Performance evaluation is a two-way street

[Courtesy of NonProfit Times]

The most important aspect to evaluating an executive is providing time for thoughtful conversation, according to Donna F. Vickers and Kelly Stevelt Kaser in “Evaluating Your Executive: New Approaches, New Purposes,” published by The Academy of Leadership & Governance in Columbus, Ohio.

Grading an executive’s performance without conversation about what it means is not useful, according to the authors, who compiled 15 different options for nonprofit boards to evaluate their executives.

One of the options presented, “The Making of an Effective Executive,” first appeared in the Harvard Business Review by Peter Drucker, “one of the fathers of American management science.” He believes that leaders who are truly effective follow eight practices.

The first two give them the knowledge they need, the next four help convert this knowledge into effective action, and the last two ensure the whole organization feels responsible and accountable.

Effective leaders:

• Ask, “What needs to be done?”
• Ask, “What is right for the enterprise?”
• Develop action plans.
• Take responsibility for decisions.
• Take responsibility for communicating.
• Focus on opportunities rather than problems.
• Run productive meetings.
• Think and say, “we” rather than “I.”