Performance Management: A Framework for Continuous Learning in Organizations

Abstract

Performance management, a critical business process, is discussed in this chapter as a framework for driving continuous learning at the individual, team, and organization levels, with an emphasis on the manager-employee relationship. The concepts of learning, continuous learning, and performance management are introduced, defined, and framed, setting the foundation for the subsequent discussion of each key component of the performance management process—goal setting, feedback, development, and appraisal—and its role in driving continuous learning. The discussion emphasizes the importance of goal cascading and alignment, the impact and influence of both performance and development goals on defining directions for continuous learning, understanding the conditions that enable the positive impact of feedback, knowing the factors that can promote employee development and continuous learning, and knowing how to use both informal and formal performance appraisals to identify, define, and plan for continuous learning. The chapter closes with a summary reinforcing the role of performance management as a framework for driving continuous learning in organizations.