As the dreaded annual performance reviews and goal setting process comes around once again, we thought it might be pertinent to share a few words on creating a process that works and maybe motivates the team to respond appropriately. Creating a true high performance environment requires an understanding of what priorities exist and how leadership and their teams will work to achieve the corporate goals, and their personal goals. Excellent communication and skills development will be necessary to help orientate the teams in the principles of creating true high performance.
The key elements are cooperation, being prepared to explore new areas, and truly committing to high performance and excellence. Developing the framework for measuring operational performance through setting objectives, identifying targets, and putting in appropriate performance indicators is critical.
The underlying behaviors in any performance framework are integral to the success of the approach. It is about working together to achieve goals, but also setting out clear areas of accountability and responsibility and implementing a range of hard and soft measures that help to lead the business and drive overall performance. Setting clear goals and keeping these simple and focused is important to generate and maintain motivation.
All leaders and employees must be able to translate the vision and strategy into key performance indicators and appropriate behaviours. Understanding what success would be like both in terms of hard measures (financial, for example) or soft measures (such as level of customer satisfaction) is an essential foundation.
Look at the performance factors, perhaps using the Balanced Scorecard (BSC) to ensure that the key areas are covered: financial, customer, internal business process, and learning and growth. Often organizations find they have a bias towards one or two areas, but balance is important. You may need to manage expectations from others who will be used to predominance of, say, financial information.
Continuous improvement and learning is also central to maintaining a performance culture, and the benefit will become clear as learning and growth gaps and opportunities are identified and closed.
Motivation is fed by achievement and recognition, and reward systems need not only be about money and indeed should not be just about money. Shining a light on wins should always be a priority as should acknowledging excellent performance.
Establishing strong communication systems so that employees and leaders are well informed is needed. By building a better understanding of what needs to be done, both tasks and behaviours are easier to align.
Finally, employee empowerment is an essential part of a high performance environment. Involvement of employees throughout the setting of objectives and priorities enables buy-in and a collegial view on what it means to ‘win’.
Entering the review and goal setting process with the right attitude and an enabling process will bring dividends for you and the team. Plan your approach well and you will enjoy success…