Masonry Magazine August 2001 Page. 8
8 MASONRY AUGUST, 2001
"Can't you process those orders a little faster?"
"I could do a better job if you'd only be a little more clear in your instructions."
"I think you make too many mistakes on your data entry."
Ever been on the receiving end of comments like these? If so, you probably felt more than a little frustrated. For starters, you may have been upset that your work was being criticized. But to make matters even more frustrating, you probably felt that those comments were ambiguous. So, however eager you might have been to improve your efforts, you really didn't know what was expected of you. What, after all, does the phrase "a little faster" mean? Or "a little more clear in your instructions?" Or "too many mistakes?"
Ambiguous expectations and criticisms occur in every workplace. Think about the big problems you've discussed with your boss, a subordinate or a colleague, over the past year. Could you have more effectively resolved those problems had you defined them in precise terms - and identified possible solutions in terms of equally precise goals?
If the answer is "yes," or if you're encountering a particularly thorny performance issue right now, you can learn to use performance-based numbers to resolve those thorny workplace issues. Here's how:
UNDERSTAND THE BENEFITS OF PERFORMANCE-BASED GOALS
Are you simply trying to solve a performance problem in your department or unit? Or are you trying to cut costs? Get higher productivity for every dollar expended? Or meet some company-wide efficiency standard? These are all legitimate reasons for setting precise, tough goals. But the benefits you're seeking will determine the way you address those goals.
Let's say, for instance, you're an inventory supervisor, responsible for tracking thousands of warehouse items and supplying them to various depart-