Performance Management (Paperback)

by Robert Bacal (Author) "It's year-end at Acme Progressive..." (more)
Key Phrases: ongoing performance communication, performance planning meeting, performance planning process, Effectiveness Enhancement, Acme Progressive (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description
You can achieve performance levels once thought unattainableÐbut only when managers and workers establish clear lines of communication, and understand how their jobs contribute to the goals of both themselves and the organization. Performance Management is the comprehensive guidebook on how to establish a communication system to get top performance and value from each employee. It will show you how to conduct goals-focused performance planning meetings and performance appraisals and foster a true commitment to success within each employee. A meaningful tool for stimulating workplace cooperation, Performance Management will benefit the employee, the manager, and the organization itself.

From the Back Cover
Proven strategies to sharpen your employees' performance and commitment.

Employee performance is a measurable asset­­one that can be managed and maximized like any other asset. Performance Management is the comprehensive guidebook on how to establish a communication system to get top performance and value from each employee, in a workplace climate designed to stimulate greater productivity from both managers and employees.

Much more than just a guidebook on post-performance evaluation, Performance Management will show you how to:

• Conduct goals-focused performance planning meetings, then follow them up with performance appraisals based on unambiguous data
• Foster a true commitment to success within each employee­­instead of just compliance with rules they distrust and don't understand
• Establish programs for managers and employees to work together and build upon existing positive performance

You can achieve performance levels once thought unattainable­­but only when managers and workers establish clear lines of communication, and understand how their jobs contribute to both their own goals and the goals of the organization. Performance Management provides a meaningful tool for stimulating workplace cooperation to benefit the employee, the manager, and the organization itself.

Briefcase Books, written specifically for today's busy manager, feature eye-catching icons, checklists, and sidebars to guide managers step-by-step through everyday workplace situations. Look for these innovative design features to help you navigate through each page:

• Clear, concise definitions of important terms
• Tips and tactics to help employees improve their performance
• Strategies to minimize performance management problems
• Practical advice to minimize your possibility of mistakes
• Red flags for common yet avoidable performance obstacles
• Examples of effective performance management in action
• Procedures that make it easier to establish your performance management plan

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Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill; 1 edition (November 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0070718660
• ISBN-13: 978-0070718661
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #97,546 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This item is part of The Briefcase Books Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

30 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the better ones, December 28, 2002

By	Mary Skiller - See all my reviews

There are probably a dozen or so books on this subject that are equally good, and I'm not sure that any book is significantly better than the others in that grouping.

I happen to like this book, and use it in my HR work and in my company. Its length and to-the-point style make it ideal for busy managers, and it is indeed about as practical as it can get.

Its strength though, is that it breaks out of some of the conventional thinking about performance management and appraisal. For example, it points out that performance problems can indeed be attributed to weakness in an employee, but may also be caused by problems in the actual system of work. In this respect it draws from systems thinking and takes into account some of the criticisms of Deming, Scholtes and others.

My favorite part has to be the idea of "no blame", and that the purpose of performance management and appraisal is not to punish or even to reward, but to identify barriers to performance, and work together with the employee to remove them, no matter where they come from. Since the goal is better individual performance which contributes to organizational performance, I think this is practical indeed.

There's a positiveness to this book. If you think performance management and appraisal are excuses to kick [behind] and blame people for failure, then don't get this book, get a whip and chair.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A sustainable approach, May 9, 2008

By	JJF Lauret "Move to improve, deviate to innovate" (Netherlands) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

When searching for a fair and sustainable performance management system this book brings all about the need mindset behind that system. As for my experience this is what many companies are waiting for. And also employees! They are key to make it happen and this book shows what parts of behavioural science can be applied. A good read for the coming 10 years!

10 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A waste of money and time., March 22, 2001

By	Aimee (Grand Rapids,) - See all my reviews

Barring better judgement, I purchased this book. Most of the titles in this series are god and informative, but this one is so far off center, I cannot recommend it.

His solutions are absurd and have no practical application in the "real world" and are educational theory at best.

Don't purchase this book, don't recommend it - I want my money back!