And Happy New Year!!!

It is Christmas time :)

It is the end of 2018.

And it is time to close the year.

Where did your direct reports exceed your expectations?

What were their accomplishments exactly?

Where did they fall short of reaching their goals?

Do you have simple yet effective tools to monitor, assess and control their performance in an objective way?

Do you – really?

Think about it:

HOW you monitor, measure and control their performance has a direct impact on their engagement with their work, on their commitment to you – and on their overall motivation.

Here I’ll show you a simple tool that will make your life much easier in leading their performance:

You must have one WORK FILE for each one of your direct reports where you document everything about your employee.

“Documented Feedback” is one of the most common names I have seen companies use for this particular work file.

I call it, “Performance Facts” work file.

Whatever you call it – some of its BENEFITS are:

FIRST

This work file allows you to keep information that will help you make unbiased assessments about your direct reports’ past performance

SECOND

This work file allows you to keep data that will help you make strategic performance forecasts and set future individual goals based on facts

THIRD

This work file allows you to keep relevant details to help you make important decisions – and take care of anything else related to your direct reports (both personally and professionally)

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8 GUIDELINES to set up and use this work file …

FIRST

One file per employee

SECOND

Record everything impacting both - positive performance and areas for improvement

THIRD

Document facts, behaviors, numbers, etc. (do NOT document feelings, attitudes, adjectives, etc.)

FOURTH

Record conditions outside your employee's control

FIFTH

Have a system to always document these facts – always – so you never forget to document important information

SIXTH

Document when fresh in your memory – within 24 hours maximum

SEVENTH

Use this work file in your One-On-One’s, in Setting Goals, in Monitoring, in Developing your direct report, etc.

EIGHTH

Store this work file in a secure location – these files are personal and confidential

NINTH

Keep information from the last 12 months only – to keep the work files relevant, remove older information

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Voilà.

Simple – isn’t it?

Not easy – but simple.

It is NOT easy because like most habits in leadership – it takes discipline and courage to do the right things consistently.

It is simple because once you have the habit – you are much more effective with a lot less effort than when you didn’t have the habit yet.

Conclusion:

IF you already have – and use – one work file for each one of your direct reports – congratulations!

You must be well aware about ALL the benefits you get out of this work file.

And if you don’t – now is the time to start: At the beginning of the year!

Feel free to re-send this "Leader Newsletter" to your colleagues.

And click here to see the entire "Leader Newsletter" Archive.

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