Here's how you can revolutionize performance evaluations as a leader.
Performance evaluations have long been a staple in organizational management, providing a structured way to assess and communicate employee performance. As a leader, you have the power to transform this process into a dynamic tool that fosters growth and engagement. By rethinking traditional methods, you can create a culture of continuous improvement and collaboration, where feedback is not just an annual event but an ongoing conversation. This article will guide you through innovative strategies to revolutionize performance evaluations, ensuring they are more effective and aligned with your team's goals and aspirations.
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Naveen VenkatLinkedIn Top Leadership Voice | AVP at Quess Corp
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Suman GuhaAward Winning Seasoned CPTO at Reliance Retail, Omni Channel | ex-Tesco, Cisco, Red Hat | Stanford GSB, British…
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Abdulaziz Al Essa, MA, SPHR, PHRChief Advisor | HR Leader | Transformation | Strategic Planning | Innovation | Change Management | Organizational…
To revolutionize performance evaluations, start by embracing change and encouraging your team to do the same. Traditional performance reviews can be anxiety-inducing and counterproductive. Shift the focus from critiquing past performance to fostering future development. This means setting clear, achievable goals and providing regular feedback that helps employees grow. By creating a culture where feedback is expected, accepted, and acted upon, you encourage a mindset of continual improvement and adaptability that is essential in today's fast-paced work environment.
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As a leader, embracing change is paramount to staying ahead in today's dynamic business landscape. Instead of sticking to outdated evaluation methods, be open to exploring new approaches that align with the evolving needs of your team and organization. Encourage a culture of experimentation and continuous improvement, where feedback loops are valued and change is seen as an opportunity for growth rather than a disruption.
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Empower your team in the process. Ditch the anxiety! Shift to future-focused development with clear goals and ongoing feedback. By creating a feedback-rich environment, you foster continual learning and adaptation – crucial for agility in today's dynamic world.
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Just stop. Don’t embrace every change. Changes that don’t make progress need no attention. Some times the best formal plan is to become informal. When you see something great, don’t wait to recognize it. Say something about it immediately. This will create changes that will improve the culture, innovation, and results. Different isn’t always good, small changes make huge wins.
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Just a perspective, you could consider incorporating peer feedback loops to promote collaboration and diverse views. Try introducing innovative tools or platforms for self-assessment, allowing employees to take ownership of their development. And implementation of flexible evaluation timelines could help adapt to evolving priorities and individual needs.
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It’s clear that you need to be clear. Start with clarity. Use the shortest sentences, easiest words (5th grade level reading), and specific end-states. Nobody has time today to try to figure out what you are saying.
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Be open to evolving evaluation methods. Consider incorporating peer reviews, self-assessments, or 360-degree feedback to gain a holistic view of an employee’s performance. Regularly assess the effectiveness of your evaluation process and adapt as needed.
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Embrace change that’s holistically right for the team. Before you start making changes to processes/workflows, take note of these three points: 1. Do we need a change? If a process is working well for teams across, there’s really no need to bring a change. 2. Is this change going to benefit my team? Keep tally of how many teams could be impacted including yours. 3. Can we effectively measure the results of this change? And what does that number mean to your team.
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Embracing change in performance evaluations is not just a shift in process but a transformative step in cultivating a growth-oriented workplace culture. Traditional reviews often limit an employee’s potential to past achievements and failures, which can stifle innovation and motivation. By focusing on future development, we’re not only setting clear, achievable goals but also empowering our team members to exceed them. Regular, constructive feedback becomes a tool for continuous learning and improvement, rather than a dreaded annual event. This proactive approach aligns perfectly with the dynamic nature of today’s work environment. Let’s foster a culture that values progress over perfection, and watch our teams thrive.
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Effective performance evaluation is also about fostering growth, engagement and productivity within the team through digitalisation and use of latest technologies.
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‘Hard work doesn’t always lead to better performance.’ If we want to improve our performance, we must do more than just perform. This can be referred to as the ‘performance paradox’, a theory proposed by Marshall W. Meyer and Vipin Gupta in 1994. The term has since been expanded upon by Eduardo Briceño. As the number and types of performance measurements increase, they often become less effective over time. Rather than focusing solely on quantitative metrics or specific tasks, consider evaluating employees based on their overall contributions to the organization's mission, values, and culture. This could include creativity, collaboration, problem-solving, risk-taking and adaptability.
Clear objectives are the cornerstone of effective performance evaluations. As a leader, it's your responsibility to ensure that every team member understands what is expected of them. Objectives should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART). This clarity helps employees focus their efforts and provides a benchmark for both parties to discuss progress. Regular check-ins to review these objectives keep the conversation ongoing and prevent any end-of-year surprises.
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Be the objective. While SMART is a tried and proven method, I would offer a new proven perspective. Use Targets instead. In my previous career, I’ve spent lots of time making gunpowder into noise at the range - where we would a set up targets. Here is why I now tell people to do this to prevent end-of-year surprises. 1. Focus. You can only aim at one target at a time. Pick 1 thing, and aim to hit it. 2. Refinement. With goals, if you try to make sense of all the SMART stuff, you may have a great project - you may not finish it. Targets: if you are off, shoot again until on - then refine until bullseye. 3. Alignment. Your shooting lane it clear. Pick one Target, then move to the next. Easier. Try it.
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Setting clear objectives is not just about ticking boxes; it's about inspiring your team to achieve greatness. As a leader, it's crucial to communicate these goals in a way that resonates with each individual. Remember, a goal that excites is a goal that unites! 🎯💪 #LeadershipGoals #TeamSuccess #SMARTObjectives
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Effective performance evaluations begin with clear and actionable objectives. Instead of relying solely on annual or quarterly reviews, adopt a more agile approach to goal setting. Break down larger objectives into smaller, achievable milestones that can be regularly monitored and adjusted as needed. Collaborate with employees to set meaningful goals that align with their strengths, interests, and career aspirations.
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Make it a shared journey. Articulate clear, SMART objectives – Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound. Regular check-ins ensure everyone's on track and avoid surprises. This transparency builds trust and a sense of shared responsibility.
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While I think SMART goals have their place, too often these are cascaded and pushed down too specifically sacrificing employee creativity, and innovation. The goals, OKRs, and KPIs have good intention and likely problem/solution based, but if leadership does not allow the employees an opportunity to give feedback on ways to solve these problems, the work becomes a series of obligated tasks. Consider approaching teams with a series of problems that need attention. Have open discussions with employees about potential solutions. If leadership gets their teams of employees to buy in to the solutions because they helped define direction... productivity and engagement rocket up.
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I'd challenge you to set mastery goals, aside from, or alongside the usual KPIs or OKRs. This is a win/win for performance and gives people more joy and autonomy in the process, whilst helping to foster a growth mindset.
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Empowering employees to succeed starts with clear objectives! As a leader, it's your opportunity to inspire and guide your team by setting Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound (SMART) goals. By doing so, you'll give your team members a sense of direction and purpose, allowing them to focus their efforts and excel in their roles. Regular check-ins to review progress against these objectives keep the conversation flowing and foster a culture of continuous growth and improvement. By setting clear expectations and providing ongoing feedback, you'll help your team members stay on track, achieve their goals, and celebrate their successes. Let's set our teams up for success and watch them thrive!
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Clearly define performance expectations and goals for each team member. Objectives should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals). Align individual goals with overall team and organizational objectives.
Revolutionizing performance evaluations means turning them into a two-way dialogue rather than a one-sided assessment. Encourage employees to express their views, share their challenges, and contribute to their own evaluation process. This not only empowers them but also provides you with valuable insights into team dynamics and potential areas for improvement. A collaborative approach to evaluations strengthens relationships and builds trust within your team.
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Change the nature of the evaluation! Instead of the traditional performance review structure, use the time to summarise your regular feedback conversations. Having ongoing dialogue with your direct reports about their behaviours and outcomes enables you to recognise their successes in a timely manner, provide clarity about their progress on objectives and where they should focus development actions. It gives them an opportunity to share their experience and perspectives, providing you, as their leader, an opportunity to coach them and provide necessary support. I've found this builds trust and confidence while removing uncertainty about how you view their performance. This makes evaluations straight forward because there's no surprises!
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Talk more = rubbish. Dialogue is good when it’s productive, many just want to hear themselves talk. Ask questions, get answers that build something instead of just letting everyone talk. Not everyone will have something to add to everything - and, that’s okay.
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Create a supportive and open environment where employees feel comfortable sharing their thoughts, concerns, and ideas for improvement. Encourage two-way communication by actively listening to employee feedback, asking probing questions, and offering constructive insights.
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Shift the power dynamic. Turn evaluations into a conversation. Encourage employees to voice their challenges and ideas, contributing to their own development plan. This empowers them and provides valuable insights to strengthen team dynamics and uncover areas for improvement.
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We're humans, who have an innate need for autonomy, so I can't see why one would have ever thought reviews should be a broadcast, or tell. Engagement takes two (or more). It's not only empowerment, it's common sense.
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Shift from a one-sided evaluation to a two-way conversation. Encourage open communication during performance discussions. Listen actively, ask probing questions, and provide constructive feedback. Understand employees’ perspectives and challenges.
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In addition to encouraging employees to express their views, consider implementing anonymous feedback channels to ensure everyone feels comfortable sharing their perspectives openly. Follow the Agile/Scrum ways of working i.e. host regular team retrospectives or feedback sessions focused on specific projects or initiatives to facilitate constructive discussions and identify areas for improvement collectively. Foster a culture of active listening by providing training or workshops.
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Revolutionizing performance evaluations involves timely compliments for achievements and constructive criticism when expectations aren’t met. Frequent two-way communication between formal evaluations sets a stronger foundation upon which to build future-oriented conversations and moves forward the starting line for those conversations. Openly discussing past wins and losses throughout these ‘in-between’ times allows the time devoted to formal performance evaluation to be more focused on consistently creating future successes.
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If organizations could replace annual or regular review cycles with meaningful 1:1 conversations that occur weekly/bi-weekly, the world of work would evolve dramatically. Having been an athlete my whole life, if my coaches waited for once a year to give feedback, my growth would have been short-changed. Working towards continuous growth requires continuous real time communication. How do you start? Set the recurring dates. Have a self-review question set for each meet-up. Define a few powerful questions. Hold and commit to your rhythm. With these small movements, 1% change each week looks like more than a 50% change across the year.
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Be supportive enough and maintain a positive environment. Keep checking up for suggestions and feedback (positive/negative) not only in an open forum but also individual 1:1. This helps resolve the concerns of an individual or the team and paves way for better relationships.
Leverage technology to streamline the evaluation process and make it more efficient. There are numerous tools available that facilitate real-time feedback, goal tracking, and peer reviews. By integrating these tools into your performance evaluation process, you can maintain a living record of employee progress and feedback. This approach not only saves time but also keeps the focus on development and growth rather than on bureaucratic procedures.
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-Tableau de bord d'innovation en temps réel Cet outil consolidera les données sur les initiatives d'innovation en un seul endroit, permettant un suivi et une analyse en temps réel. Les équipes pourront y renseigner leurs projets, objectifs, étapes clés et indicateurs de performance. Des visualisations interactives faciliteront le partage des progrès et des apprentissages. -Badges numériques d'innovation En reconnaissance de l'acquisition de nouvelles compétences en innovation, les employés se verront attribuer des badges électroniques qu'ils pourront afficher sur leur profil professionnel. Cela valorisera leurs progrès et favorisera l'engagement.
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Leverage technology to streamline and enhance the performance evaluation process. Invest in performance management software that allows for real-time feedback, goal tracking, and performance analytics. Use digital platforms to facilitate virtual meetings, document sharing, and collaboration between remote teams. Embrace automation to reduce administrative burdens and free up time for more meaningful interactions.
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Work smarter, not harder. Leverage technology to streamline the process. Use real-time feedback tools, goal tracking software, and peer review platforms. These tools create a living record of progress and keep the focus on development, not paperwork.
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Leveraging technology in performance evaluations streamlines the process, fostering a culture of continuous development. Real-time feedback, goal tracking, and peer reviews, facilitated by digital tools, create an ongoing record of growth. This efficient approach focuses on employee progress, saving time and emphasizing continuous learning.
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Use digital tools to streamline evaluations. Online platforms can facilitate self-assessments, track progress, and automate reminders. Consider using performance management software to centralize data and enhance efficiency
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Consider utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) for data analysis to identify patterns and trends in performance data, enabling more informed decision-making and personalized feedback. Implement gamification elements within evaluation platforms to increase engagement and motivation among employees, turning the evaluation process into a more interactive and rewarding experience.
A key part of revolutionizing performance evaluations is placing a strong emphasis on professional development. Rather than simply rating past performance, use evaluations as an opportunity to identify skills gaps and create personalized development plans. This proactive approach shows employees that you're invested in their growth and view evaluations as a means to enhance their career trajectory, not just as a formality.
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Offer training, mentoring, and coaching opportunities to help employees build new skills, overcome challenges, and advance their careers. Recognize and reward employees who actively seek out learning opportunities and demonstrate a commitment to their own development.
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Invest in their future, invest in yours. Focus on professional development. Identify skills gaps and create personalized development plans. Show your commitment to their growth. Evaluations become a launchpad for career advancement, not just a box-ticking exercise.
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Whilst I'm not a fan of the archaic style formal review process, I've a fond memory of a previous employer where development and therefore paid education assistance was a part of the process, which made it more enjoyable and perceived that my growth was cared about, vs. the review being an act of tokenism.
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Transforming performance evaluations into a catalyst for growth and development is a game-changer! Instead of merely assessing past performance, let's use evaluations as a springboard for future success. By identifying skills gaps and creating tailored development plans, we demonstrate our commitment to employees' long-term growth and career advancement. This forward-thinking approach turns evaluations into a meaningful tool for empowerment, rather than just a routine exercise. By investing in our team members' development, we foster a culture of continuous learning, innovation, and collaboration. Let's embrace evaluations as a chance to unlock potential, drive progress, and shape the future of our organization together!
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View evaluations as opportunities for growth. Discuss development plans, skill-building, and career aspirations. Provide resources for learning and professional development. Support employees in reaching their potential.
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I would consider implementing job rotation or cross-training programs to expose employees to new skills and perspectives, as this could foster versatility and adaptability within the team. Offer more formal mentorship opportunities where seasoned employees can share their expertise and provide guidance to junior staff members. Provide access to external training resources, workshops and conferences so as to help employees expand their networks and be aware of industry best practices.
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Analyze & identify the skills of each member and help set up the goals/tasks accordingly. This approach unleashes their true potential and motivates them to give their best and work on the goals accordingly.
Finally, ensure that performance evaluations are not solely about identifying areas for improvement but also about recognizing and celebrating successes. Acknowledgment of achievements motivates employees and reinforces positive behaviors. Make sure to highlight accomplishments, no matter how small, and link them to the overall success of the team and organization. This positive reinforcement can boost morale and drive performance.
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Performance evaluations offer a valuable opportunity for organizations to address areas for improvement and recognize successful work. This essential tool isn't solely about correcting behavior; it's also about rewarding those who consistently contribute to the company's success. Expressing appreciation during evaluations is crucial because these employees not only set the example for others to follow but also help foster a positive and productive work culture.
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Acknowledge the team's contributions, milestones, and accomplishments during performance evaluations and beyond. Offer praise and appreciation for their hard work, dedication, and positive impact on the organization. Consider implementing a formal recognition program to highlight outstanding performance and promote a culture of recognition.
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Performance evaluations are a valuable opportunity to not only identify areas for growth and development but also to recognize and celebrate the successes and achievements of our team members. By acknowledging and highlighting the accomplishments of our employees, we can reinforce positive behaviors, boost morale, and drive performance. Let's make sure to emphasize the successes. This positive reinforcement can have a profound impact on motivation and engagement, and help us build a culture of recognition and appreciation. By celebrating our achievements and recognizing our team members' hard work and dedication, we can create a positive and supportive work environment that encourages growth, innovation, and excellence.
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Don't wait for formal performance evaluations to acknowledge success and or progress. It goes against the grain of what motivates us humans. Consistent progress and rewards now vs. later, is motivating. Not once every 6-12 months.
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Consider implementing a peer recognition program where employees can nominate and commend their colleagues for outstanding contributions, fostering a culture of appreciation. Host regular team meetings dedicated to celebrating milestones. Offer tangible rewards or incentives, such as gift cards, extra time off, or personalized tokens of appreciation, to demonstrate the organization's gratitude for exceptional performance.
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Continuous Feedback: Replace annual reviews with ongoing, real-time feedback sessions. Strengths Focus: Emphasize strengths over weaknesses to maximize employee potential. 360-Degree Feedback: Gather input from peers, subordinates, and managers for a comprehensive view. Goal Alignment: Connect individual goals with organizational objectives for clarity and motivation. Upskilling: Encourage it Data-Driven: Measure performance objectively and identify areas for improvement. Recognition Culture: Foster a culture of appreciation and reward to boost morale and engagement. Flexibility: Adapt evaluation methods to suit diverse needs and circumstances.
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As leaders, we're constantly seeking ways to propel our teams to new heights of achievement. Performance evaluations can unleash untapped potential & drive unparalleled success. Traditional methods often fall short in capturing the full spectrum of an individual's contributions. By embracing continuous feedback, goal alignment, 360-degree insights, we can create a culture of growth & excellence. Data-driven insights provide foundation for informed decision-making, empowering us to identify trends, pinpoint areas for improvement, fuel strategic development initiatives. But let's not forget the human element! Transparency, flexibility, a focus on skill development are key pillars in fostering an environment where every team member can thrive.
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Janette M, Cruz (ASQ-CQA, ASQ-CQIA, BBA, AAS)
Regulatory.Compliance & Quality System Manager -Global
I agree with all and will add: -Creating development plans PLUS providing or recommending the tools. resources and whatever is needed to exceed the plan is a must. -Assigning specific metrics will be beneficial to both parties (leader and employee) Example- After identifying the different evaluation ratings: Be specific on what will constitute an exceed, meet or need improvement and make sure periodic reviews are held to make timely adjustment and avoid surprises at the end of the year. -Honesty throughout the process to continue build the necessary trust and support that is needed
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It’s so obvious it’s painful! Get rid of annual evals as they exist now! You should be checking in with your people at least monthly!
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Evaluations provide employees with guidance and a clear understanding of expectations. However, ensuring effective evaluations involves more than just having a structured process in place; it requires supervisors to be trained in conducting fair and professional assessments with their subordinates. Sadly, many professionals feel uneasy about sitting down with an employee, whether it's to clarify expectations initially or to explain performance ratings at the end of the year. I believe that it's our responsibility to ensure that negative evaluations don't come as a surprise to employees.Throughout the year, there are numerous chances to address issues & refine processes; it's essential to seize those opportunities to provide timely feedback.
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Revolutionize by making it simple! Expectations and feedback needs to be SMART goals. Realistic and constructive feedback keeping criticism aside is important. True leader needs to be selfless and unbiased. Growth of organization and individual should always be focused. A balance act of employee well being and checking on job satisfaction will be positive. Flexibility needs to be coached with regular skill assessment.
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Adding to all that's already said and commented by talented leaders here. Have quarterly OKRs and clear KPIs, well discussed, explained and accepted. Design growth and include your contribution to propel your teams growth. Meet regularly to evaluate and check on health of both the goal and the team member. Course correct as needed. And finally always align all this to the corporate goal.
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In my view as a leader to revolves the performance evolution the important factor is PERFORMANCE IS EQUAL TO POTENTIAL MINUS INTERFERENCE Another factor fits both need, style and desire so leader and team member can have mutual benefit Acceptance and celebrate the uniqueness and difference of each employee which result in effective performance with high motivation
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A few years ago I was trying to define a role. It was FacilityManager, the one that has to do with building management. We are all a type of them. . It turns out that although they are not similar in everything, but can help me answer, How do we revolutionize performance? The leader moves in several dimensions, people management, without a doubt, financial, cultural, and technological. People management is a broad package and the leader should know about human resources, coaching, strengths, skills, communication and humanity. Social and environmental responsibility must be there. Changing the outlook from the boss to the transformational leader is the true revolution.
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