The Human Performance System is described graphically above.
A very common organizational response to poor results is to isolate and
"treat" some performer or grouping of performers. We "treat"
them by either training the life out of them or by replacing them. Such
management actions assume that the performer is broken of defective in some
way. Our experience, however, is that performance problems are seldom self-contained
within individual performers. Management should FIRST look to:
for the root of problems or the source of performance improvement opportunity.
If you refer to the picture above, expectations are the link to the larger
work unit/department process and, ultimately, to organization results. Expectations
are the before-the-fact statements of the results required of performers.
We believe that the most effective way to come up with these critical expectations
is to start with organization results and work back to position performance
requirements. If you begin the other way, it will take sheer luck to have
all of the performer expectations add up properly!
And, it is our contention that management or direct supervisors are
responsible for providing a supportive performance environment (EXPECTATIONS,
RESOURCES, FEEDBACK and CONSEQUENCES, as pictured above) which will facilitate
the development and application of necessary skills to required job tasks
by their subordinates.
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