Performance Modeling

There are many forms and approaches to Performance Modeling that I have come across in the 30+ years I have been doing this. This is a version that evolved from a derivative of a derivative of a Rummler approach – as I used to tell the late Geary Rummler – that I first learned at Wickes Lumber in the fall of 1979. There I worked alongside Geary’s brother-in-law – and two colleagues who had come to Wickes from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Detroit where they had both worked alongside Geary’s brother.

Modeling Performance – Part 1

The first part is to “chunk out” the Areas of Performance – also known as: Major Duties, Key Results Areas, and by many other names.

Gilbert called his chunks Accomplishments, but as that often (to the true believers) meant having to word them a specific way, using a noun-verb pattern – that I don’t use – so I don’t use that term – although I like it. I’ve written about that before – here.

Areas of Performance – AoPs Examples 1

Sales, or Account Rep.

Areas of Performance – AoPs Examples 2

Convenience Store Manager

Areas of Performance – AoPs Examples 3

A framework to tie all managers together to find both commonalities and difference in performance – and then in their enabling knowledge/skills – as well as other attributes.

Preview: Modeling Performance – Part 2

This involves getting the details for those chunks of Performance – in terms of both “ideal performance” of the Master Performs – and “the gaps” of the less-than-Master-Performers.

More on this will be covered in a follow on Post – on Performance Modeling Step 2

Preview: Deriving the Enablers of That Performance

Depending on your intent “downstream” is: there are various enablers – other Assets that then enable that ideal Performance – that you might be needing to capture – for your downstream project efforts, including:

• Human Assets: awareness, knowledge, skills
• Human Assets: physical attributes
• Human Assets: intellectual attributes
• Human Assets: psychological attributes
• Human Assets: personal values
• Environmental Assets: data/information
• Environmental Assets: materials/supplies
• Environmental Assets:tools/equipment
• Environmental Assets: facilities/grounds
• Environmental Assets: budget/headcount
• Environmental Assets:culture consequences

More on all of this will be covered in a follow on Post – on Performance Modeling Step 3

Step 1 – Performance Modeling

Think of having a blank flip chart page (or white board – electronic or not) and asking a Master Performer or a group of Master Performance to name a big chunk of their job.

Think about your “first paycheck job” – what was the big chunk or the job that you would call out? Write that down somewhere.

Then you – and the MP or group of MPs swim upstream or downstream – asking for the other AoPs. Let’s say that after declaring your intent, you swim upstream.

You do that by asking “what did you do, performance-wise” before that?” And then you write that down. Do that for your “first paycheck job” now.

Ask again, “what did you do, performance-wise” before that?” And then you write that down. Do that for your “first paycheck job” now.

You repeat that until you need to stop – as you’ve found the beginning of “a” cycle.

Next you state that it’s time to go downstream from your starting point. You refocus on the first AoP defined – and you ask  “what did you do, performance-wise” after that?” And then you write that down. Do that for your “first paycheck job” now.

You repeat that until you need to stop – as you’ve found the end of “a” cycle. The end of a Performance Cycle.

Performers sometimes have but one cycle – and others have many.

Depending on the job – and the logic of the Performance – I sometimes start with a daily cycle. How do you they start their day – unlock the doors I ask? Then – what do you do to start the rest of the day – comes next.

But other jobs are longer cycle than daily, such as Instructional Designers, Project Managers, Engineers and Financial Auditors –  to name a few out of the hundreds of thousands or more possibilities.

Many jobs have daily cycles, and weekly cycles, Performance Cycles that are monthly, quarterly – and who can forget the annual inventory and budgeting cycles of other jobs.

Where did you end up in your “first paycheck job” – please finish that little practice drill now.

You’ll need it for the next few posts.

Performance Modeling is Covered in These Two Books

From 1999

This award winning book is available as both a free 410 page PDF – and as a $40 paperback.

BTW – Geary A. Rummler redesigned this book’s cover (from my initial version) after conducting an extensive review of it back in 1999. I didn’t ask him to; he just did it as a favor – ’cause that’s the kind of guy he was.

From 2011

This book is available as both a $15 Kindle and a $20 paperback.

I also offer formal workshops and informal coaching sessions on this Performance – for Instructional Analysts and Performance Improvement Analysts – and have been doing so for my F500 clients since 1983.

See the Services Tab for more info on that and them.

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