{"id":48109,"date":"2024-08-14T18:03:13","date_gmt":"2024-08-15T01:03:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/?p=48109"},"modified":"2024-08-14T18:03:17","modified_gmt":"2024-08-15T01:03:17","slug":"performance-management-the-good-the-bad-and-the-antiquated","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/gov-talk\/about-gov\/education\/performance-management-the-good-the-bad-and-the-antiquated\/","title":{"rendered":"Performance Management: The Good, the Bad, and the Antiquated"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”section” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ background_image=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/08\/CaitlynA.jpg” custom_margin=”||91px|||” custom_padding=”0px|0px|0|0px|false|false” hover_enabled=”0″ global_colors_info=”{}” alt=”Three people are sitting around a table having a business meeting in the public sector. They are examining charts and graphs on paper. Two cups of coffee, a laptop, and a glass of water are on the table. Sunlight streams in, illuminating the group as they collaborate.” title_text=”Three people are sitting around a table having a business meeting in the public sector. They are examining charts and graphs on paper. Two cups of coffee, a laptop, and a glass of water are on the table. Sunlight streams in, illuminating the group as they collaborate.” sticky_enabled=”0″][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”223px|0px|118px|0px|false|false” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.25.1″ text_font=”PT Sans||||” text_text_color=”#ffffff” text_font_size=”72″ text_line_height=”1.1em” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”620px” custom_margin=”45px||24px|-69px” custom_padding=”0px|||” hover_enabled=”0″ text_font_size_tablet=”52″ text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” global_colors_info=”{}” sticky_enabled=”0″]<\/p>\n

Performance Management: The Good, the Bad, and the Antiquated<\/strong><\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][\/et_pb_section][et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ custom_padding_last_edited=”on|desktop” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”-88px|||||” custom_padding=”3px|0px|24.6719px|0px||” custom_padding_tablet=”50px|0|50px|0″ custom_padding_phone=”” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ column_padding_mobile=”on” custom_padding_last_edited=”on|tablet” admin_label=”row” _builder_version=”4.16″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” max_width=”1200px” custom_padding=”0||0px||false|false” custom_padding_tablet=”0px|||” custom_padding_phone=”” use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1200px” global_colors_info=”{}”][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_padding=”|||” global_colors_info=”{}” custom_padding__hover=”|||”][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.careersingovernment.com\/tools\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/05\/Caitlyns-Headshot-1.jpeg” title_text=”Caitlyn’s Headshot (1)” show_bottom_space=”off” align=”center” align_tablet=”center” align_phone=”” align_last_edited=”on|desktop” disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ custom_margin=”||5px|||” animation=”off” sticky=”on” global_colors_info=”{}”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text disabled_on=”on|on|” _builder_version=”4.25.1″ text_font=”PT Sans|on|||” text_text_color=”#02b875″ text_font_size=”20″ text_line_height=”1.2em” header_text_color=”#000000″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” max_width=”140px” module_alignment=”center” custom_margin=”20px||0px|” global_colors_info=”{}”]<\/p>\n

CAITLYN ALFORD & MICHAEL LEYTEM<\/b><\/span><\/a><\/p>\n

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Caitlyn Alford is a first-generation college graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a minor in Neuroscience. She earned her M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology at Meredith College in Raleigh, North Carolina. Since 2019, Caitlyn has been leveraging her expertise as a manager and talent management consultant at Catching Leadership, where she specializes in organizational change, leadership development, visual creativity, and promoting mindfulness in the workplace. Her dedication to fostering growth and innovation within organizations allows her to help clients navigate today’s ever-evolving business landscape.<\/p>\n

Michael Leytem has been a leadership coach and talent management consultant since 2011. He has worked with thousands of organizational leaders to customize talent strategies and leadership solutions that drive personal and organizational growth. As a published academic, with an M.A. in Industrial-Organizational Psychology, Michael has studied the mental processes and social pressures that influence effective leadership. His life-long passion for leadership, psychology, and mindfulness transcends throughout his work and interactions with others. Michael brings over 13 years of leadership coaching and management consulting experience to the corporate events he hosts.<\/p>\n

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Performance management (PM) is an essential process in any organization, designed to ensure alignment of employees\u2019 work with the company’s goals and future development efforts. However, it\u2019s often seen as a cumbersome task, loathed by many managers and misunderstood by employees. Public sector agencies, in particular, can face challenges when implementing a performance management process due to their non-commercial focus. These organizations typically have a wider range of stakeholders and complex internal reporting structures, making it difficult to evaluate individual performance. Additionally, since the customers of these agencies do not usually pay directly for the services they receive, gauging metrics such as customer satisfaction, cost, value, or impact of implementations can be challenging. Assessing the overall performance of a public sector entity is complex, and as a result, performance data is often not available as a benchmark to set team and individual targets. Let\u2019s explore further why performance management is frequently met with disdain, what organizations have traditionally gotten wrong, the importance of performance management, and how it can be improved.<\/p>\n

A Bad Rep\u2013 Why Do Most Managers Loathe PM?<\/h4>\n

It\u2019s not news that most workers dislike performance reviews. In a recent study<\/a>,<\/a> Leadership IQ surveyed 48,012 employees, managers, and CEOs to find out what they thought of their annual performance management process. Only 13% of employees and managers think their organization’s performance appraisal system is useful. This is not because performance reviews are seen as unnecessary, but rather due to poor implementation.<\/p>\n

One of the main reasons managers loathe performance management is the fact that the process requires a unique skill set to deliver feedback effectively. Providing constructive feedback with both candor and care is challenging and not often a skill managers are properly trained in. Effective feedback delivery requires emotional intelligence, active listening, and an ability to balance positive reinforcement with constructive criticism. Without proper training, managers may feel unequipped to handle these conversations, ultimately resulting in feelings of frustration toward performance management.<\/p>\n

Additionally, the process is time-consuming. To do it right, managers must invest significant time and effort into understanding their employees’ performance. Readying for a performance conversation requires managers to observe behaviors, gather data, and prepare for feedback sessions. Given the myriad of responsibilities managers already have, performance management can feel like a burden rather than a critical function.<\/p>\n

What Organizations Have Traditionally Gotten Wrong<\/h4>\n

Historically, organizations have made mistakes in their approach to performance management:<\/p>\n