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Management Observation Program Best Practice 2 – Program Alignment with Established Performance Standards

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StrategyDriven Management Observation Program Best Practice ArticleThe goal of any observation program is to promote adherence to the performance standard delineated by management in order to consistently achieve superior results. Additionally, observation program credibility exists when those being observed can expect both repeatable evaluations by one manager and consistent evaluations by different managers for a given job performance relative to established standards. Therefore, management observations must be aligned with and focus on those critical standards required to ensure outstanding performance.[wcm_restrict plans=”41892, 25542, 25653″]

Alignment between the management observation program and established performance standards needs to exist both procedurally and in observation performance. Procedurally, the management observation program, including all procedures and forms, should be founded on the well documented and communicated organizational values and performance standards. Consistent alignment of observation performance with established standards occurs when observers are well trained and themselves observed and provided feedback on the effectiveness of their observations in reinforcing organizational performance standards.

Final Thought…

A management observation program well aligned with the organizations performance expectations provides a great source of execution level information for the organization’s performance measurement system. In fact, data for cascaded performance measures at the working level may only be available from the management observation program.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”41892, 25542, 25653″]

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Management Observation Program Best Practice 1 – Immediate Feedback

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Can you remember what you ate for dinner last night? Last week? Neither can many others. How well then will a worker remember the nuances of his or her job performance days or weeks earlier on which feedback is now being provided? Probably not very well.[wcm_restrict plans=”41884, 25542, 25653″]

Like all feedback, that documented as a part of the management observation program has more impact when provided in a timely manner. From experience, providing timely feedback means as soon as possible after the observation is completed and in all cases prior to the end of the work day. This feedback should include reinforcement of desired behaviors as well as identification of areas for performance improvement.

Providing performance feedback long after the performance observation can result in several undesired consequences including:

  • enabling the lingering belief that the behavior exhibited was acceptable
  • realization of an adverse outcomes resulting from continued poor performance
  • transfer of the undesired behavior to co-workers, particularly new employees and trainees
  • engendering resistance to later corrective feedback because the employee has come to believe his or her performance was acceptable and memory of behavioral specifics has faded
  • diminished management credibility caused by the manager’s errant memory of past events conveyed when providing feedback

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Management Observation Program – Introduction

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StrategyDriven Management Observation Program Introduction“You can expect only what you inspect.”
Military Axiom

Managers are responsible for establishing and reinforcing work priorities and standards of performance. Reinforcing expectations requires interaction with subordinates and is most effective when the manager personally observes, rather than reading or hearing about, performance behaviors and immediately provides feedback. Lasting individual and organization performance improvement occurs through ongoing reassessment supported by performance data collection, documentation, and analysis used to reinforce desired individual and group behaviors, modify counterproductive behaviors, and eliminate organizational barriers to performance excellence. A well designed and executed management observation program serves as an effective performance improvement and reinforcement tool to achieve these long-term performance changes.

The management observation program is an integral part of an organization’s evaluation and control program. By design, these observation programs compel direct management observation of and feedback on work performed while supporting the performance data collection and analysis needed to realize lasting, beneficial personnel and organizational performance change. They typically consist of predefined performance assessment scorecards, a data collection and analysis application, key performance indicators and reports, and a governing procedure. This procedure defines required observation topics, frequencies, and quality standards as well as documentation and feedback protocols and data analysis, trend reporting, and corrective action; all aligned to support achievement of organizational values and mission goals.

Focus of the Management Observation Program Category

Articles in this category will focus on the underlying principles, best practices, and warning flags associated with establishing and executing a management observation program aligned with organizational values and mission goals that effectively modifies personnel and organizational behaviors for the achievement of superior results. The following articles, podcasts, documents, and resources cover those topics critical to a robust management observation program.

Articles

Best Practices

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