Professional performance: beyond evaluations and metrics

In almost all companies we are constantly working to consolidate, with the best methodologies, the performance evaluation systems based on the objectives, metrics and indicators that we want to achieve with each employee that align to the strategy and purpose of the organization.

Many organizations establish in their route to be specific and fair with the assignment of such objectives, group and individual, and with them, there is evidence of measurement in the expected deadlines responding strategically to the role played by each person. In this way, taking into account the strategy, objectives, deadlines, roles and functions, as well as the expected performance of the team and of each individual, the company is able to measure its performance, both in organizational and individual terms.

So far so good and nothing new compared to most companies. But performance as an abstract concept (since it is a human activity in action and movement) has multiple forces constantly acting from many places. To be explicit, they can be dimensioned as internal and external forces on individuals, processes and work teams. Thus, some factors that influence people’s way of thinking are observed, for example, in relation to the expectations that someone has regarding the environment when someone is in full performance of his or her role or function. Some concerns arise and drain the worker’s full attention. One of them is who has expectations about his or her performance and what those expectations are. From the internal look of the person who feels under scrutiny to meet those expectations by other people, who may be their bosses, co-workers, customers, or even family and friends, the word performance becomes a commitment, often not acquired consciously, but implicitly carries a lot of responsibility.

Failure to meet these commitments, which go hand in hand with expectations, can generate consequences that are not positive for the collaborator. According to Dr. Evans – psychiatrist, expert in behavioral analysis – “before our performance, people expect us to reach a certain standard. During our performance, we are being evaluated or observed, sometimes publicly. And then the quality and outcome of our performance will be seen in the consequences.”

We must ask ourselves if we should only talk about performance around a semi-annual or annual evaluation with indicators by purely numerical objectives, or if every day organizations should look at these external and internal factors and understand them to contribute positively to a quality performance under pressure based on the excellence of each and every one of the collaborators.

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