Article
Two: Performance Management - Reviewing the situation by Bill Boorman
Performance Management is a two way street; managers set the outbound journey with targets and objectives, and then deal with the traffic which comes back after following the route, through reviews and evaluation.. How did you do? Did you surpass your targets? How did we measure it? How can we improve your performance? How can I help you to do this?
Reviews need to be carried out in order to allow a Consultant to perform at their best.
WHY? In exit interviews I have found time and again that Consultants leave a company if they feel they lack direction, are under-appreciated or don’t feel they have succeeded. Use Performance Management tools and processes effectively and these gripes should disappear. If you outline expectations, measure performance and then evaluate and review you are giving
Consultants the input required to keep them on course – and on board.
The most obvious review is to see where each Consultant is in terms of their stated agreed objectives (outlined in my previous
article in issue
275). This is a weekly review which should look at:
· how near to their target a consultant is,
· where they have over/under-performed,
· how they can improve on weak areas, and
· how they can amend their workload to achieve their monthly target.
This is a one on one process, and should result in an amended Objectives document, that should reflect the current situation rather than the original one.
An in-depth monthly evaluation should look at a Consultants overall performance and final figures for the month. Keep to the Objectives and ask – Did you exceed expectations? If not, why not? Could you have approached problems differently? Did you follow the guidelines and allocate time to tasks as we agreed?
Having shortfalls is not the end of the world – but not addressing why they occurred is foolish – and makes a nonsense of setting Targets and Objectives. If you don’t work out why objectives did or didn’t work then why bother setting any at all? Performance management is not a paper exercise, it’s an ongoing communication process between Manager/s and Consultants which requires dialogue, commitment and regular updates.
Using positive feedback as well as looking at problem areas is key here. Praise is vital to make Consultants feel appreciated as well as the more tangible rewards in terms of commission and bonus payments.
At the end of this evaluation an agreed plan of action for the coming month should be produced, which takes into account strengths and weaknesses highlighted over the past month and new Targets and Objectives for the coming month should also be agreed, documented and signed.
By following my methods you can see how a well rounded approach, based upon giving Consultants the tools and guidance necessary to succeed, can bring benefits to your company. It is about empowering your staff to allow them to become winners. By providing clear frameworks you can actually liberate your consultants by banishing doubt.
‘This is what success looks like, this is how to achieve it’
I have shown how making time to assess, review and evaluate progress is of vital importance. It measures success not just for the Consultant but for you as a Manager. If you are leading by example and supporting your Consultants activities then the results will speak for themselves. I have also found that these methods can enhance the performance of workers at all levels in an
organisation.
Summary
There is no point setting objectives if you don’t check that they are being followed
Feedback via reviews and evaluations are essential for a Consultant to achieve their objectives
Managers need to provide clear, firm guidelines for staff to follow – and review them regularly
Two-way communication is the key to effective management
Bill Boorman specializes in management development performance management and helping recruitment companies to achieve business growth. He has 22 years recruitment experience, 12 years as Training Director for a large UK recruitment Company He will be holding a performance matters workshop on the 19th September. Visit
www.performancemanager.co.uk
for further information.
If you want to see a sample pro-forma of a detailed objectives plan email
billboorman@btinternet.com
for his Key Note documenting the full hows, whys and wherefores of his methods.
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