Management Observation Program Best Practice 17 – Paired Observations
Managers translate leadership’s vision into the day-to-day actions of the workforce. They do this through their decisions, published standards, and operational procedures. They reinforce desired behaviors through organizational performance measures and management observations. But how do executives ensure their manager and supervisor direct reports understand and properly translate and reinforce their vision with the workforce? One method of doing so is through the conduct of paired observations.[wcm_restrict plans=”41999, 25542, 25653″]
Paired observations are management observations performed by a manager or supervisor with his/her superior in attendance. During these observations, the superior performs an observation of the manager or supervisor; noting:
- What activity, document, and/or technology the observer choses to evaluate
- How the observer evaluates the activity, document, or technology (subject)
- What subject characteristics the observer deems to be excellent, above average, average, and needs improvement (See StrategyDriven Management Observation Program Best Practice article, Criteria Scoring System)
- What the observer deems important enough to document as substantiating comments
- How and what feedback is provided to the observed subject or subject owner
The superior documents his/her assessment of the observer’s performance; providing coaching as necessary to better align the individual’s understanding with leadership’s vision.
Final Thoughts…
Paired observations further communicates the importance of the management observation program and helps ensure the program itself continues to provide quality reinforcement of expectations and input to the organization’s performance improvement efforts.
Like other observations, a standard observation form should be used during paired observations. In these instances, the focus of the observation and established criteria should align with the five goals listed above.[/wcm_restrict][wcm_nonmember plans=”41999, 25542, 25653″]
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About the Author
Nathan Ives is a StrategyDriven Principal and Host of the StrategyDriven Podcast. For over twenty years, he has served as trusted advisor to executives and managers at dozens of Fortune 500 and smaller companies in the areas of management effectiveness, organizational development, and process improvement. To read Nathan’s complete biography, click here.
People, processes, and technologies are not perfect. And if they were, you’d still have something to write about.[wcm_restrict plans=”41990, 25542, 25653″]
Not all activities impact or potentially impact the organization equally. Consequently, they should not be treated equally when being selected for observation. So what activities should be prioritized for observation?[wcm_restrict plans=”41983, 25542, 25653″]
Management observation cards are intended to be easy and straightforward to complete in the field. Consequently, the card’s structure should be such that it requires the minimal amount of data collection; reducing the administrative burden (and physical awkwardness) of completing form while ensuring quality performance data collection. Such a structure promotes the number and frequency of observation performance which in-turn yields additional management engagement points and performance data. Key to simplifying management observation cards is a predefined criteria scoring system whereby the observer need only select specific scores for each criteria accompanied by substantiating comments for performance outliers (high and low).[wcm_restrict plans=”41978, 25542, 25653″]
Management observation programs serve to reinforce leadership expectations throughout the workforce. This reinforcement not only includes standards associated with the performance of day-to-day operational activities but also manager and supervisor performance of observations. One effective way to reinforce the importance of the program itself, desired performance of management observations by managers and supervisors, and behaviors expected of workers is through a publicly published management observation program metrics set.[wcm_restrict plans=”41970, 25542, 25653″]