Performance Management for any Application: Development Planning Phase

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Adapted
from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business and
Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision for Nonprofit Staff.

Strongly Suggested Pre-Reading

Performance
Management: Traditional and Progressive Approaches
Overview
of Performance Management Process for any Application
Performance
Planning Phase
Performance
Appraisal Phase

---

Approaches to Development Planning

Remember that information in this section is generic to performance management,
that is, the information generally applies to any domain of performance management,
including an organization, an internal and recurring process, a team or an employee.

The development planning phase generally occurs after the Performance
Appraisal phase. Keep in mind that the three phases (performance planning,
performance appraisal and development planning) are all cyclical and highly integrated in nature. As in our descriptions of the performance planning and performance
appraisal phases, we will continue with our example of the machine operator.
So at this point in our example, a performance plan and the performance appraisal
activities have already been conducted for the operator.

13. If performance does not meet desired performance standards, develop
or update a performance development plan to address the performance gap*
(See Notes 1 and 2 below.)
If performance does not meet standards, implement a performance development
plan. This plan clearly conveys how the conclusion was made that there
was inadequate performance, what actions are to be taken and by whom and when,
when performance will be reviewed again and how. In our example, if the operator
(or other domain) was not performing to standards, then some forms of help (or
interventions) should be provided (in this example, coaching, mentoring, training,
more resources, etc).

• In a progressive
  approach, performance development can occur in real time, that is, the
  supervisor and operator would address performance issues as soon as they occur.
  The supervisor and operator would collaborate to decide what improvements
  are needed and how they might be implemented. Their decisions and any documentation
  would include any decisions about additional trainings that might be needed
  and how they could advance the operator’s career.

* Note 1: Inadequate performance does not always indicate a
problem on the part of the domain. Performance standards may be
unrealistic or the domain may have insufficient resources. Similarly,
the overall strategies or the organization, or its means to achieving
its top-level goals, may be unrealistic or without sufficient
resources.

* Note 2: When performance management is applied to an employee
or group of employees, a development plan can be initiated in
a variety of situations, e.g.,:
a.) When a performance appraisal indicates performance improvement
is needed
b.) To “benchmark” the status of improvement so far
in a development effort
c.) As part of a professional development for the employee or
group of employees, in which case there is not a performance gap
as much as an “growth gap”
d.) As part of succession planning to help an employee be eligible
for a planned change in role in the organization, in which case
there also is not a performance gap as much as an “opportunity
gap”
e.) To “pilot”, or test, the operation of a new performance
management system

14. Repeat steps 9 to 13 until performance is acceptable, standards are
changed, the domain is replaced, management decides to do nothing, etc.

---

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Performance Management

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blogs which
have posts related to Performance Management. Scan down the blog’s page to see
various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar
of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog.

Library’s
Human Resources Blog
Library’s
Leadership Blog
Library’s
Supervision Blog

Also consider
Related Library Topics
Employee
Performance Management
Group Performance
Management
Organizational
Performance Management

---

For the Category of Performance Management:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some
related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes
free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their
relevance and highly practical nature.

Related
Library Topics

Recommended Books

Performance Management for any Application: What is “Performance”?

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Adapted from Field Guide to Consulting and Organizational Development

Suggested Pre-Reading

Overview of Performance Management Process for any Application

Sections of This Topic Include

• What Does Performance Mean?
• Performance Management Applies to More than Employee Performance
• Additional Perspectives on Performance Management

---

What Does “Performance” Mean?

Every organization has a set of overall preferred results that it wants to accomplish. The results might be implied to its members or explicitly conveyed to them. That is true, whether the organization is large or small. It is true for any of the parts of the organization that are working toward their own results, for example, a department, program, team or an individual in the organization. Each of these has a recurring set of activities — a system — aimed toward achieving its desired results

In the context of performance management, the term “performance” means continually achieving the preferred results in a manner that is as effective and efficient as possible. Performance management reminds us that being busy is not the same as producing results. It reminds us that training, strong commitment and lots of hard work alone are not results.

To sustain strong performance, all of the parts of the system must be closely integrated and aligned toward actively achieving the desired results. Only then can it be said that it is highly performing.

See Maximum Performance — Different Things to Different People

Here’s a story that further explains what “performance” really is — in this case, in an organization.

So Performance Management Applies to More than Employees

Typically, we think of performance in organizations, we think of the performance of employees. However, performance management should also be focused on:
1. The organization
2. Each of its departments (computer support, administration, sales, etc.)
3. Each of its recurring processes (billing, budgeting, product development, financial management, etc.)
4. Each of its programs (implementing new policies and procedures to ensure a safe workplace; or, for a nonprofit, ongoing delivery of services to a community)
5. Each of its products or services to internal or external customers
6. Each of its projects (automating the billing process, moving to a new building, etc.)
7. Each of its teams or groups organized to accomplish a result for internal or external customers

Additional Perspectives on “Performance”

• Defining Performance
• Completing the Zen in Performance Management

---

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Performance Management

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blogs which have posts related to Performance Management. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog.

• Library’s Human Resources Blog
• Library’s Leadership Blog
• Library’s Supervision Blog

Also consider

• Related Library Topics
  
• Employee Performance Management
  
• Group Performance Management
  
• Organizational Performance Management

---

For the Category of Performance Management:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.

• Related Library Topics
• Recommended Books

Performance Management for any Application: Benefits and Concerns

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Adapted from Field Guide to Consulting and Organizational Development

Suggested Pre-Reading

Overview of Performance Management Process for any Application

Sections of This Topic Include

• 4 Key Benefits of Performance management
• 15 Other Benefits
• Concerns

---

4 Key Benefits of Performance Management

1. PM focuses on results, rather than behaviors and activities
A common misconception among supervisors is that behaviors and activities are the same as results. Thus, an employee may appear extremely busy, but not be contributing at all toward the goals of the organization. An example is the employee who manually reviews completion of every form and procedure, rather than supporting automation of the review. The supervisor may conclude the employee is very committed to the organization and works very hard, thus, deserving a very high performance rating.

2. Aligns organizational activities and processes to the goals of the organization
PM identifies organizational goals, results needed to achieve those goals, measures of effectiveness or efficiency (outcomes) toward the goals, and means (drivers) to achieve the goals. This chain of measurements is examined to ensure alignment with overall results of the organization.

3. Cultivates a system-wide, long-term view of the organization.

Richard A. Swanson, in Performance Improvement Theory and Practice (Advances in Developing Human Resources, 1, 1999), explains an effective performance improvement process must follow a systems-based approach while looking at outcomes and drivers. Otherwise, the effort produces a flawed picture. For example, laying off people will likely produce short-term profits. However, the organization may eventually experience reduced productivity, resulting in long-term profit loss.

4. Produces meaningful measurements
These measurements have a wide variety of useful applications. They are useful in benchmarking, or setting standards for comparison with best practices in other organizations. They provide consistent basis for comparison during internal change efforts. They indicate results during improvement efforts, such as employee training, management development, quality programs, etc. They help ensure equitable and fair treatment to employees based on performance.

15 Other Benefits of Performance Management

Performance Management (PM):
1. Helps you think about what results you really want. You’re forced to be accountable, to “put a stake in the ground”.

2. Depersonalizes issues. Supervisor’s focus on behaviors and results, rather than personalities.

3. Validates expectations. In today’s age of high expectations when organizations are striving to transform themselves and society, having measurable results can verify whether grand visions are realistic or not.

4. Helps ensure equitable treatment of employees because appraisals are based on results.

5. Optimizes operations in the organization because goals and results are more closely aligned.

6. Cultivates a change in perspective from activities to results.

7. Performance reviews are focused on contributions to the organizational goals, e.g., forms include the question “What organizational goal were contributed to and how?”

8. Supports ongoing communication, feedback and dialogue about organizational goals. Also supports communication between employee and supervisor.

9. Performance is seen as an ongoing process, rather than a one-time, snap-shot event.

10. Provokes focus on the needs of customers, whether internal or external.

11. Cultivates a systems perspective, that is, focus on the relationships and exchanges between subsystems, e.g., departments, processes, teams and employees. Accordingly, personnel focus on patterns and themes in the organization, rather than specific events.

12. Continuing focus and analysis on results helps to correct several myths, e.g., “learning means results”, “job satisfaction produces productivity”, etc.

13. Produces specificity in commitments and resources.

14. Provides specificity for comparisons, direction and planning.

15. Redirects attention from bottom-up approaches (e.g., doing job descriptions, performance reviews, etc., first and then “rolling up” results to the top of the organization) to top-down approaches (e.g., ensuring all subsystem goals and results are aligned first with the organization’s overall goals and results).

Concerns About Performance Management

Typical concerns expressed about performance management are that it seems extraordinarily difficult and often unreliable to measure phenomena as complex as performance. People point out that today’s organizations are rapidly changing, thus results and measures quickly become obsolete. They add that translating human desires and interactions to measurements is impersonal and even heavy handed.

---

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Performance Management

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blogs which have posts related to Performance Management. Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near the bottom of a post in the blog.

• Library’s Human Resources Blog
• Library’s Leadership Blog
• Library’s Supervision Blog

Also consider

• Related Library Topics
  
• Employee Performance Management
  
• Group Performance Management
  
• Organizational Performance Management

---

For the Category of Performance Management:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.

• Related Library Topics
• Recommended Book

Performance Management for any Application: Performance Appraisal Phase

© Copyright Carter McNamara, MBA, PhD, Authenticity Consulting, LLC. Adapted
from the Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision in Business and
Field Guide to Leadership and Supervision for Nonprofit Staff.

Strongly Suggested Pre-Reading

Performance
Management: Traditional and Progressive Approaches
Overview
of Performance Management Process for any Application
Performance
Planning Phase

---

Approaches to Doing a Performance Appraisal

Remember that information in this section is generic to performance management,
that is, the information generally applies to any domain of performance management,
including an organization, an internal and recurring process, a team or an employee.

The performance appraisal phase generally occurs after the Performance
Planning phase. Keep in mind that the three phases (performance planning,
performance appraisal and development planning) are all cyclical and highly integrated in nature. As in our description of performance planning, we will continue with
our example of the machine operator. So at this point in our example, a performance
plan has already been developed for the operator.

9. Conduct ongoing observations and measurements to track performance
The operator’s supervisor would observe the number of high-quality prints, including
to share feedback with the operator’s internal customer, the Director of the
Catalog Department.

• In a progressive
  approach, this would also occur, as the sharing of feedback with customers
  is extremely important.

10. Exchange ongoing feedback about performance
Feedback is information relevant to how well results are being achieved. Useful
feedback is timely, feasible and understood. Ideally, feedback address key activities
to improve or reinforce performance. Usually, the larger the number of sources
giving feedback, the more accurate is the depiction of events. In our example,
the employee, supervisor and Director of the Catalog Department should continue
to share impressions of how well results are being achieved. Any ideas to improve
or support performance should be implemented as appropriate. This ongoing
feedback is often one of the most important aspects of performance management.

• In a progressive
  approach, this would also occur, as the sharing of feedback with the domain
  (in our example, the operator) is extremely important.

11. Conduct a performance appraisal (sometimes called performance review)
A performance appraisal (or review) includes documentation of
expected results, standards of performance, progress toward achieving of results,
how well they were achieved, examples indicating achievement, suggestions to
improve performance and how those suggestions can be followed. If the above
activities in the performance management process were followed, the performance
appraisal is usually quite straightforward to carry out. In our example, the
appraisal should include input from the employee, supervisor and Director of
the Catalog Department. The performance appraisal should be carried out at regular
intervals as performance tracking is underway.

• In a progressive
  approach, performance review documentation and meetings would occur more
  than once a year in order to remain relevant to any changes in the organization’s,
  the customers and/or the operator’s goals. The review would not include any
  surprises for the operator, as any concerns about performance would have been
  addressed as soon as they occurred.

12. If performance meets desired performance standards, reward for performance
In our example, the machine operator may be due some form of reward, that is,
recognition or compensation, for example, a letter of recognition, promotion
or letter of commendation.

• In a progressive
  approach, arrangements to tie compensation to performance might be agreed
  upon between the supervisor and employee. (See The
  Pros and Cons of Tying Compensation to Performance Reviews.)

Next, see
Development
Planning

---

Learn More in the Library’s Blogs Related to Performance Appraisals for Employees,
Teams, Processes and Organizations

In addition to the articles on this current page, see the following blogs which
have posts related to Appraisals for Employees, Teams, Processes and Organizations.
Scan down the blog’s page to see various posts. Also see the section “Recent
Blog Posts” in the sidebar of the blog or click on “next” near
the bottom of a post in the blog.

Library’s
Human Resources Blog
Library’s
Leadership Blog
Library’s
Supervision Blog

---

For the Category of Performance Management:

To round out your knowledge of this Library topic, you may want to review some related topics, available from the link below. Each of the related topics includes free, online resources.

Also, scan the Recommended Books listed below. They have been selected for their relevance and highly practical nature.

Related Library Topics

Recommended Books

Every once in a while it is necessary to get the details.

The following article is reposted with permission from John Kapensky via GovLoop. John is a Senior Fellow, IBM Center for The Business of Government in Washington, D.C.

WHY ISN’T PERFORMANCE INFORMATION BEING USED?

Champions of performance management in government are confounded. After decades of trying to integrate the use of performance information into agency decision-making, it still isn’t happening on as broad a scale as once hoped.

The initial premise twenty years ago was that if performance information was made readily available, it would be used by agency decision-makers. That turned out to not be true.

Background. A recent GAO study conclude that the “use of performance information has not changed significantly” in surveys of federal managers between 2007 and 2013. More specifically:

• “. . . only two [of the 24 major] agencies – OPM and the Department of Labor – experienced a statistically significant improvement in managers’ use of performance information.” And four experienced a decrease.
• But “SES managers used performance information . . . more than non-SES managers both government-wide and within each agency.” And in 9 of the 24 surveyed agencies, the gap was statistically significant.While Congress was able to mandate the collection and reporting of performance information via the 1993 Government Performance and Results Act, there hasn’t been a successful strategy to get managers to use the information. The Bush Administration tried, by focusing on program-level measures. The Obama Administration tried, by focusing on cross-agency and agency-level “priority goals,” supplemented with quarterly progress reviews. But the GAO survey doesn’t show any real changes over time.

So Now What Do We Do? GAO’s report offered some “better practices” that it thinks would help, based on some of its past work and observations. These included a series of “effective practices” such as improving the usefulness of performance information and better communicating performance information. These practices may help. However, a recent article (paywall) by Jeanette Taylor, a professor at the University of Western Australia, offers some new insights on what leaders might do differently. She examines the “lack of use” challenge from a different perspective – organizational culture. In her research, she found “the effects of performance information on organizational performance depend on the organization’s culture,” and that “organizational culture . . was the dominant antecedent of performance information use,” and that “. . . different types of cultures adopt performance management differently.”Her research tries to unbundle the distinctions in order to provide a roadmap of the different ways leaders need to approach the use of performance information in their organizations.

Four Types of Organizational Cultures. Drawing on the work of other academics, she highlights four distinct models of organizational culture:

• The Individualistic Culture. This type of organization stresses individual effort and skill, and a belief in competition. It may, for example, adopt performance incentive structures.
• The Egalitarian Culture. This culture emphasizes a high sense of belonging to a group. Staff in this kind of agency would be more receptive to performance dialogues instead of incentives.
• The Hierarchical Culture. This type of organization stresses well-defined rules of social interaction. Employees and managers here will likely want performance management to be aligned with the professional and technocrat core of the organization.
• The Fatalist Culture. Employees are skeptical about organizational prescriptions for human betterment and may “engage in ritualistic performance management exercises” (e.g., passive-aggressive compliance with requirements: “Just tell me what you want me to do and I’ll do it”).

In practice, real organizations do not fall neatly into one or the other of these models. But understanding the distinctions suggest different implementation strategies.

Three Layers of Organizational Culture. Fellow academic Edgar Schein differentiates three levels of organizational culture that exist within each of the four types of cultures.

• Observable Artifacts. In this layer, visible characteristics that an outside observer can see might include office layout, dress code, observable routines, and published documents. Some academics see routines as “the critical factor in the shaping of behavior.” Learning forums are examples of organizational routines, as are strategic planning and benchmarking. Interestingly, Taylor says that “routines can promote continuous change if they occur regularly, the organizational context support the changes, and “professional employees have discretion in the way they perform their tasks.
• Espoused Values and Beliefs. This layer is comprised of documented norms, ideals, goals, and aspirations of the organizational group. Taylor says: “A clear, understandable, and distinctive organizational mission has been found to be positively related to employee mission valence.” She also observes: “The development of a common language, particularly for key concepts like performance indicator and benchmarking, can contribute to the successful use of in-project measurement.”
• Underlying Assumptions. This layer is comprised of unconscious, taken-for-granted, non-negotiable beliefs and values that influence how group members think and feel about things and guide their behavior. This is the hardest layer for outsiders to influence because “. . . performance information involves subjective interpretation by the managers who acquire and use it,” and “Performance management requires that judgments be made on what to measure, how to measure and interpret it, what determines success and failure, and what information is relevant or important.” As a result, an organization’s underlying culture “can influence how it views and behaviorally responds to performance management.”

Just ask any VA executive over the next two decades about how its underlying culture affects their perception of performance management!Schein’s layered approach explains how understanding an organization’s culture differs, depending on one’s perspective, and how the deeper ones are harder to identify, measure, and change. His approach also recognizes that there can be subcultures within an organization (geographic, professional, hierarchical), and that it is inappropriate to assume that a single, organization-wide dominant culture will prevail across a department or agency.

So the bottom line, says Taylor, is that successful implementation “requires changes in the organization’s systems and structures (artifacts), its underlying values (assumptions), and the way management reinforces these values (espoused values).”In contrast, most federal agencies have emphasized the creation of what Schein calls “artifacts” – processes, methods, and technical know-how.

Re-Thinking Strategies. It may be time to re-think the strategies for how best to encourage federal managers to use performance information in their jobs. GAO and Taylor both help point the way to a more nuanced approach.Getting managers to use performance information isn’t just a procedural or technical exercise.It is a fundamental change in how they do their day-to-day jobs and how they approach problem-solving. Harvard’s Bob Behn says that using performance information is a leadership strategy, not a set of processes and procedures.In fact, GAO found that training managers on how to technically develop performance measures actually led to a decrease in their use by managers! GAO found that training managers on how to analyze and use performance information was far more conducive to use.Is this too hard? Can managers’ mindsets be changed? It already has been done, in dozens of places across the federal government.

The challenge is to showcase and share lessons from existing efforts. The successes aren’t called “GPRA.” Instead, they go by different terms, such as “strategic analytics,” or “evidence-based decision-making,” or “moneyball government.” These efforts are not rooted in complying with GPRA requirements. They are energized by managers who use these approaches to get clear mission results such as reducing fraud, increasing air quality, speeding drug approvals, streamlining disability benefit approvals, and more. Showcasing these initiatives is happening, but more could be done. Maybe a mentoring program is needed. Maybe more targeted training could help. But it is clear that requiring new processes, procedures, organizational structures, and reporting isn’t going to increase managers’ use. The hard part will be that it has to be developed within each organization, and within their respective cultures.

Graphics Credit: Courtesy of Salvatore Vuono via FreeDigitalPhotosTags: Analytics, Evidence-Based Decisions, GAO, GPRA, Modernization Act, Moneyball,Omb, Organizational Culture

***

Thanks to John Kapensky for this fine article. For more information, click on the tags above. Check out The Free Management Library’s complete training section.

Does having a unified team actually translate into improved performance? If implemented correctly, research shows team cohesion can improve morale, motivation, and loyalty. And having high marks in these areas is certainly an indicator for performance.

What we’re talking about isn’t just getting your employees to meet up at the bar after work a couple times a week, although that wouldn’t hurt. You might even join them occasionally. As a manager, you want to create cohesion around common goals, successes, and pride to be a part of your team.

How do you create a culture where this kind of team-centered unity can thrive? There are many systems out there designed to improve organizational behavior and team cohesion. Before you spend a lot of money and time trying to implement one of these, just take a look at a few basic principles.

1. Make employees aware of organizational values
As a team performance specialist, I’m always shocked how often I hear from employees that they have no idea what the values of their company are. “To make money”, is a common response. Of course making money is important, but there is more to a company than the profit at the end of the year. Every business owner and manager has an idea how she wants her team to run, but she may not understand the power of sharing these ideals with their employees. If you have a clear mission statement and vision statement and expect your employees to know and follow them, there’s a good chance they’ll buy into that mission and vision. For help developing these documents, click here.

2. Create opportunities to build trust
It’s hard to trust someone you haven’t seen in the heat of battle, so to speak. That’s why many organizations use team building retreats and workshops or field softball teams. The point is to let employees get to know each other’s strengths and count on each other in a situation where their job isn’t on the line. It also helps build a team spirit that can translate into better job performance.

3. Encourage employees to wear your team colors
This may sound silly, but there’s a reason militaries and sports teams wear uniforms. They create a sense of belonging and pride. I’m not suggesting implementing a ridiculous dress code in your office, but buying your employees jackets, T-shirts, or customized silicone bracelets with your company logo and slogan could go a long way to instilling a sense of identity as a member of your organization. You might be surprised how cost effective it can be to outfit your employees this way. Here’s a good source to get started.

4. Empower employees to improve their own systems
One of the surest drains on employee morale I’ve seen is keeping your people working with outdated conventions and systems that create inefficiency and diminish their ability to shine. Giving employees input in how to improve work processes lets you take advantage of their experience, improves adherence to policies, and builds a sense of ownership for the results of work. Let your employees know how they can suggest ideas for improving processes, automated tools, and customer relations conventions. Maybe there could be a specified time in a monthly meeting to offer and discuss suggestions. Even if you ultimately choose not to make the change, your employees will appreciate being listened to.

5. Provide ways to resolve conflicts productively
There are always conflicts when you have people working together. But depending on the culture of your organization, people may not feel free to address issues either with co-workers or management. The result is often gossip, cliques, decrease in productivity, high employee turnover. There needs to be a space where people can voice what they’re feeling without worrying that their jobs may be a risk. One of the worse things for a manager to learn is that these conflicts have been occurring under his nose and he had no idea. An employee may not feel comfortable speaking directly to her boss about an issue she has with his management style. So you may want to have a way employees can anonymously register complaints even if you have a relatively small work force.

Creating a culture that encourages team cohesion takes intelligent policies, consistent devotion to the goal from leadership, and time. If your organization has an every-man-for-himself culture, you may have to show a lot of sustained good faith effort before you see any fruit. Don’t expect your people to start brandishing their company wristbands tomorrow, but company unity will come when you’ve shown your employees that you’re serious about making changes.

Learning how to build great project teams is a skill like any other business tool. The catch phrase: “great leaders are born, not made” really isn’t all that accurate in today’s business environment. Creating good, effective, high performing teams takes practice.

What is a high performing team?

In today’s business world, it’s not good enough for one person to excel at his or her job. The most valuable employees are those who are able to create teams that get the job done right, quickly and with a minimum of drama. The era of the “lone warrior” in business is over. Today’s successful companies nurture leaders who create high performing teams that know how to get results. A high performing team can deliver a product, report or client solution on time, under budget and anticipating the client’s and the boss’ needs.

Building high performance teams

How do you create these highly-functional, yet positive work groups? It’s as simple (or as complex) as being the best you can be, choosing the right team members and empowering your team members.

1. Create a high-performing you.

As a team leader, you have to first focus on you. In fact, Josh Bersin of Forbes found that the best performing organizations link leadership strategy to business strategy. To be a great leader, you don’t necessarily need to be the tallest or the loudest person in the room, you just need to be the most confident. More than once I’ve seen a five-foot-tall woman hold a room full of grown men at rapt attention because of her confidence and her positive energy.
In many ways a team leader is like a parent. The members of your team will look to you for guidance, to set the tone and to be an example for the group members. If you’re tense and stressed, chances are your team will be stressed and tense also. Conversely, if you start the day with a smile on your face and a calm attitude, your team will follow suit. As team leader, you not only need to be confident, you need to be consistent, trustworthy and fair. Make sure you’re up to the challenge before you start selecting individual team members.

2. Get the right people for the team.

Choosing the right people to work on your team is something of an art and a science. Before you approach the first person, sit down and envision what you’d like the team to look like. It might even be helpful to write down your vision. You’ll want team members whose abilities and personalities all complement one another.

Looking After Your Prized Staff

Of course, team members need to have at least the minimum skills required for the job, but that shouldn’t be the only consideration you look for in choosing your team. Good team members know how to work well together and bring a positive energy to the group. Sometimes, the most qualified person isn’t the best choice for your team, especially if that person thinks he knows everything because of his seniority and isn’t willing to listen to the rest of the group. In an article called, “The New Science of Building Great Teams” by Alex Pentland communication is the key factor in high performing teams.

“… we’ve found patterns of communication to be the most important predictor of a team’s success. Not only that, but they are as significant as all the other factors—individual intelligence, personality, skill, and the substance of discussions—combined.” Harvard Business Review, 2012

Also remember that ego has no place in a good team. Look at professional sports teams. In general, the most successful teams are those without the one or two stellar players. Rather, they are the teams who have a group of players who know how to work together well.

Of course, once you’ve chosen your team, it’s essential that you communicate the team’s goals, client contacts, time line and other critical information with the team members.

3. Empower the team.

A good team isn’t a group of robots. You need to give your project team the authority to make decisions. As team leader, you don’t want every member having to come to you with every little day-to-day decision. Sometimes, you’ll be working with remote teams, where members will have to decide issues without you, because of time differences or other logistic barriers. You may not –and probably won’t–agree with every decision your team makes. However, without empowering the group, you stifle creativity and initiative. What’s more: any decision is better than having time make the decision for your group.

A true high-performing team knows what you’re thinking as team leader and what the group as a whole is thinking. Ideally, individual team members should make decisions based on those parameters, not their own opinions. As team leader, you’re responsible for creating the environment where team members feel comfortable making decisions. It may take some getting used to, but by delegating some of your authority, you’ll have more time to realize your own goals.

Creating great, high power project teams isn’t complicated, but it does take planning and care. To be effective in your team collaboration, make sure that you first create a high-power persona for yourself, one that you’re comfortable with and that will inspire confidence in your team. Next, choose the right team members and lastly, empower those team members to give them the room they need to make fast, accurate decisions.

About the Author

Taylor is a writer and manages a web development team at Project Manager, an online project planning tool. He has experience working in small businesses and assisting larger businesses with ERP software and project delivery.

Keeping Employees Motivated & Slick as Ice in the Summer

Aiming high for productivity during the summer can be difficult when everyone is making plans for vacation and time to visit with family and loved ones. Beyond maintaining productivity in the workplace, it’s hard to keep employees in the office in the summer.

In many ways, it takes a team player who is also a leader to round up the office during the summer. Make sure employees stay on track, even when they have vacations on the brain:

Plan Ahead

Ask employees to give you their summer schedules as soon as possible so you can plan accordingly for times people in key roles are gone, and make summer vacation availability and procedures clear to employees when they’re hired. Alert them if certain times will be limited, or if employees are restricted to requesting off a certain number of days, and encourage them to make requests early. Once requests are in, project managers can use resource management software to effectively organize tasks and projects and allocate the appropriate resources to complete the job, as well as alerts companies to when they should hire temporary employees to fill voids. Consider making the summer schedule transparent to everyone on your team, so team members are kept in the loop for project needs, as well. And make sure communication during the summer season is strong, writes Peg Cummings of Return Customer, so all team members are on the same page as to who will step into roles and take over tasks.

Tie Up Loose Ends

Tell employees to try not to leave any strings hanging before their vacations. Before they leave, make sure employees set up voicemail and email forwarding to other colleagues if they are unable to address the needs of clients. Encourage employees to finish whatever projects they are able to before they leave. Make sure employees communicate vacation plans to clients who might need to reach them. And have employees coordinate with each other on what tasks may be delegated in their absences.

Give Employees Specific Goals

Use productivity benchmarks from earlier months to set goals for employees to attain during summer months. If there are specific guidelines in place with expectations, employees will be able to work towards those goals instead of slacking off. If possible, offer incentives for employees to complete additional projects before they leave to help alleviate the work burden while they are gone.

Use Positive Reinforcement

If you sense employees are having a harder time staying focused this time of year, make examples out of the ones who go above and beyond by publicly reinforcing positive behavior. Consider implementing a rewards system for exemplary work. The more employees are praised for a job well done, the more likely they will repeat their great work, according to Monika Jansen of GROUPON Works.

Bring the Vacation Inside

Allow and encourage employees to bring summery touches into the work environment; they don’t need to leave the office to have fun. Allow employees to dress more casually than normal one day a week, conduct weekly team-building activities or allow more flexible schedules to accommodate for those employees who have visitors in town. Make the work environment more conducive to your employees, writes Spark Hire CEO Josh Tolan on huffingtonpost.com, and they’ll be more likely to turn in great work for you.

How has your business motivated employees to do great work during the summer season? Share your thoughts in the comments.

 

Please enjoy this GUEST Post from David Lennon

David is a devoted father from Boston with a penchant for writing about anything that strikes his interest. His main interest is writing about business management on business blogs.

All managers and organizations have their philosophies about how to motivate employees and manage their teams. Some seek to create cooperation and loyalty. Others rely more on the competitive spirit to get things done. And the truth is different approaches can work, but it’s important to understand what kind of work environment you’re creating with your approach. So the question is: Are you more Maslow or Machiavelli.

Are You More Maslow or Machiavelli?
These two paradigms are familiar to many in the business world, but they represent very different ways of managing people.

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs tells us that people have certain requirements that have to be met before they can be truly fulfilled. In the workplace, this theory demands attending to the needs of each employee. Making enough money to live, job security, belonging to a team, excelling at a job, and doing meaningful work are all motivating factors. The idea is that if employees are happy at work, they’ll be more creative and produce more.

The Machiavellian style is very different. It states that it is better to be feared than loved. Rules are strict and punishments are harsh. Employees are motivated by fear of losing their jobs, but also by the yen to beat the competition. It produces a program of survival of the fittest that attracts people who can think on their feet and get the job done regardless of circumstances. And it’s an efficient way of shedding dead weight.

Which Model is Better for Business?
We all know of instances where both styles are used. Most lists of the best places to work are full of companies that take a more Maslow-oriented approach. Google is often at the top of these lists with a huge sports complex, subsidized massages, free food, and a company mission statement that everyone seems to be able to get behind. And who can argue with Google’s success?

But we’ve all seen glimpses into the white collar marketing and financial worlds where productivity means survival. You’re either rising or falling and every coworker is vying for the same promotion you are. These companies have impressive balance sheets of their own and it’s obvious why the best and brightest would embrace a chance to shoot for the stars.

Maslow’s approach is great for building team unity, loyalty, and stability. But it’s susceptible to employee complacency and cliché, in-the-box thinking. A Machiavellian regime can be very effective to push employees to great heights of creativity and production at an individual level. But know they’re only on board as long as your goals are aligned with theirs.

So which way is better? That depends on your goals. Maslow’s approach is much better at promoting strong teams. This is important if your business relies on a great deal of cooperation. It also gives you a chance to groom future leaders who you expect to stick around for the long haul. The Machiavellian way is effective where individual performance is key. Employees may not work cooperatively but they can learn by seeing how others succeed … or fail.

Can There Be Balance?
The truth is, most managers recognize the need for a balanced approach. We use a combination of policies designed to build employees up and light a fire under them when they need it. If we do this well, unity and security can coexist with vigilance and audacious creativity. The key is to find a way to strike this balance without becoming wildly inconsistent. It takes wisdom to know when to give and when to take away — especially as markets and technologies, and therefore work policies, change.

So can a manager consistently be output oriented without forgetting the value of human assets? … Balance tenure with performance? … Promote teamwork and individual excellence at the same time? One thing is certain — it’s easier said than done.

—

Matthew Goyette, MBA
www.steton.com
Email

From a fuzzy idea to a survey to actionable intelligence: How to plan an employee survey to encourage organizational change.

Guest Post

Written By David Chaudron, PHD

David shares his 11 pointers that allow movement from the “Yeah, we need to find out what our employees are thinking” to specific actions based upon the data collected.

• Create and communicate clear, specific actions from the employee survey data.
  Suggesting that “management communicate more” or “we need team spirit” doesn’t do much. What really needs to change? It is also very easy to throw some communication training at supervision, hoping this will paper-over management’s unwillingness to tell hard truths. Training someone implies that lack of skill is the cause of your problems. What if the cause is a systemic issue instead?

 

• Include the survey process into the normal business planning cycle.
  Syncing the schedule of the survey with the normal budgeting cycle increases the chances that recommendations will be funded. For example, if budgets are due in November, and next-year’s objectives are due in October, develop recommendations in September, and conduct your survey in the Summer.

 

• Don’t try to “game” timing of the survey. I’ve had clients suggest that they don’t want to do a survey now, because they want to announce something “good” right before employees take it.

 

• First use numerical surveys, then follow with focus groups.
  Using focus groups first allows “squeaky wheels” to have too much influence. Allow input from all employees to prioritize issues, then use focus groups to gather richer detail.

 

• Avoid using agree-disagree scales.
  Agree-disagree scales, while commonly used, have response-bias issues, and most importantly, are difficult to interpret, even with norms. To give a quick example: How can you prioritize survey items where one shows 37% agree, but 42% disagree, with another item that is 22% strongly agree and 17% agree?

 

• Don’t look for what you already see.
  Conducting a training needs survey assumes lack of skill is the cause of company problems. Conducting a wide-ranging survey at the start will help avoid agreeing with what you already believe.

 

• Use multiple survey methods.
  No one method (numerical surveys, open-ended questions, focus groups, etc.) is the gold standard of data collection. Each has its advantages and disadvantages.

 

• Keep the data anonymous, but communicate the actions.
  Some employees may be to paranoid about tracing their data back to their computers, we’ve had to revert to paper surveys for some of our clients.

 

• Decide how to analyze data before you gather it.
  How will your graphs and reports look? If they look a certain way, how will you interpret them?

 

• Decide on your sampling plan, and how to “break out” the data.
  Deciding whether to do a 100% sample of employees, or a random sample, is an important statistical (and buy-in) question to ask. Asking too many questions, like gender, location, job title etc. can violate anonymity or the perception of it.

 

• Involve influential employees in the survey effort.
  We involve key employees in the planning effort of the survey. They can become mighty advocates of survey recommendations.

 

• Never survey without acting.
  Even if management decides they cannot (or will not) solve a problem employees raise, it is still important to acknowledge the problem and state clearly why management is not taking action at this time.