| Have you ever tried to launch a performance | | | | makes the organization go and what's holding the |
| improvement plan, but didn't have enough support | | | | organization back is an art. |
| from executive management? Chances are the | | | | Communicate Which Divisions / Service Areas |
| initiative lacked focus, direction, and ultimately was | | | | Are Not Aligned to Executive Goals and |
| unsuccessful. This is because executive | | | | Objectives |
| management plays the biggest role in keeping | | | | Performance alignment is the single, most |
| leaders within the organization focused on what's | | | | important aspect to successfully executing a |
| important...and that's improving performance, | | | | performance strategy. Unless performance is in |
| increasing productivity, and sustaining growth. | | | | alignment to organizational goals and objectives, |
| Truth is, all executives want these things, but | | | | the organization will be limited in executing the |
| often performance improvement is lost among | | | | overall strategy. Executives know this very well, |
| the myriad of organizational objectives. This is | | | | which is one reason the Balanced Scorecard has |
| why it's important for performance management | | | | amassed so much popularity and become a |
| teams to learn effective techniques for keeping | | | | common word in the business world. If you can |
| organizational performance on the forefront. This | | | | communicate to executive management how well |
| article focuses on techniques for getting support | | | | the organization is or is not aligned to the |
| from senior executives and keeping leaders | | | | organizational goals and objectives, you will |
| focused on organizational performance | | | | definitely get their attention and their time. But be |
| management. | | | | careful as to how to display this information. |
| Keeping senior management and executives | | | | As I have written in other articles, how you |
| focused on performance management can prove | | | | present performance data, especially poor |
| to be extremely challenging, especially with their | | | | performance, plays a major role in gaining |
| busy schedules. | | | | employee acceptance. While executive |
| This can be accomplished by keeping the topic of | | | | management wants to know about these |
| performance management in front of executives, | | | | shortcomings, it is only fair and good practice to |
| keeping them involved with the initiative and | | | | make sure that the groups that you are reporting |
| informing them of performance management | | | | on have been involved in the process and have |
| successes. | | | | access to your findings. Remember, performance |
| Keep the Topic of Performance Management In | | | | management is only successful if everybody is on |
| Front of Executives | | | | board. It is our job as performance managers to |
| This may seem simple, but if executives are not | | | | balance the negative perceptions, and sometimes |
| constantly reminded of the value that your | | | | egos that come with the performance initiative. |
| performance management initiative will bring to | | | | Deliver Supplemental Training and or Workshops |
| the organization, performance management will | | | | on Specific Topics |
| get lost among all the challenges and obstacles | | | | While executive management makes the key |
| that are put in front of them. Remember, these | | | | decisions, it's the employees that drive |
| are the people who have the authority and | | | | performance. Therefore, it's critical that they |
| influence to get things done. You are competing | | | | understand, at a minimum, the basics of |
| with the other important initiatives that are taking | | | | performance management, such as understanding |
| place within your organization. | | | | organizational objectives, baselining performance, |
| Keep Executives Involved With the Performance | | | | setting goals, and applying performance measures. |
| Initiative | | | | The biggest mistakes many performance |
| Once the leaders within the organization are | | | | management teams make is that they carry the |
| focused on performance management, you have | | | | performance challenges on their shoulders, often |
| to keep them involved with the initiative. This is | | | | defining all of the metrics, and developing the |
| done by getting them to clearly state what their | | | | performance plans, which minimizes employee and |
| objectives are and what exactly they are trying | | | | management input. They understand what drives |
| to accomplish. This is especially important in | | | | the business. Increase employee input and |
| organizations where executive management | | | | feedback by facilitating informational performance |
| changes or where there are changes in the | | | | management workshops. Teach them about key |
| organizational structure. Don't assume that you | | | | performance indicators and how to develop |
| know what senior management objectives are. | | | | winning performance metrics, how they will |
| Often times, when there is new management and | | | | benefit, and how their contribution impacts the |
| changes within the organizational structure, there | | | | organization. Explain the objectives of executive |
| are also changes in what is perceived as most | | | | management. Reassure employees that this is not |
| important. Remember, every executive would like | | | | an exercise to judge their performance and tell |
| to leave a legacy. Find out what that is and | | | | them how to do their job. The focus should be on |
| identify how you can measure their successes. | | | | improving performance and empowering |
| Keep Executives Informed of the Performance | | | | everybody to grow. Have problem-solving |
| Improvements and Successes | | | | sessions that address the challenges, bottlenecks |
| Senior management and executives love to hear | | | | and obstacles that limit performance. Remember, |
| about successful performance results, for these | | | | a high performing organization is a collective state |
| results are direct reflections of their impact to the | | | | of mind; a culture. |
| organization. Find a way to quantify their efforts | | | | We've discussed what you, as a manager, must |
| and they will be on board for other ideas you | | | | do to keep executive management and |
| bring in front of them. Do this by highlighting | | | | organizational leaders focused on performance |
| successes in executive management initiatives, | | | | management. We've discussed how you can get |
| strategies and other influences. By the way, | | | | employees on board and in a high performance |
| executives are not the only ones who benefit | | | | mindset. Now, let's take a look at three things |
| from positive performance information. When | | | | that executives can do to support your initiative |
| employees are made aware of their impact on | | | | and ensure organizational performance success. |
| the successes of the organization, they become | | | | Have Executives Reiterate Their Support of the |
| more open to the idea of performance managers | | | | Performance Initiative to the Organization |
| coming in and providing input as to how they can | | | | As mentioned earlier, this is the key to getting |
| perform better. Hopefully, they are rewarded for | | | | employees on board for the performance |
| their contributions and strong performance. But it | | | | initiative. When executives make performance a |
| all starts from the top. If executive management | | | | priority, employees follow. Have executives send |
| is not on board in the first place, neither will the | | | | emails, hold town hall meetings, distribute flyers |
| employees who execute their plan. | | | | and anything else that sends the message that |
| Now that we've discussed the importance of | | | | performance will be on their radar. |
| getting executives focused on a performance | | | | Have Leaders Provide Feedback on What |
| management initiative, let's discuss four techniques | | | | Performance Areas They Feel Are Most |
| for successfully maintaining this focus. | | | | Important |
| Setup Meetings With Executive Managers | | | | We should always be measuring how well the |
| This seems like such an obvious step, but you'd | | | | organization is reaching organizational goals. This |
| be amazed at how many organizations have | | | | will always be valuable to executive management. |
| performance management programs that do not | | | | But, just as the organization is constantly |
| get the exposure and support it needs from | | | | changing, so is what's important to executives on |
| senior management. With the busy schedule of | | | | any given day. For example, if your organization is |
| executives, it's easy to get put on the | | | | implementing an enterprise-wide application or |
| backburner. This is where you have to be | | | | other initiative, the success of that migration will |
| persistent. You've already shown them the value | | | | be very important to senior and executive |
| of performance management and how it can | | | | management. During that time, they will want to |
| support their objectives. Now you just need to | | | | know how well the migration is going and how |
| maintain focus. Setup weekly or monthly | | | | customers (employees in this case) perceive it. |
| meetings with executives. By getting on their | | | | Have Executives Re-evaluate Organizational |
| schedule with regular meetings you'll keep | | | | Objectives Regularly |
| performance fresh on their minds. | | | | Have you ever implemented a performance |
| Deliver Presentations to Executives That Highlight | | | | strategy, and got great initial results, only to hit a |
| Your Organization's Greatest Performance | | | | wall and see performance gains come to a halt? |
| Challenges | | | | This often happens when we measure the same |
| This is where you sell executives on the value of | | | | things for an extended period of time, because |
| the performance initiative. Create powerful | | | | what we're measuring may no longer support the |
| presentations that not only illustrate how well the | | | | direction the organization is trying to go. It's |
| organization is performing, but also illustrate what | | | | important that executive management frequently |
| the specific obstacles that confront the | | | | (at least once a year) readdresses organizational |
| organization. Remember, anybody can gather | | | | goals and objectives. Remember, your goal as a |
| performance data. Your responsibility as a | | | | performance manager is to make sure that your |
| performance manager is to present the data in a | | | | organization reaches its organizational goals. By |
| way that clarifies what the challenges are and | | | | constantly measuring what's important to |
| how to overcome those challenges. Gathering the | | | | executives, you will no doubt become a key |
| data is a science, but displaying that information | | | | asset for executives. |
| so that executives can better understand what | | | | |