A Performance Improvement System

Performance appraisals seldom, if ever, work as advertised. They work against human nature, contain false assumptions, and are founded upon outdated theories. There are hundreds of books about how to do appraisals, how to do them better, or how to do them differently.

Organizations are always in the process of implementing new and better systems. The new systems replace old systems that did not work as expected. The average performance appraisal system lasts only three to five years, and then the virtually endless cycle of selecting, implementing, and replacing the system is repeated.

Get rid of your performance management system and employ a performance improvement system instead--the Performance Conversations® method.

3 C’s

Communication, Cooperation, and Collaboration embody three important principles--dialogue, employee involvement, and partnership. Dialogue produces the best information exchange and feedback. Cooperation reinforces the requirement that employees be involved in each phase of performance, from planning and implementation to monitoring and assessment. Collaboration is a key component of partnerships when supervisors and subordinates agree on the terms of their work--they co-perform.

3 Ingredients

Performance management systems have three components: a process, a form, and a meeting of employee and supervisor. The Performance Conversations® approach makes the meeting the centerpiece of the performance improvement system. After all, if people do not communicate well and focus on shared goals and responsibilities, nothing else works. Use our structured system of feedback to focus on productivity, not ratings.

3 Variables

First, culture is the most important factor that regulates individual performance. The culture, values, and belief system of a company may drive or limit performance based on how the organization conducts daily business. Next, no employee can become a superstar with a mediocre coach (boss). Finally, the performance improvement system must support and reinforce other policies and management systems and then integrate all of these variables into a unified whole that is designed to enhance productivity.