Performance

What is Performance Alignment and What are the Benefits?

Performance alignment is a systematic way of ensuring that critical organizational goals are met by aligning people and systems with those goals. More than anything else, it is a structured, planned way of ensuring that everyone in the organization is committed to making a contribution, and to adding value for the customer.

An effective performance alignment system integrates a number of components, each essential to success.


1. Organizational Planning

Mission: The organization defines its mission, values, and goals in order to ensure that everyone is headed in the same direction. This provides the context for defining team and individual performance.

Strategic Plan: The organization defines and communicates how the mission will be achieved over time, and thus provides direction to Departments and other operating groups for team and individual performance.

Operational Plans: Each operating unit of the organization should develop and communicate to all employees action plans for achieving goals and objectives. This provides the context and priorities for individual and team performance.

If the organization has not developed these items, we can help by providing a structure to achieve them.


2. Individual and Team Planning

Individual Performance Agreements: Each employee, working jointly with his/her manager, develops specific measurable performance expectations based on the Department's operating plan. These expectations clarify what results are to be achieved, how results are to be achieved, how to use resources, and how to serve internal and external customers. Agreements are reviewed and adjusted as necessary (at least every six months).

Team Performance Agreements: Where applicable, teams also develop measurable performance expectations with their team leader.

Through Performance Alignment training, all of your managers at all levels will gain the skills, techniques, and tools for defining specific measurable performance expectations with every employee and team. Managers will learn how to base expectations on the Department's critical goals, and how to engage employees in setting specific expectations. This participative process tends to foster a high level of motivation and commitment.


3. Communication and Feedback

Two-Way Communication Systems: The entire organization (and each Department) should have a plan for two-way communication with employees concerning the Company's direction, philosophy, values, policy and procedure, and performance. The plan may include team meetings, skip-level meetings, suggestion systems, newsletter, bulletins, roundtables, etc.

Feedback Systems: Each employee receives regular performance feedback from his or her supervisor. Informal one-to-one sessions and team reviews provide for frequent two-way conversations about the employee's or the team's performance as compared to expectations. In addition, regular group meetings should provide a forum for two-way discussions about the team's performance. (360 Degree Feedback)
Through Performance Alignment training, managers will be encouraged to develop methods of ensuring continuous 2-way communication with employees.


4. Measurement, Rewards, Accountability

Performance Appraisal: The organization must have a system for fairly and consistently evaluating performance and behavior in pursuit of meeting performance expectations (not just an evaluation of personality traits). Reviews should be conducted at least every six months. Self-evaluation, peer evaluation, and supervisor evaluation by subordinates will be encouraged.

Reward Systems: The organization should have systematic ways of recognizing and rewarding performance, using non-monetary rewards, that reinforce the Company's priorities and values. These systems should be aligned with, but in addition to, the compensation and benefits system. In addition, the Performance Alignment system will help managers make fair and objective decisions about distributing merit pay based on demonstrated, measurable performance against expectations.

Accountability: A strong Performance Alignment system will help develop a climate of accountability, and a system for addressing results that are less than expected in order to get performance back on track and reinforce values and priorities. This includes coaching and counseling, as well as progressive discipline.

Through Performance Alignment training, managers will learn how to use the company's performance appraisal system fairly and objectively, how to confront poor performance and correct it, how to praise and appreciate good performance (with non-monetary methods), and how to distribute merit increases based on objectively measured performance results.


5. Continuous Improvement

Individual Improvement: The organization should also develop systematic ways to enable every employee to make a greater contribution to the organization by becoming more skilled, more knowledgeable.

Organizational Improvements: The Performance Alignment system will also encourage the identification of opportunities to improve systems and processes to achieve long term gains.

The Performance Alignment training will encourage managers to accept responsibility for encouraging growth and development and to identify ways to make the organization more efficient and more effective.

Benefits of a Strong Performance Alignment System

By installing a strong Performance Alignment system and providing training on the system to managers, your company can achieve the following benefits:

1. Greater progress in accomplishing critical goals through alignment of people and systems around those goals.

2. Improved service to customers because of improved processes, clarity of goals and priorities, greater commitment of employees, more efficient operations.

3. Increased productivity through less time spent correcting problems and doing rework; through improved communication; through increased individual accountability and responsibility.

4. Greater job satisfaction and reduced complaints and grievances by employees because of clearly defined expectations, and rewards and consequences based on measurable performance results.


Why Choose AlexanderHancock Associates?
Since there are many consulting firms providing performance management services, what sets AlexanderHancock Associates apart?

1. First we base our approach on a clear set of values:

• that integrity is essential to effective leadership

• that employees will value customers and treat them well when they themselves are valued and treated well

• that people want to manage themselves; they want guidance, direction, and encouragement from leaders

2. Second, our training and consulting are custom and flexible rather than "canned." That is, we design the program based on input from your company concerning your direction and priorities, your culture, your performance appraisal and compensation systems, your policies and procedures, and your people.

3. Third, we have earned a national reputation for quality: working closely with our clients to help achieve their critical goals; developing creative training designs; providing dynamic, professional, experienced trainers; and providing superior customer service.

4. Last, and most important, we provide exceptional value at fees substantially below those of comparable vendors. We go the extra mile to ensure that our clients gain a return on their investment in the training and consulting services we provide.

We invite you to contact recent clients. References will be provided upon written request.
E-mail your request now! AlexanderHancock Associates

Performance Alignment Services

Performance alignment consulting involves:

1. Analyzing existing performance appraisal system, reward system, management practices.

2. Making recommendations concerning the improvement of performance alignment practices


Performance alignment training will involve several phases:

1. Gathering information to use in designing training from managers and HR staff. Specific situations and language will be incorporated into the training.

2. Customizing Performance alignment training incorporating information gathered and language supporting the company values and philosophy.

3. Delivering the training itself or certifying in-house trainers.

4. Evaluating and adjusting as needed.


Performance Alignment Training

Objectives:

The training is not merely an explanation of how to use the forms and documents of performance management. Instead, it is designed to help managers accept the leadership responsibility of communicating, providing direction, motivating, and developing people. It will provide them with the skills and techniques necessary to play this leadership role.

• What Performance Alignment is, and your role as a leader

• How to develop individual and team performance plans that support strategic goals

• How to involve the employee in developing his/her own plan

• How to use the job description as a basis

• How to write specific, measurable expectations

• How to tie the plan to the performance appraisal system

• How to specify expectations that can't be quantified

• How to determine what is negotiable and what is not

• How to define behavioral performance dimensions (for example initiative, cooperation, creativity, dependability, leadership, etc)

• How to get commitment to required results

• How to provide feedback to enhance performance

• How to use frequent performance discussions as a continuous improvement process

• How to analyze performance problems to determine causes

• How to coach and counsel poor performers

• How to get employees to accept responsibility and accountability

• When and how to take corrective action

• How to use Measurement tools and methods

• How to write effective performance documentation

• How to evaluate performance data

• How to using the rating system fairly and consistently

• How to write the review

• How to make fair and objective compensation decisions

• How to prepare for the performance appraisal meeting

• Questions to ask the employee

• How to give the "bad news" review

• How to focus on the future

• How to set new goals

Training Methods
Training methods will emphasize involving participants in a hands-on approach to gaining knowledge and skill. Trainer "lecture" is minimal. The majority of time is spent on practice.

Training methods will include the following:

• Individual exercises to practice applying the concepts and techniques
  

• Small group exercises to allow for maximum participation
  

• Role plays to provide practice in applying the communication skills involved in managing performance.

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