The US Army’s West Point Academy has developed a four step process
for determining whether failed performance is attributable to individual
error or organizational error. It provides a compelling, common sense
practice that must be part of every organization’s approach to performance
standards setting.
What is meant by a Performance Standard? A performance
standard is a reasonable expectation of how an individual should behave
or what result should be produced. Such a standard must be set by the
organization and properly communicated to become a reasonable expectation
or a Performance Standard.
What are the steps in setting Performance Standards?
First, a clear and practical standard regarding how to act or what to
do must be established. If not, there is a Standards Failure.
Second, once standards are established, they must become known and ways
to achieve them must become known. If not, there is a Communication and
Training Failure.
Third, once standards are established, known and achievable, they must
be enforced. If not, there is a Leadership Failure.
Finally, when standards are established, known, achievable and enforced,
any failure to meet them can be said to be the result of individual—not
organizational—failure.
How can organizations best prevent individual failure?
Steven R. Covey offers a useful approach. (The 8th Habit, Free Press,
2004, p. 257-8) He recommends a “win-win agreement.” He explains,
“A win-win agreement is…an open-ended, psychological/social
contract that explicitly defines expectations. It is written first into
the hearts and minds of people, and then put on paper ‘in pencil’
rather than in ink so that ‘easy erasing’ can take place when
both sense it is appropriate and wise.”
STARway Service provides a web-hosted approach to establishing Performance
Standards and Win-Win Agreements through the Performance Map, an on-line
document which combines the best attributes of both the traditional job
description and the annual performance appraisal. Like a performance appraisal,
a Performance Map is used to judge periodic performance; like a job description,
a Performance Map is reviewed with the performer at the beginning of the
performance period.
To find out more, please send an e-mail to contact@starwayservice.com.
