We knew it was coming. It was inevitable<\/em>. With all of the criticism of the traditional approach, we just knew that someday companies would avoid the whole thing \u2013 either refusing to implement a performance management system or even abandoning the system that was already in place.<\/p>\n After all, well over half<\/strong> of all employees feel their performance management system is ineffective<\/em>. Many managers feel similar, although they are more positive about it \u2013 which is a topic for a different article!<\/p>\n The bottom line:<\/span> We have reached the boiling point and something has to give!<\/strong><\/p>\n Research suggests we are at an all-time high in our willingness to explore a whole new approach. We\u2019re interested in changing two long-standing performance management characteristics and staying the course with another. Let\u2019s start with the part that has, and will continue, to stand the test of time \u2013 the performance conversation<\/em>.<\/p>\n Traditional performance management and the new views align around the fact that the slice of the performance management process that has the most opportunity to add value is the conversation between an employee and manager.<\/p>\n If the basic premise of old performance management and new performance management are the same, then why all of this talk about shifting our thinking? The problem is that we\u2019ve generally failed – and sometimes miserably so – in our ability to lay the groundwork for those conversations to be productive.<\/p>\n \u00a01. Shift the focus of the performance discussion \u2013 from the past to the future.<\/strong> 2. Break the idea that an organization can be well-served by deploying a single approach for everyone.<\/strong> First, all employees<\/em> are not created equal. Some are less experienced, some are more. Performance levels vary. In short, different folks need different levels of coaching and support to succeed.<\/p>\n Second, all managers<\/em> are not created equal. Some are adept and comfortable with critical conversations. Some are still learning. And this doesn\u2019t even take into account the important aspect of the personality dynamic between the two.<\/p>\n This shift in thinking is exciting and thought-provoking! We may not have all of the answers about the perfect system yet, but it points us in a new direction that seems to be a much better match for today\u2019s challenges.<\/p>\n Remember that the goal of performance management is to not just manage<\/em> performance, but also to elevate<\/em> performance. Even today, the performance conversation continues to be the most important element of making that happen.<\/p>\n Our goal is to find a better way to ensure that our performance conversations are more effective. Being willing to shift our approach will allow us to have a different kind of conversation about the best performance management system.<\/p>\n Having said that, not everything about the old way was bad and not everything about the new way will be good. We need to find a balance<\/em>. Yes, it is possible to have a performance management system that adds value. It just may not be the one we\u2019ve used for the last 20 years – and it may not be the new one that the most successful company in town is using, either.<\/p>\n It will likely be the one that works for you<\/em> and your<\/em> organization, powered by a very clear understanding of its purpose, honesty about what is working and what is not, the discipline to execute well, the courage to be flexible – and the ability to spend more time looking through the windshield versus the rear-view mirror.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" A Fresh Look at Performance Management We knew it was coming. It was inevitable. With all of the criticism of the traditional approach, we just knew that someday companies would avoid the whole thing \u2013 either refusing to implement a performance management system or even abandoning the system that was already in place. Time for …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8,6,7],"tags":[136,14,135,107,137],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=962"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":973,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/962\/revisions\/973"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/969"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=962"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=962"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thepeopleadvantage.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=962"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Time for a New Approach<\/h3>\n
The Performance Conversation<\/h3>\n
What Leaders Should Focus on to Improve Performance Management<\/h3>\n
\nInstead of spending most of the conversation talking about what was and was not achieved, make sure a significant portion is dedicated to what lies ahead<\/em> – how well positioned we are to be successful, what support and skills are needed to achieve success, as well as progress on career development.<\/p>\n
\nAn organization may need more than one model for ensuring the right performance conversations are taking place. The reasoning is twofold and very logical…<\/p>\nWhere Do We Go From Here?<\/h3>\n