3 Ways to Improve the Performance Management Process by Getting to the Heart of Performance Issues. As HR leaders and coaches, we all spend time supporting managers in the performance management process. We patiently listen to managers as they describe the problems that they are experiencing with an employee, the impact of these issues on performance, and coach them to discover ways for improving performance. Nonetheless, when all efforts fail managers end up at their boiling point. Sometimes we need to take a step back and help managers look more closely at why their efforts are falling short. We cannot effectively improve performance without first determining the true cause of the issue or problem….or we may be fixing the wrong problem.

We are living in a recommendation reality. Linked In suggests people I need in my network, Amazon has another must-read Leadership book for my Kindle, and iTunes seems to know I would like an iPad version of Fast Company. And this is only in the business realm – of course Pandora selects my music, Netflix my movies, and Groupon my new neighborhood hangout. It’s true, I’ve grown quite comfortable letting algorithms guide my decision-making, but I do have standards. I will never, EVER, let a software application tell me what performance feedback to provide one of my team members of colleagues.

Part of coaching for ongoing performance improvement is being able to effectively provide performance feedback. Managers must be able to communicate feedback, during ongoing coaching and in performance review discussions, in a way that facilitates awareness and acceptance in order to encourage behavioral change. In his whitepaper, The Five Faces Managers See During Performance Reviews, Kris Dunn (www.hrcapitalist.com) writes about various “faces” or personas of employees that managers may encounter during performance review and/or coaching discussions. The Diva thinks that he is an exceptional performer. He is likely a high performer in one or two areas but also has some significant development needs. He really does not think that he has much to learn from his manager and can negatively impact team performance due to his poor self awareness. The Deflector thinks that she has been dealt a bad hand. She has an external locus of control. As such, there is no point in trying harder because too many things are in the way of her success. The 9 to 5’er is looking to work 40 hours a week and can be easily annoyed when asked to do more. He is looking to meet expectations within the hours available and does not have interest in putting forth any extra effort. The Upwardly Mobile/Unsure seeks to excel but is unsure of what she wants in her career. She puts forth extra effort and seeks feedback, but may get bored if not provided with career direction. The Star is one of the best performers in the company. She regularly exceeds expectations and chooses when to influence others. She is not sure that she has anything to learn from her manager. I am sure that we could all add a few more characters to this list! Nonetheless, the personas embodied by these five represent some of the challenges managers face in their role as coaches. No wonder performance appraisal gets such a bad rap. Reinforce Ongoing Performance Management

Many talent management experts have been critical of the value of performance appraisals. One of the main criticisms is related to the perception that performance appraisal is an isolated activity – a once-per-year event that is not related to achievement of goals or performance improvement.

Don't be afraid to "toot your own horn."

A Q & A Session with CEO of viaPeople, Inc. Jim Perry.....