Performance Improvement: Making It Happen Book

	Foreword	ix
	Preface	xiii
	About the Author	xvii
Part 1	Performance improvement: Getting it started
Chapter 1	Performance improvement: An overview of today's realities	3
A.	Performance definitions	3
B.	Why the powerfully felt need for performance improvement by leaders?	4
C.	Limited success in performance improvement	7
D.	Specific reasons why leaders start performance improvement	8
E.	A process approach: The first look	12
F.	Summary	13
G.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	13
Chapter 2	Performance gaps and deficiencies: An overview	15
A.	Model of ideal performance definitions by leadership	15
B.	Performance at the operational level	17
C.	Goals, standards, key performance indicators and models of effective performance: Measures of performance	20
D.	Identifying areas needing performance improvement	20
E.	Conclusions	21
F.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	21
Chapter 3	Deciding on performance improvement: Useful concepts and tools	23
A.	Process for deciding about performance improvement: If/what/how?	24
B.	The four stages	25
C.	The organizational success model: A model of effective performance	32
D.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	35
Chapter 4	Performance improvement and goal setting: Making the strategic vision happen	37
A.	Characteristics of effective goals	37
B.	Sources of resistance to goal setting	38
C.	Benefits from organizational/team goal setting	39
D.	Cascading goals	39
E.	Special case: Large teams in big organizations	40
F.	Cascading goals down to the individual	41
G.	Measuring performance: Goals and key performance indicators	42
H.	A brief case study: Another model of effective performance	44
I.	The role of feedback	46
J.	Conclusion	49
K.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	49
Part 2	Performance improvement: Taking action
Chapter 5	Building a learning organization	53
A.	The learning organization: A starting point for performance improvement	54
B.	The model for growth: Learning and skill development	56
C.	Building learning organizations: Two case studies	61
D.	Summary and conclusion	66
E.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	66
Chapter 6	Selection and performance: Process, tools, and techniques	67
A.	Introduction and overview	67
B.	Sources of information for hiring decisions	69
C.	Other techniques for effective hiring	75
D.	Three additional selection issues	78
E.	Conclusion and summary	79
F.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	79
Chapter 7	Strategic plan for the organization: Where it all starts	81
A.	Connecting strategy to prior discussions	81
B.	Process for creating organizational/team strategy	82
C.	Cascading goals revisited and extended	88
D.	Major process issues	92
E.	Conclusion	93
F.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	93
Chapter 8	Teams and performance	95
A.	Linkage and overview	95
B.	Some areas for teamwork	95
C.	When to use teams and when not to use them	96
D.	A model of effective teamwork	98
E.	Marketing, sales, and customer service teams	102
F.	Production teams	105
G.	Conclusion	107
H.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	107
Chapter 9	Leadership and teamwork	109
A.	Introduction and linkage	109
B.	The importance of leadership in organizational/team performance: Introduction	110
C.	Sources of and changes in an individual's leadership/management behavior	111
D.	Importance of leadership and management in organizational/team performance revisited	112
E.	Model of effective management/leadership performance	114
F.	Management values (beliefs about people and workers)	118
G.	Participation, access, and involvement (participative management)	120
H.	Interpersonal competence and communication style	121
I.	Motivation: The manager and those he manages	124
J.	Power and empowerment	124
K.	Leadership style	125
L.	Suggested action steps for organizational leaders/managers	128
Chapter 10	Performance improvement and developing the individual	129
A.	What do we know about developing individual performance?	131
B.	The model for growth and developing individual performance	132
C.	Morale and individual performance	134
D.	Performance management and developing the individual	135
E.	Core competencies and developing individual performance	138
F.	Conclusion: Individual learning and performance improvement	138
G.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	139
Chapter 11	Training, development, and education: Helping people learn for performance	141
A.	Introduction	141
B.	Distinguishing training, development, and education	141
C.	The three learning initiatives and performance improvement	143
D.	Learning initiatives, strategic planning, and other improvement initiatives	143
E.	Characteristics of effective training and development	145
F.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	151
Chapter 12	Learning in support of other performance improvement initiatives	153
A.	Transition	153
B.	A comprehensive effort at performance improvement	153
C.	Learning and strategic planning	155
D.	Learning and teamwork	156
E.	Knowledge and restructuring the organization	159
F.	Learning and developing leadership	160
G.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	161
Part 3	Evaluating and stabilizing performance improvement
Chapter 13	Factors affecting performance improvement stability	165
A.	Introduction and linkage	165
B.	First factor affecting evaluation/stabilization: The critical role of leadership	166
C.	Second factor affecting evaluation/stabilization: Characteristics of the organization and its culture	172
D.	Third factor affecting performance evaluation/stabilization: Characteristics of the people involved	174
E.	Fourth factor affecting performance improvement evaluation/stabilization: Characteristics of the performance improvement intervention	175
F.	Conclusion	175
G.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	176
Chapter 14	Comprehensive performance improvement	179
A.	Introduction	179
B.	Linking the basic elements of high level performance	180
C.	Conclusion	185
D.	Suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	186
Chapter 15	Performance improvement efforts: Trade offs for leaders	187
A.	Introduction	187
B.	Performance status template: Organizational progress/systems	188
C.	Conclusion and final suggested action steps for organizational/team leaders	190
	Index	191