As a general rule, we as owners and managers want to see the job performance of our teams improve. The deficiency in performance can be traced to multiple sources, but regardless of where it came from, how we improve it is what matters. One of the most efficient ways of increasing performance is by integrating a great performance management process into the business.
So how do we do it great? We have found that with our clients, there a few specific things that you can integrate into and exclude out of your performance management process that will greatly improve your results.
Do:
Be Specific – Discussing performance should provide a blueprint of improvement for the one being reviewed. To do this, provide specific examples of when that person exhibited the good behavior that improved your organization and the not-so-good behavior that negatively impacted the company. We are not telling you to provide a “feedback sandwich.” The purpose of a performance review is to increase good behaviors, and decrease the bad, so balancing your type of feedback will depend on your company culture, your plan for the employee, and the needs of the organization.
Do it Regularly – The feedback an employee receives in an annual performance review should never be a surprise to them. If an employee is exhibiting good or bad performance, they should know about it within a short amount of time. By providing continuous feedback, performance will improve more rapidly and consistently, and the annual review process will become much easier as it becomes more of a focus on improvement rather than a look back at the employee’s shortcomings from the last year.
Ask for Understanding & Questions – When reviewing performance, both formally and informally, create a dialogue with the employee. As much as you can, ask why they are doing what they are doing. Great ideas, efficiencies, solutions or other positives might come out of those conversations. At the very least, you are making that employee feel valued and helping them perform at a higher level. Patience is key here, as we will all experience frustrating behavior and want to correct it instantly.
Don’t:
Share with Others – Sharing performance feedback with others before being shared with the employee is a recipe for disaster. This is most commonly perceived as complaining and as gossip, which are both toxic to company cultures. If you are going to share, give praise to an employee’s great performance. Never share corrective actions with others.
Hold Grudges – To err is human. If someone makes a mistake or does not take your feedback well, be patient, and do not hold a grudge. So often we see managers give up hope on employees because of miscommunication that no matter what the employee does, the manager only sees the wrong in it. Be professional, forgive, and move on. Also, when you make a mistake, be humble and own it, and set the stage of accountability for your team.
Use Harmful Behaviors – Again, to err is human. The easiest way to mismanage these situations is by using harmful behaviors. Yelling, passive aggressiveness, guilt-tripping, temper tantrums and other harmful behaviors have no place in business. If needed, remove yourself from the situation, compose yourself, and come back with a professional attitude. If the employee persists in behavior that causes you frustration, consider realigning them with a different manager or removing them from the organization. Using harmful behaviors will only make these situations worse as they will damage your culture and control over the staff.
