Performance management methods

The origins of Human Performance Systems Analysis can be traced from the late 1950's and early 1960's. These ere times of acti!ism and social reform in the "nited States. The field# initially called beha!ior technology# as a $roduct of that s$irit. %n the early 1960's a number of beha!ioral scientists and their graduate students made the decision to ta&e hat they had learned in their learning laboratories and a$$ly those lessons to real orld issues of learning and $erformance. 'usiness# mar&ets and society ha!e changed. 'ut by and large# the $rinci$les of management# the methods and conce$ts of leadershi$ and $erformance management ha!e not. (igid sales )uotas# fi*ed $erformance targets# +$ay for $erformance+ and micro, management from the to$ are still idely established standards. There is no lac& of criticism of these traditional methods , both in $ractice and in the business literature. -ne thing is clear. e need a ne understanding of moti!ation# $erformance# and res$onsibility. The $roblems com$anies face today can't be sol!ed using the thin&ing and the $rocesses that created them in the first $lace. A more $roducti!e a$$roach is to define hat the 'right' things are# and thus to e*amine root of the $roblem# rather than /ust treat the sym$toms. To ta&e this road# e need to $ut into )uestion and $ossibly o!ercome an entire set of e*isting con!ictions. 0ost of us or& in organi1ations ithin the traditional model of command and control. This system may be budget control# target negotiation and subse)uent to$,do n setting# em$loyee e!aluations# organi1ational diagrams# guidelines and $olicies# central de$artments# or em$loyee )uestionnaires. These ha!e been used for decades. %t is# therefore# often difficult to a$$reciate the amount of talent# time# and money that is asted through these tools. 0utual trust# em$loyee in!ol!ement# intrinsic moti!ation# and !oluntary illingness to $erform are being eroded. To )uestion the traditions and to loo& for alternati!es means $ioneering or& ith a model beyond command and control. 2ey Princi$les 1. 3o a Performance %m$ro!ement Analysis 4 5irst# measure the fre)uency of beha!ior 6 hat the indi!idual says or the $hysical mo!ements made7 and the out$uts 6the $hysical e!idence of com$leted or& $roduced by those beha!iors7 $rior to any management change. This analysis can be done for /ust one beha!ior and out$ut or for many by /ob category# de$artment and organi1ation. Through this analysis# one measures $resent $erformance# establishes standards# s$ecifies hy beha!ior is deficient# calculates the net economic !alue of im$ro!ement after the cost of solutions# and $laces them in $riority order. The result of this analysis is identification of

$otentially high,$ayoff beha!iors and out$uts that can be im$ro!ed , an im$ortant first ste$# because# sur$risingly# &ey beha!iors and out$uts are often o!erloo&ed or under!alued in organi1ations. 4 Then# introduce the $rocedures used in Performance 0anagement and )uantify the amount of change that occurs in s$ecific time $eriods. 'ecause the in!estment in changing beha!ior is often !ery lo and the economic $ayoffs may be high# the $otential high return on in!estment usually e*cites to$ management 8. 'e S$ecific 4 3escribe and communicate desired $erformances and the standards for /udging them in terms that are measurable# obser!able and ob/ecti!e. A descri$tion of the e!ents that are signals $rom$ting the res$onse should be included. %n training# coaching# measuring $erformance# feeding bac& $erformance data# conducting a $erformance a$$raisal# riting $rocedures# and deli!ering $ositi!e reinforcement# it is essential to be s$ecific. Alas# if the language used is !ague# the desired beha!ior may not occur. 9. 0easure 4 5or any $erformance sho n by the analysis to ha!e sufficient economic !alue to an organi1ation# measure the fre)uency of the $erformance against the desired standards. :hile most organi1ations measure some $erformance# there are# unfortunately# many &ey out$uts and beha!iors that are not measured. ;. <i!e 5eedbac& 4 Pro!ide feedbac& on $erformance to the indi!idual in!ol!ed and to the indi!idual's manager# su$er!isor# or grou$ leader# ra$idly,$referably immediately, ith sufficient information to allo for self,correction. Too often# feedbac& systems for many &ey beha!iors and out$uts are either absent or fla ed. 5. 3eli!er Positi!e =onse)uences 4 3eli!er to each indi!idual $ositi!e conse)uences immediately after com$letion of the $erformance of the desired beha!iors and out$uts. The fre)uency of an indi!idual's beha!ior is affected by the conse)uences that follo it. %f the conse)uences are $ositi!e to that indi!idual# the beha!ior tends to increase> if they are negati!e# the beha!ior tends to decrease. =onse)uences should be deli!ered for as long as the $erformance is desired# or until naturally occurring conse)uences are strong enough to su$$ort the beha!ior. Ho fre)uently you $ro!ide $ositi!e conse)uences is determined by ho often the beha!ior occurs# the $hase of beha!ior change you are in 6causing the first ne beha!ior to occur# changing its fre)uency# or maintaining it7 and the $attern of res$onses you desire 6steady# ma*imum out$ut# $ea& for certain $eriods# etc.

4 "nfortunately# in many organi1ations the rong conse)uence system is in $lace. =onse)uences of desired beha!ior are often negati!e or neutral. "ndesired beha!ior may be re arded. The reinforcers are badly delayed. They are deli!ered only on a grou$ basis 6annual com$any, ide $rofit sharing7. The re ards are short,li!ed for beha!ior that is desired long,term. And almost al ays the $ositi!e reinforcement is too infre)uent. (eference 'retho er# 3. 619?87 'eha!ior Analysis in 'usiness and %ndustry. A Total Performance System. 2alama1oo# 0%. 'eha!iordelia Press http://performanceappraisalebooks.info/ . -!er 800 eboo&s# tem$lates# forms for $erformance a$$raisal.