Chapter 2: Performance Management Process - Vocabulary Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and definitions from the Performance Management lecture notes.

Performance Management Process

A systematic, ongoing approach to improving organizational and employee performance through prerequisites, performance planning, performance execution, performance assessment, and performance review.

Prerequisites

Foundational knowledge required for effective PM: the organization’s mission and strategic goals and knowledge of the specific job.

Mission

The organization’s purpose, direction, goals, and strategies that guide all activities.

Strategic planning

Process to determine why the organization exists, where it is going, its goals, and the strategies to attain them.

Cascade effect

Alignment of the organization’s mission and goals from top to bottom to units and employees.

Job analysis

Systematic study of a job’s key components: activities, tasks, products/services/processes, and the KSAs required.

KSAs

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities required to perform a job.

Job Description

Document listing job duties, required KSAs, and working conditions.

O*Net

Occupational Information Network; an online source for generic job descriptions and related data.

Work Analysis tools

Methods used to collect job data, such as interviews, observation, and questionnaires.

Data sources

Information collected from job incumbents, supervisors, and people responsible for creating the job.

Work Analysis Follow-Up

Incumbents review information, provide feedback, and rate tasks and KSAs by frequency and criticality.

Rater Biases

Systematic rating errors such as self-serving bias, social projection/false consensus bias, and carelessness bias.

Rater Training

Web-based training to calibrate ratings, including defining dimensions, scale anchors, behavior indicators, practice, and feedback.

Rating dimensions

The aspects of performance that are measured in the evaluation.

Scale anchors

The endpoints of the rating scale (e.g., 1 to 5) used to guide ratings.

Knowledge

Information and understanding required to perform the job.

Skills

Proficiencies or capabilities to perform specific tasks.

Abilities

Capacities or aptitudes that support performing tasks.

Competencies

Measurable clusters of KSAs that determine how results are achieved.

Development Plan

Plan outlining areas for improvement and goals to achieve in each area.

Performance Planning

Phase that sets expected results, behaviors, and development plans; includes key accountabilities, specific objectives, and standards.

Key Accountabilities

Broad areas of a job for which the employee is responsible for producing results.

Specific Objectives

Measurable statements of the outcomes to be achieved.

Performance Standards

Yardsticks for evaluating how well objectives are achieved; typically include quality, quantity, cost, and time.

Behaviors

How a job is done; includes discussion of competencies.

Development Plan (in PM context)

Areas for improvement and goals to be achieved to advance performance.

Performance Execution

Phase where employees actively pursue goals, seek feedback, communicate with the supervisor, and collect performance data.

Employee Responsibilities

Commitment to goal achievement, ongoing feedback and coaching requests, and preparation for reviews.

Manager Responsibilities

Observation, documentation, providing feedback, ensuring resources, and reinforcing desired performance.

Performance Assessment

Evaluation process using manager, self, and other sources (peers, customers) to assess performance.

360-degree feedback

A multi-source review process (manager, peers, subordinates, customers) to reduce biases and provide a comprehensive rating.

Performance Review

Appraisal meeting covering past behaviors and results, current/ future considerations such as compensation and development goals.

Six Steps for Conducting Productive Performance Reviews

Identify strengths/weaknesses, solicit feedback, discuss behavioral implications, explain past skill use, agree on an action plan, and set follow-up.