There is a better way to improve performance

In “A Better Approach to Performance Reviews,” writer Souvik Choudhury contends that it’s time to revamp how we approach the process. Rather than pointing out the negative in employees, Choudhury suggests that managers try finding positions that better fit employees. While I agree that stopping negatively focused performance reviews is a good thing (see my article for  The American Society for Training and Development [ASTD],  Performance Improvements Without Assessments), the solution suggested is both unrealistic and time-consuming. I don’t know of any organizations that have that much flexibility. However, there is a different, even more positive approach to developing high performance without the negativity of traditional performance assessments. We have spent more than 15 years discovering what makes star performers extraordinary. We then use their wisdom and the latest in neuroscience to develop and maintain high-performing teams and organizations. In the process, two factors consistently emerge. When appropriately defined and communicated to others, the stars’ compelling purpose—their commitment to creating a greater social good—creates profound motivation in 95-98% of a population. Once everyone aligns with a compelling purpose, they are driven to develop their abilities to succeed. By defining an explicit path to mastery and creating learning tasks based on the stars’ experiences that demonstrate how to do a function better, any organization can achieve extraordinary performance without the negativity of performance assessments. Just do two things—define your compelling purpose and create a clear path to mastery—and you don’t need performance assessments or job redesigns. See the full article at Forbes.com. Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net]]>