feedback, I use this example:

"Imagine for a moment the early days of commerce when you had skilled proprietors. Let’s use a blacksmith as an example. He runs a small business making horseshoes. Initially he is able to handle all the business himself. However, as customer demand grows, he has to hire apprentices. To quickly train the apprentices to meet growing customers needs, ongoing daily learning, skill development and "feedback" must occur. We can envision basic performance management was conducted -- it wasn't an option if the business was going to succeed.

This example represents what I consider and advocate - organic performance management -- nothing complicated or formal -- it's natural...with no "corporate speak" involved or necessary. Everyday you're working and conversing to get things done to meet the needs of the customer - simple! And...all your time is well spent doing activities that directly serve that end.

If fact, how the feedback was given wasn't an option either. So that the needed skills could be quickly developed, the feedback and training had to be timely, direct and meaningful. And it’s highly likely, that at any given time, the apprentices “knew exactly where they stood” in terms of their performance.

Here are the key points:

#1: This is a simple, logical scenario that explains the basics of effective performance management that anyone can successfully implement and here's why...simple human behavior science. Continuous feedback cultivates, conditions desired behaviors (feedback to the brain) => needed behaviors, consistently executed become habits => habits are subconsciously reliable and continuous until disrupted or replaced => habits are performance...in fact they are "automated" performance. This is the formula for organic performance management.

And here's the bonus, once you've helped cultivate desired habits - the performance doesn't need to be closely "managed" because it has now automated.

#2: If you don't give continuous, timely, relevant feedback, you'll miss a breath of opportunities to cultivate desired performance (aka needed habits) and persistent underperformance will continually take up your time, the team's time and your emotional and mental space (along with slowing down meeting needed business objectives).

Ineffective performance management is really talent mis-management.

We can also conclude, too much formality hampers opportunities to leverage basic principles of human behavior to cultivate better performance. Waiting to give or schedule performance feedback?...is that really the best approach? This is why the "once a year appraisal" is antiquated and kind of ridiculous when you think about it. And... folks hate doing them. They waste a lot of time and energy.

And finally, we do want to ask the question, with this scenario in mind, where does performance management software fit?

I encourage you take some time to apply this information to how you're managing right now. Any kind of management is a form of performance management. All "managing" conditions behavior in one way or another - the behavior you want ...and even the behavior you don't want. :-)

Additionally, if software is something you want to try, there are some good resources to check out. One positive use of technology in this case is it can help you formulate positive habits.

Software: GrowSum is offering their very popular Employee Feedback Tool free for 3 months. No commitments. No credit cards required. They work with companies globally to maximize employee performance and their feedback tool helps you give, get and share feedback across the organization, tagged to work goals and tracked against performance. Also Synergita: is another performance software worth checking out.

If you want to learn more about how to connect human behavior to better business outcomes, grab a copy of my latest executive briefing book The Human Quotient: The Most Potent Force for Your Business Success -- it's complimentary at the moment (with no required opt-in).

If you need to deal with employees problems from a organizational / HR point of view, then you'll want to view my first LinkedIn Learning course Managing Employee Problems, written for human resource professionals, it's gotten rave reviews.

Or, if you feel a need to have a confidential conversation about what's going on with you and/or your organization, don't hesitate to connect by phone or email. I'm here to help. | Ph: 888.388.0565 | Em: [email protected]