performance review. The process of continuing assessment
should be carried out by reference to agreed objectives and to
work, development and improvement plans. Progress reviews
can take place informally or through an existing system of team
meetings. But there should be more formal interim reviews at
predetermined points in the year, eg quarterly. For some teams
or individual jobs these points could be related to ‘milestones’
contained in project and work plans. Deciding when such meet-
ings should take place would be up to individual managers in
consultation with their staff and would not be a laid-down part
of a ‘system’.
Managers would be encouraged to consider how to accommo-
date the need for regular dialogue within the established pattern
of briefings, team or group meetings or project review meetings.
In addition to the collective meetings, managers may have
regular one-to-one meetings with their staff. If performance
management is to be effective, there needs to be a continuing
agenda through these regular meetings to ensure that good
progress is being made towards achieving the objectives agreed
for each key result area.
REVIEWING PERFORMANCE
Although performance management is a continuous process, it is
still necessary to have a formal review once or twice yearly. This
acts as a focal point for the consideration of key performance and
development issues, provides an opportunity to take stock and
forms the basis for performance and development planning.
Many managers are extraordinarily reluctant to conduct such
meetings at all or at best their reviews are perfunctory. All sorts
of reasons are given for this: ‘I haven’t got enough time’, ‘It’s not
necessary – I am already reviewing performance on a day-to-day
basis,’ ‘I don’t like sitting down and making formal criticisms of
someone.’ The answers to these objections are simple:
■ ‘Surely you can spare an hour or so to spend quality time
with your staff if only to show that you are interested in their
progress and prepared to give them your support’.
■ ‘That may well be so, but isn’t it a good idea to carry out a
systematic review of progress so that both parties are in a
better position to plan for the future?’
168 How to be an Even Better Manager