Performance Management System Project Update - June 30, 2017

Focus Group Results

*Naming note: as described later in this post, there is a strong preference for describing this tool as a “Performance Development Program” rather than “Performance Management Program.” The committee agreed to implement this change for all documentation going forward, including renaming ourselves to “Performance Development Committee.”

On Tuesday, 6/20, The Singer Group conducted focus groups with a handful of staff throughout the library system. The goal of these sessions was to get detailed feedback on the work of the Performance Development Committee so far. The goal of this post is to share details on that work and the input provided by the focus groups. The PM focus groups presentation PowerPoint goes into detail on our work to date. It has several new pieces of information, and we encourage all staff to read that document. Here is a brief overview of what you'll find in the PowerPoint:

• The Singer Group started with a general welcome and overview of the project.
• Next, they discussed Core Competencies for both staff and managers. The PowerPoint gives a full description of each competency. Although these are still in draft form and some title and definitions may change slightly, these competencies are likely to become cornerstones of our performance development system going forward:
  • Staff competencies: Customer Service, Communication, Accountability, Teamwork, and Professional Development.
  • Manager competencies: Performance Development, Change Management, and Strategic Thinking.
• Next, The Singer Group outlined goals for the new Performance Development Program and recommended elements. The recommended elements are not fully formed yet (for instance, we only have a basic sketch of the documentation forms at this point), but there is one major difference already planned:
  • Under the new Performance Development Program, managers will be expected to have one-on-one meetings with their direct reports at least monthly, with an option for more. Slide 13 of the PM Focus Group presentation PowerPoint shows a visual representation of these meetings. Slide 14 explains the goals and purpose of these meetings.
• The focus groups then gave feedback about their impressions of this plan.
• The Singer Group explained next steps and closed the meeting.

There is another new PowerPoint attached to this project page, the PM Focus Group Takeaways. This document summarizes the feedback that The Singer Group received from the focus group participants. It will make the most sense if you review the first PowerPoint closely before moving on to this one. Here is a brief overview of the feedback:

• Very favorable impression of the plan. No major changes were suggested.
• Some feedback to tweak the language in the core competencies
• Emphasis that managers will need to be accountable for implementation/consistency/support for the new system
• Strong preference for calling the new program a “performance development” program vs. a “performance management” program
• Questions to be answered:
  • How or whether traditional metrics (e.g. shelving accuracy) will fit into the new system
  • How the new system will link to compensation

One other issue raised during the focus groups concerned the use of upward feedback (i.e. giving feedback about your supervisor). The Performance Development Committee recognizes the value of upward feedback as a developmental tool for supervisors and understands that staff would value the chance to share input.  We envision implementing a tool in the future for gathering such feedback in addition to this performance development system.

Next steps: The Singer Group will now begin to fully develop the program with forms and supporting materials such as guides/FAQ, a process/timeline, etc. The Performance Management Committee and focus groups will have opportunities to weigh in on these materials before they are finalized.

If you have suggestions, questions, or concerns as you review these materials, The Singer Group wants to hear from you.  Please email them directly using the confidential address [email protected].

We are excited to share our progress with you and will keep working to develop a high-quality performance development system that helps us achieve our goals.