Managing Others' Job Performance

Performance measurement is the process of assessing progress toward achieving predetermined goals. Performance management is building on that process, adding the relevant communication and action on the progress achieved against these predetermined goals.

In organizational development (OD), performance can be thought of as Actual Results vs Desired Results. Any discrepancy, where Actual is less than Desired, could constitute the performance improvement zone.

Performance management and improvement can be thought of as a cycle:

• Performance planning where goals and objectives are established
• Performance coaching where a manager intervenes to give feedback and adjust performance
• Performance appraisal or evaluation where individual performance is formally documented and feedback delivered

A performance problem is any gap between Desired Results and Actual Results. Performance improvement is any effort targeted at closing the gap between Actual Results and Desired Results.

Typical presenting issues that suggest Managing Others’ Job Performance should be explored:

• New roles or positions are created and the incumbents will need to know their goals and objectives
• Someone takes on a new role or position
• Staff members are underperforming (i.e., not achieving desired results)
• Staff members are meeting standards but have the potential to grow beyond their current performance, so a development opportunity exists
• Managers become aware that formal documentation (performance appraisal) does not align with observed performance (actual results)