The vitality of any organization depends on its ability to overcome the inhibiting consequences of rejection. Applying performance management and process improvement makes the data collection effort less personal and more practical. And, therefore it becomes much easier to get buy-in for your initiatives.

Performance management and process improvement are two interconnected feedback tools that expose those sources of rejection and provide solutions. The most effective way to introduce them is to frame two sets of questions in the form of a sequential checklist, as outlined below:

Performance Management

As yourself if the right person is…

• In the right place.
• Doing the right thing.
• Doing the right thing, in the right way.
• And in the right place…
• For the right reason.

Process Improvement

Ask yourself if the “right thing” is…

• Getting to the right place,
• At the right time
• In the right quantity
• And in the right condition.

Start by working your way through each checklist until you can confidently answer “yes” to all 10 points of the two-step sequence. Satisfactory completion will take multiple sessions, so don’t be disappointed at the lack of results the first time around.

Any “no” or “I don’t know” responses to the performance management checklist should trigger an exploration of who’s in that position, what stage of learning they might be in and what additional training they will need to produce a “yes” response in the future.

Any “no” or “I don’t know” responses on the process improvement checklist should instigate a deeper dive to determine which stages of the workflow need improvement to attain the desired performance outcome.

As a learning leader, performance management and process improvement principles can help you provide learners who are struggling with rejection and falling behind in their work with an awareness of why “getting it right” is important, coupled with an understanding of what they need to do differently.