Performance Measurement Innovations: Will They Work in the Healthcare Industry? - Featuring Dr. Anna Tavis - Episode #8

Measuring performance in any organization is a very clear way to insert much-needed accountability into the system of managing and rewarding employees. But the argument is being made more and more these days that the traditional ways of doing performance management are not the most helpful approaches. Today’s guest is Dr. Anna Tavis and I decided to invite her on the show after reading an article she co-wrote on the Harvard Business Review called, “The Performance Management Revolution.” In her article, Dr. Tavis highlights why some companies are taking another look at their performance measurement systems and how a handful of them have made dramatic changes to the process with great results. I’m curious how these innovations can be applied to the healthcare sector, so I wanted to hear more from Dr. Tavis - and I hope you take the time to listen. Why performance management systems of the past are being abandoned. Much of the change that’s happened around performance measurement has to do with the desire of managers to not only rightly assess and reward performance but also to address issues of culture and trust within the organization that can bring the organization's performance as a whole to a much higher level. Dr. Anna Tavis shares some of the ways companies of all stripes are changing their performance management processes on this episode. If you’re the person in charge of performance management for your organization or part of a PM team, you'll discover some great ideas from what she has to share. Are your managers serving as coaches more than critics? One of the key components of how companies are approaching the issue of measuring performance in new ways has to do with the role of the managers in the organization. Rather than training management to be the watchdogs of the organization who are ready to dole out punishment for those who are not performing, the emphasis is on supervisory positions as more of a coaching role. The manager’s job is to help the employees grow and learn in their role, encouraging and cheering them on to higher levels of accomplishment. This approach is showing great promise in the way it encourages a team mentality over the adversarial relationships that have existed in the past. Find out more about this performance management revolution from Dr. Anna Tavis on this episode of The Report Room. How bonuses connected to performance reviews skew the review process. The old systems of performance review often entail the use of quarterly or annual reviews to assess employee performance with the promise of financial bonuses or other rewards tied to that review. But Dr. Anna Tavis says that tying the reward to the review skews the process in ways that are not helpful. If that assertion makes sense to you, or if you’re curious how it could be true, you need to hear Dr. Tavis’ explanation of it on this episode of the podcast. Expert advice for those who are figuring out their performance review system. If you are part of a team that is working to establish a healthy and effective performance assessment program for your organization, Dr. Anna Tavis, a performance management specialist has this advice for you: Take ownership of the process as it relates to your overall goals as an organization. Ask yourself whether the things you’re measuring in your evaluations are aligned with the goals and vision of the entire team. And figure out if the method by which you're evaluating is truly assessing your effectiveness toward those goals. You can hear more great suggestions like this from Dr. Tavis on this episode of the podcast. Outline of This Episode [0:29] My introduction of Dr. Anna Tavis, and the issue of performance management. [1:16] The background that has equipped Dr. Tavis for her current work in performance management. [2:36] The process of researching and writing her article with Peter Cappelli. [4:30] How we’ve come to the place we are in managing and appraising performance. [11:32] The trend toward no more performance evaluations for employees. [14:13] What are companies doing today instead of annual evaluations? [18:13] Why some companies are resisting these new approaches. [20:39] How should compensation be decided if it’s not connected to performance? [25:02] What are the risks and losses possible by making these changes? [27:08] Books and articles Dr. Tavis recommends about this topic. [28:46] Dr. Tavis’ recommendation: Every organization needs to take ownership and align their performance measurement systems Resources & Links Mentioned In This Episode Dr. Tavis’ website: http://annatavis.com/ Find Dr. Tavis on LinkedIn Dr. Tavis on Facebook. Dr. Tavis on Twitter Dr. Tavis’ HBR article on Performance Management. Reinventing Performance Management article on HBR. Connect with Brian Twitter @BrianWeirichRN BrianWeirichRN@gmail(dot)com