Goals Focused performance management

Performance enhancer's – Goal-focused performance reviews enable managers and employees to communicate and share ideas.

Managing staff performance is a key method of improving business results. Unfortunately, many attempts at a performance review have resulted in managers and staff resenting the process. It’s viewed as too complicated or too bureaucratic or a tool to beat poor performers with. However, there are a number of ways in which performance can be monitored while providing motivation for individuals and teams.

Caroline is a retail manager leading four consultants in her team. Robert is a driven and motivated team member who values achievements and is action oriented and likes to socialize a lot. Toni is another team member who is very personable and is always trying to make sure that everyone is comfortable and happy. John is a very competent team member with great technical skills but likes to work at his own pace and does not interact easily with the rest of the team. Amanda on the other hand, has an eye for details, is usually quiet and does not say much unless to point out what needs to be corrected or adjusted.

Caroline wanted to get the team to increase their performance, activities, outcomes and efficiency levels by at least 20% in the next six months. As Caroline started to plan her strategies she wanted to make sure that she did not follow the examples of her previous bosses.

In the past, Caroline had many managers who shouted at their reports, verbally abused them, and used inappropriate language and mannerism to motivate their staff and get better performance. This resulted in lowering trust, making the workplace environment toxic and many people left the business. People can’t stand this kind of treatment for long, no matter how much their performance is improving.

Caroline asked for advice from a couple of people she trusts. She was advised to build goal-focused relationships in order to improve team performance. They advised her to modify her behavior and follow certain principles in dealing with her staff.  Caroline was able to influence and motivate her team to achieve the targets as she followed her mentors’ advice. These principles and practices are outlined below.

1. Respect your team members – they are people with feelings, ideas and value so treat them well. Caroline got to know her team members and acknowledged that they have different behavioral styles and personalities. They all complemented each other’s style.
2. Communicate according to their styles – Caroline treated each of her four staff members differently without losing the focus on the goals.
3. Communicate continuously – Caroline communicated with her staff members regularly focusing them on the goals and asking them how and what they are doing to achieve the goals.
4. Feedback consistently – Caroline gave regular feedback to her team members individually in a consistent performance and goal-focused rather than personality-focused manner. Caroline made sure that she gave feedback for the good behaviors and performance as well as for lack of performance. 
5. Ask for regular Feedback – Caroline was determined that to achieve higher performance she needed buy-in from the team. In the same way she was giving feedback to her team she encouraged each member to give her honest and regular feedback regarding her role. The feedback was also performance and goal-focused feedback.
6. Act on Feedback – Caroline knew that if she dismissed her team members’ feedback, she would lose trust and credibility as a manager. Then she would not be able to get the best out of them as a result of her feedback. As credibility was built, all the team members started showing improved performance one by one. Amanda was the last one. She needed to be convinced that this new thing is not a gimmick but the real deal.
7. Be Consistent – Caroline developed the habit of following the same method of talking to her team members about their performance. She made sure that she was consistent with each member, she did not favor one over the other, and she was consistent in her positive and negative feedback.
8. Be Fair – Caroline knew that every member had different strengths, capacities and capabilities. She agreed with the team early on as to the team targets and each member agreed to personal targets, assignments and levels of activities.
9. Be Focused on Outcomes – Caroline made sure that in every performance conversation, which was done regularly, with her team members she would touch on the goals, the assignments and how they were going to be assessed.
10. Be Inclusive – As the team agreed to increase their activities, improve efficiencies and lift outcomes, Caroline needed to be a better manager. She started seeing what provisions she can supply here team members to perform better. She also made sure that she protected her team members from external negative influences, and at the earliest sign she would interfere to prevent mistakes becoming disasters.
11. Follow up on commitment – Caroline learnt from previous experiences that a manager would promise something and would not come through with the goods. She learnt that once this happens trust and credibility is lost. She also observed many managers ask their team members to do things but never follow up to check whether they have done it or how they are going with it. She was determined not to do that. Caroline follow-up her team members and she built trust, credibility and relationship that enabled each of her staff to improve and reach their targets.

Recognising, valuing and developing individual input encourages b performance, which leads to profitability for the organisation. Performance management processes, when implemented effectively, can address both the needs of the organisation and those of the employee.