National Learning Institute

Setting goals and performance standards

The critical aspect of this management strategy is to gain COMMITMENT rather than COMPLIANCE.

This can be achieved by involving your people in the setting, measuring and evaluation of their own performance.

Tips for setting goals and performance standards with your people . . .

• Hold an individual meeting with each team member to seek his or her input and agreement as to what constitutes "effective performance". The following process shows how to turn inputs (activities) into outputs (results):
• Take a sheet of paper and divide into 3 columns. In the first column, list the responsibilities, duties or accountabilities of the role.
• In column 2, turn each item in column 1 into an output by adding “… so that ...“ or answer the question “ Why?“
• Ask your team staff to list how each output will be measured—include quantity, quality, cost & time.
• Hold a team meeting to discuss how everyone can assess, evaluate and measure his/her performance. Use the agreements as a basis for evaluating individual performance at a later date
• Hold brief performance review sessions with each staff member at least quarterly
• Let people know immediately when they have done well or not so well. There should be no surprises at appraisal time.