Growth Tips
Do you know what is expected of you at work?
26-May-2011
RESULTS.com defines an “A” Player as a person who consistently exceeds
the performance standards required for their role; and who
simultaneously demonstrates all your company Core Values – they are a
role model for your culture. Both requirements must be met.
Unfortunately, surveys show that most employees cannot strongly agree
with the simple question, “I know what is expected of me at work.”
This is the fault of the manager for not providing a Role Scorecard that
clearly outlines these expectations in the first place. Holding people
accountable for performance is very difficult when you have not been
crystal clear, right from the outset, exactly what the employee will be
held accountable for.
We recommend using a Role Scorecard in place of a traditional job
description. The scorecard format forces you to capture the essence of
the role on 1 page. Every functional role in a company (including the
CEO) should have a Role Scorecard that contains the following 3 things:
Key Duties & Accountabilities.
What are the critical duties or actions that need to be carried out to
the agreed standard in the current quarter? Here you list (and rank in
priority order) the most important tasks that the person in this role
needs to perform – as well as the desired outcomes. Emphasize “what”
needs to be done – not “how”.
For some roles the key duties may be constant every quarter, but if your
role is anything like mine, what I do now is very different from what I
was doing 1 year ago. Role Scorecards should be updated every quarter
to ensure they remain relevant to what the person is expected to be
doing right now.
Key Performance Indicators.
Every role should have a KPI. What 1 or 2 numbers will the employee be
held strictly accountable for attaining the required performance
standard every month? They must know how their performance will be
scored, and be willing to be held accountable to achieve these specified
results.
The KPI measures are usually constant every quarter, but the threshold
for “A” Player level of performance may change based on growth
requirements, or perhaps seasonal factors. These too, should be
reviewed every quarter.
Core Values.
These apply to every role in your company. These are the rules for
behavior, unique to your firm, that everyone is expected to
demonstrate. No exceptions! Not the typical empty platitudes you see
on the wall of a corporate foyer – but the real “way we do things around
here” expressed in words and phrases that mean something to all your
people.
Preparing and updating Role Scorecards every quarter enables the manager
to have a meaningful 1 on 1 meeting with their people at the beginning
of every quarter to ensure both parties are very clear on what is
expected, and how performance will be measured at the end of the
quarter.
Holding people accountable becomes so much easier when expectations are clear.
Having my Role Scorecard posted on the wall next to my monitor, keeps me very clear about what I need to be focusing on.
Do you know what is expected of you at work? Have you captured this for every role in your company on 1 page?
