24Mar

Learn how to set goals that motivate you 3.

Feedback on performance is more effective than actual goal achievement.

Feedback Must Be Provided on Goal Attainment

Feedback helps employees attain their performance goals. Feedback helps in two important ways. First, it helps people determine how well they are doing. For example, sports teams need to know the score of the game; a sharpshooter needs to see the target; a golfer needs to know his score. The same can be said for a work team, department, or organization. Performance feedback tends to encourage better performance. Second, feedback also helps people determine the nature of the adjustments to their performance that are required to improve. For example, sports teams watch video reproductions of a game and adjust their play; an archer can adjust his shot; a golfer can adjust her swing; and a CEO of an organization can gage the growth, profitability, and quality of a product line.

Goals Are More Effective When They Are Used to Evaluate Performance

When employees know that their performance will be evaluated in terms of how well they attained their goals, the impact of goals increases. Salespeople, for example, have weekly and monthly sales goals they are expected to attain. Telephone operators have goals for the number of customers they should assist daily. Quarterbacks are judged on the completion percentages of passes thrown and the number of yards the offense generates per game. Coaches are assessed on their win-loss record. CEOs are evaluated on meeting growth, profitability, and quality goals.