Performance Management Strategies for Teams

Why don’t organizations place a greater emphasis on creating meaningful engagement in the workplace? Given the pivotal role that connection plays in fulfilling our fundamental human need for social interaction, I believe it’s warranted. Is there any ‘downside’ in doing something as simple as; regularly meeting with the people on your team, building relationships, discuss performance, and identify developmental needs? You know, being real with people, true engagement. Knowing and understanding your team is a "strategy execution principle." It’s importance spans well beyond effective team building and crosses over into on-the-job happiness, productivity, and belonging while also helping to drive your organization’s success. Sure, I agree that no one likes wasting time with useless gatherings; however, an every 30-day individual check-in or "progress meeting" can provide significant value for every manager and their direct reports. Taking the time to solely focus on an individual's performance and working to proactively understand their needs and develop their potential is a model for engagement with a high rate of return. Organizations that execute well make these meetings mandatory scheduling them with the expectation that they be held. I’m talking about an allocation of 45-60 minutes each month, using the time to listen to and focus on each team member.   These are not a series of monthly performance reviews, they are coaching, guiding, and leadership development sessions. The outcomes your organization receives from these efforts are three-fold: 1) You leaders grow by making a personal investment in the relationships they have with their people, 2) The space is being created for consistent conversations of consequence to occur, 3) You're guaranteeing that every team member knows their role and what is expected from them. This is where the execution occurs. Both parties build trust and respect, work collaboratively, and invest themselves in the success of the business. Believe it or not, this connection drives results. The organization gains a quality understanding of every team member's capabilities from each session. They know what each team member does best, who they work well with, and how to lead and challenge them. THIS IS NOT AN EXERCISE IN DOCUMENTING PERFORMANCE. It's about creating a partnership, based on mutual benefit, where two parties are committed to each other’s success. A bond is established that says when a team member fails at something, their leaders recognize they have also failed. They work together to improve. This is true engagement. "Is dedicating just 60 minutes each month to focus on your team's individual performance too high a price for a more engaged, happy, and productive workforce? Think about it. What commitment is your organization making for your team members? Your organization's success? #leadership #progress #employeeengagement #execution

If you can commit to clarity for your team, you'll be amazed at the results. Here’s what my HR team trained supeevisors and revamped our organizational approach and how you can take similar action: 1. Clarify Roles: Ensure everyone understands their responsibilities. Regularly update job descriptions to reflect the current expectations and eliminate ambiguity. (We had impact descriptions made for every employee by their supervisors and trained supervisors on creating them effectively) 2. Create SMART KPIs: Develop Key Performance Indicators that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. For example, instead of saying, "Improve customer satisfaction," specify, "Increase customer satisfaction scores by 15% within the next quarter." This gives your team a clear target to aim for. 3. Provide Specific Feedback: Regularly offer constructive feedback and openly praise behaviors you want to encourage. This not only reinforces positive actions but also sets a standard for the entire team. 4. Set Clear Expectations: By establishing clear performance metrics, you allow team members to see how their contributions directly impact organizational goals. This clarity reduces confusion and fosters collaboration. 5. Review and Adapt: Implement a system for reviewing KPIs and job descriptions every six months. This ensures they remain relevant and aligned with business objectives. 6. Transform Performance Reviews: Shift to narrative-based evaluations that include not just performance metrics, but also recommendations for development and a list of stakeholders for collaboration. By embracing clarity and structured performance metrics, you empower your team to excel, reduce frustration, and foster a truly collaborative environment. Commit to this approach and watch your team thrive! #TeamCulture #Leadership #PerformanceManagement #PeopleOfficer #HRInsights #SMARTGoals

I stopped performing annual reviews. 99% of the time they don’t increase actual performance.  Give me 2 minutes. I'll show you what I did instead: 👇 𝗦𝗵𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘀𝗲𝘁 • Break free from traditional annual reviews. • Be a year-round coach, not a once-a-year judge. • Continuous feedback, like a sports coach, is key. 𝗔𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 • Avoid misalignment with clear, measurable goals. • Limit to 3 major goals. • Employees set personal goals aligning with these. • Focus: 80% on these goals, 20% on everything else. 𝗠𝗮𝘅𝗶𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝟭𝘅𝟭 𝗠𝗲𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 • Essential for ongoing feedback. • Ideal timing: 60 minutes every two weeks. • Discuss progress on top 3 goals. • Address blockers & celebrate successes. 𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻𝘀 • Extend a regular 1x1 to 90 minutes quarterly. • Explore the employee’s broader career aspirations. • Discuss quarterly performance. • Checkin on personal development (see next) 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 • Traditional reviews list too many improvement areas. • Focus on ONE key area for yearly improvement. • Agree on the area together. • Review progress in quarterly sessions.    👇 𝗕𝗼𝗻𝘂𝘀 𝗧𝗶𝗽𝘀 For 𝗘𝗳𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁: 1. Make every 1x1 a coaching opportunity. 2. Consistently give feedback or praise. 3. Avoid canceling 1x1s – they're crucial. 4. Repeated mistakes may indicate a poor fit. 5. Link bonuses to both company and individual goals (50/50 split). Ditch the bureaucracy and transform performance management into a tool for real feedback and personal growth! 📈 _____ Enjoy this? Repost to your network and follow me Scot Chisholm for more! 📌  P.S. I'm writing about how to delegate like a pro this Friday to all my newsletter subscribers. Sign up here: scotchisholm.com  

🚀 What’s Holding Teams Back from High Performance? The Results Are In! I ran a poll asking one big question: What’s the biggest challenge keeping teams from performing at their best? The results? Surprisingly balanced. 📊(See image below!) 📊 Poll Results: *Misaligned goals & priorities – 31% *Poor communication & silos – 31% *Low trust & team tension – 28% *Lack of accountability – 9% What does this tell us? The biggest barriers to high performance are more than just skill gaps—they’re alignment, communication, and trust. -When teams don’t have clear goals, people pull in different directions. -When communication breaks down, silos form and collaboration suffers. -When trust erodes, even the best strategies fail. So what can we do? Here are three ways to close these gaps and unlock higher performance: 1️⃣ Chaos vs. Clarity: Get Everyone Aligned -Clearly define and communicate team objectives—everyone should know the “why.” -Regularly revisit priorities to ensure alignment as business needs shift. -Connect individual work to bigger goals so people see their impact. 2️⃣ Silos vs. Synergy: Fix the Communication Gaps -Make clarity a habit—miscommunication breeds inefficiency. -Foster open dialogue with structured team rhythms (weekly syncs, real-time feedback loops). -Encourage cross-team collaboration, if teams aren’t talking, problems aren’t solving. 3️⃣ Fear vs. Trust: Make Accountability the Norm -Trust is built through consistency, leaders must model it. -Create psychological safety so people feel comfortable speaking up. -Make accountability the norm, set clear ownership, track progress, and recognize contributions. High-performing teams don’t happen by accident, they’re built with intention. Do these results reflect what you’ve seen in your own teams? Share your thoughts in the comments. #Leadership #TeamEffectiveness #HighPerformance #Trust #Communication #Collaboration

In my 40+ years at Chick-fil-A, our team spent over $10M and a quarter of a century in research. All of this was to validate leadership ideas that worked. Over the years, we focused on numerous topics like: Personal leadership effectiveness High-performance organizations High-performance teams Employee engagement Execution Culture Through this research and personal experience with successful teams, we identified 7 fundamental practices that elevate team performance to the next level. Here they are in order: 1. Role Clarity - Defining leader vs. team responsibilities     2. Purpose Alignment - Getting everyone on the same page     3. Team Scorecard - Identifying key performance metrics     4. Shared Team Goals - Moving beyond individual targets     5. Effective Meetings - Making your time together count     6. Collaborative Problem Solving - Leveraging team diversity     7. Strategic Decision Making - Knowing when consensus works (and when it doesn't) The question isn't whether these practices matter but how quickly you'll implement them to transform your team's performance. In today's competitive environment, the difference between average and exceptional teams lies in their commitment to these fundamental principles. The faster you go, the quicker you will grow. But if you want to grow the right way, you have to master the fundamentals before you even think about scaling. It's much easier to assign tasks when alignment is understood across all departments in the organization. If you can nail these 7 down, you'll be in great shape. ----- - The LED Team P.S. If you want to dive deeper into this topic, our team created a YouTube video breaking down this topic. We'd love for you to check it out, it's worth the watch. Here's the link: https://lnkd.in/eBsQf4iZ Remember: the best leaders lead every day.