I recently watched a Celine Dion movie/documentary and was struck by her insightful comment about her team. She said, ‘My band and backup singers—I want them to feel good and like themselves. She added that when they feel good and like themselves, they work better, perform better, and hold their instrument with pride. While pondering these words, I asked myself, “Do my workers like or feel good about themselves? Well, I can tell they do because they tend to perform better, even though I say so myself.

I’ll admit that before the movie, I never really thought about performance management from Celine Dion’s perspective, but now I know better. If you want to see your team perform better, make them feel good and like themselves. In this piece, I will be showing you performance management solutions that will help you get the best out of your team/workers. I also included a very insightful video.

Key Takeaway:

• The easiest way to get your team to perform better is by making them like and feel good about themselves.
• It’s best to proactively create a plan for regular feedback and additional training, allowing them to improve before their performance becomes an issue of concern.
• As the HR, instead of sticking to the original performance metrics, you adapt the system to account for the learning curve of the new software.
• The adaptive strategy makes employees feel good and supported, allowing them to catch up without feeling overwhelmed, ultimately leading to higher engagement and better long-term performance.
• The extent to which an organization is perceived as successful on the outside is greatly determined by its approach to performance management on the inside.

Understanding Performance Management

I’d like to stress further on making your team like and feel good about themselves strategy. As I said earlier, this really hit me differently, and if it is all you got from this piece, you’re good to go. Now this is the point you ask the question, “How do I make my team feel good about themselves?” But hold that thought for a minute; let’s define performance management.

Performance management is a dynamic framework that equips managers to inspire, guide, and evaluate employee performance, cultivating a culture of excellence where individuals can flourish and make meaningful contributions to the overall goals of the company. Dynamic in this context represents an interactive system, which involves dialogue, feedback, compliments, and exchange between managers and employees.

Speaking of compliments, something very interesting happened the day I went up to the church pulpit for the very first time to give an announcement. I came to church just like everyone else, and the head pastor called me into his office to inform me that I’d be taking the announcement session that day. As expected, I had that uneasy feeling in my stomach since that’d be my first time on the pulpit. As we neared the announcement time, he turned to me and said, “You look adorable in your all-white attire; when you climb that pulpit, it’s going to look like an angel is ministering to us.”

It was almost like he knew exactly how I felt and what I needed to hear. To cut the story short, I went up there and delivered beyond his expectations. Now that I think about it, I am convinced that he did that on purpose—he is a good human resource manager who understood performance management.

Read Essential Skills That Make an Effective Chief Human Resources Officer

So if you’re wondering how to make your team like and feel good about themselves, simply set up a dynamic process or system that is

• Interactive:
• Flexible
• Adaptive
• Proactive

I already explained the interactive system. In the preceding chapter, I shall further explain the remaining dynamic process. Remember, the ultimate goal of performance management is to create an environment where employees can perform to the best of their abilities and in alignment with the organization’s overall goals.

Performance Management Solutions: The Dynamic System Solution

This chapter talks about my experience as a performance manager in charge of 25 employees, including those working remotely. If you’ve ever had to manage remote workers, you’ll agree with me that no one can successfully handle this task without a laid-down strategy. In my case, I succeeded by setting up a system that I still make use of till date:

#1. Flexible

In my dynamic system solution, flexibility means adapting your approach to suit individual employees and changing circumstances. This is important, especially in remote work environments. Managing a website that publishes business content, I was assigned about 13 writers who were working off-site. To keep their performance in check, I created a communication channel using Skype. Where we meet every week to review previous performance and control what’s coming. 

As the manager of a business content website, I oversaw a team of 13 off-site writers. To ensure their performance remained on track, I established a weekly virtual meeting via Skype. These regular check-ins allowed us to review past performance, discuss upcoming projects, and make adjustments as needed.

As a human resource manager overseeing a fully remote team, one thing you must encounter is some employees performing better during non-standard hours. Rather than enforcing strict 9-to-5 work hours, you implement a flexible working hours policy. This allows employees to manage their time more effectively, delivering tasks when they are most productive. This dynamic approach will help you acknowledge their unique work patterns, and in return, employees tend to feel more empowered and less stressed, directly improving their performance and job satisfaction.

Flexibility also allows for more open discussions during performance reviews.

#2. Adaptive

Performance management systems should be adaptive. Adaptive management means giving feedback and evaluating performance based on what’s happening now rather than what happened in the past. Imagine leading a remote team, and halfway through the year, your company decides to implement new project management software. Some employees will adapt quickly, while others will struggle. As the HR, instead of sticking to the original performance metrics, you adapt the system to account for the learning curve of the new software.

You adjust your goals for these employees, offering more personalized training and setting realistic timelines. This approach makes employees feel good and supported, allowing them to catch up without feeling overwhelmed, ultimately leading to higher engagement and better long-term performance.

#3. Proactive

In my approach to proactive performance management, it means taking actions that anticipate future challenges rather than waiting for issues to arise. This strategy works well in companies with experienced employees who are expected to meet high standards consistently. For example, when managing a team of skilled HR professionals, it’s crucial to prevent performance issues by identifying potential gaps or needs before they impact the team.

As an HR manager overseeing a department of 30 experienced employees, I noticed that our internal communication could become strained during periods of rapid growth. To proactively address this, I introduced regular one-on-one meetings with team leads to assess any underlying issues that could affect performance. These proactive check-ins helped us identify early signs of burnout or confusion about new processes, allowing us to address concerns before they escalated.

As the team leader or head of a department, you’ll likely encounter moments where a member’s performance starts slipping. Instead of waiting for their annual review, it’s best to proactively create a plan for regular feedback and additional training, allowing them to improve before their performance becomes an issue of concern. This forward-thinking approach ensures continuous development and can prevent costly mistakes or decreased productivity over time.

Check out the insightful video I talked about earlier below

Purpose of Performance Management.

One way to put it is that the purpose of performance management is to have both employers and employees work in synergy to achieve the company’s overall goal. The way a company manages performance internally has a direct impact on how it’s perceived by the outside world.

Below are reasons why performance management is important in organizations.

#1. To build strong connections between staff and the company.

Regular check-ins help employees see how their work fits into the company’s bigger picture. Managers and team leaders can explain why projects matter, showing team members how their efforts support company goals. This helps them feel more connected to their work and committed to the organization. 

Talking about building strong connections, I recently introduced a 10-minute interaction away from work performance during the weekly performance review with the remote workers. I wanted that connection to not just be about work but something more. We use 10 minutes to engage in random discussions that everyone can relate to. Last week, we discussed a topic that says, “More important is what you become in five years than the amount of money you were able to save.” It had everyone talking and dropping what their thoughts were on that topic.

That is the kind of connection I want with my staff. I’m able to effectively manage and control how they perform during the meeting.

#2. To increase responsibility and job satisfaction.

When expectations and evaluation measures are clearly set, employees take more ownership of their tasks. Knowing their work is noticed and appreciated makes them feel good about themselves, leading to better results.

After my first performance on the church pulpit and the recognition that came with it, my next performance has always been better than the last one.

#3. To Create a positive, results-oriented culture

Indeed, an organization’s performance management practices play a significant role in shaping its reputation. When you apply dynamic strategies to performance management, you’ll create a positive and result-oriented culture within your organization. The good thing about having a positive and result-oriented culture is that your organization will easily gain resonance among its target audience and also attract talents who are equally result-oriented.

Read: Brand Resonance

#4. To spot areas for team growth

Without an effective performance management approach, it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to identify areas or employees that need adjustment and enforce the changes needed. However, by looking at performance data, managers can spot where teams need to improve, identify learning opportunities, and encourage continuous development and new ideas within the department and the organization in general.

Is performance management the same as performance appraisal?

No, performance management and performance appraisal are not the same. While performance management is a comprehensive and proactive approach, performance appraisal is a retrospective evaluation. The two concepts complement each other, and companies often incorporate performance appraisals as part of their overall performance management process.

What are the 5 components of performance management?

1. Planning: Setting clear goals, objectives, and expectations.
2. Monitoring: Continuously tracking and evaluating employee progress.
3. Developing: Enhancing employee skills and knowledge through training and feedback.
4. Rating: Assessing employee performance through evaluations and assessments.
5. Rewarding: Recognizing and compensating employees for outstanding performance.

These interconnected processes work together to create a comprehensive and effective performance management system

What is the main function of performance management?

The main function of performance management is to optimize employee performance and align it with organizational objectives, enabling individuals to excel in their roles while driving business success.

Final Words

In the end, effective performance management is about empowering your team to excel. By creating an environment where employees feel valued and supported, you unlock their full potential. Remember Celine Dion’s wisdom: when people feel good about themselves, they perform better. Implement these dynamic strategies, and watch your team—and your organization—thrive.

Related Articles

1. Top 6 Effective Recruitment Strategies to Attract and Retain Top Talent in 202
2. What Is Human Resource Development: Positive Impact of HRD