The HRBP Performance Perspective

Success Factor #4: Focus on Results

Photograph by the author

In Primed to Perform, Neel Doshi and Lindsay McGregor write about two types of performance: tactical and adaptive. Tactical performance involves executing planned tasks to achieve a business goal. Adaptive performance is a set of tasks that deviate from the plan. Doing either can move you closer to achieving a business goal or a different one. As situations change, the plan may not work or the business goal is no longer desired (hence, the need for adaptation).

BPs may not consider how every tactical request aligns with or deviates from a plan. For example, a BP may ask their HRBP to deliver some training to fulfill a perceived need but might not have considered how the intervention enables the workforce to proceed with the plan or resolve a strategic, performance barrier. As the HRBP, you need to determine if the intervention outcome helps move the workforce towards business goals or mitigates any performance barriers that prevent the workforce from achieving desired performance goals.

Think about all the training that seemed like a good idea but didn’t improve performance. Any of the following could explain why improvement doesn’t happen:

• The training was poorly designed or delivered incorrectly.
• The training wasn’t needed…