Like all things in life, performance is contextual.

As a result, organisations need to clarify what it means for both the business and its workforce so everyone understands what it’s trying to deliver.

 
As an example, performance in an operating theatre is different than a tour operator but no less important. It is different again in the construction industry than it is for an education provider, just as it would be for a rugby team versus a brand agency.

Regrettably, there are pundits across industry that push back on the notion of performance guidelines or measures because they believe it’s inappropriate for certain sectors when in fact, it’s the only thing that ultimately matters, i.e. that an organisation is clear about its purpose and is, therefore, focused on delivering on its promise in practice.

 
Why performance matters

Every organisation, whether it’s a private business, a publicly listed company, or a public service exists for a specific purpose. To honour its purpose, it needs to do certain things. The better it does those things, the more successful it will be.

To deliver its products or services, employees need to carry out different tasks or activities depending on the nature of their roles. The better those individuals do their jobs, the more productive or impactful they will be and, as a result, the more effective or successful their organisation.

For this reason, every person in every business is critical to its success which is why the criteria for each and every role is paramount.

 
Examples:

Continuing with the earlier theme, performance for a nurse in an operating theatre will be very different than it will be for a bus driver working for a tour company. This is because the requirements of their role are different. In the nurse’s case, it will be more about supporting the surgical team’s actions whereas the tour company’s efforts will be concentrated on providing an experience for their customers that reflects their vision or promise.

That said, there are far more commonalities than there are differences. For example, a successful operation will require coordinated efforts by highly trained staff which is no different than the tour company, i.e. the more competent and aligned their respective teams are, the more effective they will be. Obviously, success in a theatre will revolve around the efficient completion of operations in terms of correcting the issues patients are suffering from at the least cost and impact on stakeholders (i.e. the surgical team carrying out the procedures, their post-operative staff and those who pay for them – ratepayers) whereas success for the tour operator would be delighted customers who experience all they hoped for without incident or delay. 

While the safe and efficient completion of procedures should be the No. 1 priority for surgical teams, it isn’t the only story. Instead, how patients feel and, ultimately, take responsibility for their recovery is also critical. And because we know the interactions of medical staff have a major bearing on both, the more interest or compassion they demonstrate, the more successful their interventions will invariably be.

Likewise, the bus driver’s No. 1 priority will be to transport the company’s guests from point A to point B without incident. However, again, it isn’t the only measure. Instead, it will be the way in which they do it that will govern their customers’ experience and ultimately, the success of the company given its reputation will be affected by those of prior guests.

In other words, the criteria that informs a team or individual’s performance is critical as it will influence their behaviour and naturally, the outcomes they deliver.

 
As an example, performance for a theatre nurse may look something like this:

1. To support the facilitation of successful patient outcomes
2. To support the safe and efficient performance of the theatre team
3. To support the successful completion of operations or procedures
4. To ensure the comfort and well-being of patients throughout their procedures; and
5. To aid patient recovery to optimise the hospital’s capacity to fulfil its purpose

 
Whereas performance for the bus driver might look more like this:

1. To present a bus that reflects the company’s promise to the market
2. To complete the tour without incident to customers or property
3. To ensure the tour keeps to the stated schedule
4. To enrich their customer’s experience of the region and what the country has to offer; and
5. To leave them wanting more  

 
If we were to think about performance for a teacher, it might look more like this:

1. To maximise student’s sense of self-worth and their place in the world
2. To maximise their learning and ability to think critically to ensure long-term self-sufficiency
3. To develop their social skills and ability to cooperate and collaborate 
4. To enhance their talents and ability to contribute; and
5. To prepare them for a life of success beyond the classroom

 
Defining what performance looks like for people should be a priority for every organisation for without it, staff are forced to figure it out for themselves which not only leads to confusion but disappointment and indifference as the goal posts repeatedly change.    

Put another way, if a theatre nurse thought the only thing that mattered was that he fulfil critical activities, he is unlikely to enhance the performance of the surgical team let alone the experience or recovery of the patient. Whereas, if he did the other things mentioned, he would add enormous value to the team thereby enabling it to fulfil its aspirations over and above its obligations. 

Likewise, if a teacher thought the only thing that mattered was measurable learning, they’d likely focus on time in the classroom rather than the growth of students which will ultimately lead to voids in their development and subsequently, gaps or issues that could affect their thirst for knowledge as well as their ability to thrive as an independent member of society.

 
Realising the opportunity performance measures offer

Imagine what would happen in and to an organisation if every individual was clear about the purpose of their role, what success looked like for themselves and their team, and was given the backing and support to achieve it?

Not only would they feel valued and therefore compelled to succeed, the organisation would rise above the state of indifference most are suffering from proving once again that the answer to such issues is leadership and the instruments executives deploy to optimise their entity’s performance.  

If you’d like to look at how Vantaset could help you define what success looks like for your organisation, call us on +64 9 522 9409 or email us at info@vantaset.com

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