You undoubtedly have worked diligently to identify areas of opportunity and allocate resources for the new year. But planning is only part of the equation.
The success of your mission lies firmly in the execution, and to successfully execute your strategy, everyone must be aligned and do their part to advance the organization forward. This is why having a strong performance management plan in place is critical. An effective performance management plan creates a line of sight, meaning that when employees understand their role in the context of how it aligns with the bigger picture, it increases motivation, engagement, alignment, and job satisfaction.
This article identifies five key steps leaders can take to improve communication around goals and expectations to foster purpose and clarity for their employees and to ensure their mission is driving forward.
Identify Clear Organizational Goals
Before cascading goals, it is imperative to ensure that organizational goals are clearly defined, measurable, and achievable. This requires collaboration with key stakeholders, such as department leaders, managers, and supervisors. Involving leaders at all levels helps create buy-in. Use our whitepaper Setting Expectations, Performance Standards and Goals, and Objectives to assist you in setting effective organizational goals that are stated in terms of results to be achieved, clear and concise, realistic, reasonable, and measurable. Also, prioritize goals, which can help you focus efforts and resources appropriately.
Be Transparent with Communication
Once organizational goals are established, it is key to ensure that everyone understands them. Providing multiple communication opportunities and methods can increase awareness, comprehension, and retention. Remember, repetition can assist learning. Host an all-hands meeting using engaging visuals and clear, simple language to illustrate how the goals align with your mission and vision. Use written documentation to outline goals in an email, internal newsletter, or on your intranet.
Also, utilize multiple communication channels, such as Slack, Teams, and team meetings. Ensure that employees have multiple opportunities to ask questions and can receive the information in a way that resonates with them.
Link Individual and Organizational Goals
Assist employees in making connections between their work contributions and organizational goals, which fosters accountability. Provide clarity around roles by articulating each employee’s responsibilities and reinforcing the importance of each role in achieving collective success.
Utilize regularly occurring one-on-one meetings for supervisors and employees to collaborate, set individual goals, and monitor ongoing goal progression. Using a meeting agenda can assist leaders in tracking progress and identifying areas where employees may need support.
Provide Continuous Feedback
Fostering a culture rich with feedback enhances alignment and motivation. One method is the 360 Multi-Source, Multi-Rater Feedback. This method allows employees to receive feedback from peers, supervisors, and subordinates as applicable. Organizations can also create channels for open communication, which might include multiple opportunities, such as suggestion boxes, team meetings, and anonymous surveys. These channels allow employees to provide feedback in a way they are most comfortable doing so.
Feedback may also include regularly acknowledging achievements or milestones. Utilize a rewards and recognition program to positively reinforce behaviors that demonstrate value-added outcomes.
Keep a Pulse
Maintaining momentum and achieving organizational goals require leaders to monitor progress and remain agile and ready to change course and adapt if needed. Remember that when setting goals, it is imperative that they be measurable. Establishing key performance indicators (KPIs) provides opportunities to compare performance to expected performance. Quarterly check-ins with employees and leaders can assist in identifying opportunities to pivot or refocus. Also, solicit input from employees to identify what is going well and what is not. Doing so can provide valuable insights and identify opportunities to overcome potential obstacles.
Brandy Walker is a human resources consultant for Employers Council.