Performance planning is a key responsibility of leaders. It is the beginning of performance management. Leaders can start managing performance by initiating performance planning with each of your employees. During the performance planning session, answer the following questions:
- What are the employee’s main responsibilities?
- What are success factors for those responsibilities?
- What is the employee’s level of authority for making decisions as related to the role?
- How does the employee’s role contribute to the department? To the organization?
- What barriers does the employee encounter in the role?
- How can the manager help the employee to overcome those barriers?
- What new skills does the employee need to develop to perform responsibilities? Or, what skills does the employee need to improve upon?
- What key assignments/projects will the employee accomplish for the year?
This information, gathered during the performance planning session, should be used to develop goals for the employee for the year. These goals should enable for meeting the objectives of the department and the organization as well as enabling for using the expertise, skills and knowledge of the employee, while also enabling for professional growth.
Consider these best practices for setting performance goals for employees:
- Ensure the goal set is specific and can be measured
- Ensure a mutually-agreed upon end date to achieve the goal
- Ensure the goal is focused on results or outcomes desired
Check in on how the employee is progressing toward achieving goals during one-on-one meetings.
Prior to the performance planning session, consider asking your employee to consider what they want to accomplish in the upcoming year. What is important for them to achieve professionally? What skills would they like to develop? Use this information to collaborate with the employee about their performance goals for the year.
