Evaluating Team Performance (Paperback) | Released: 27 Jun 2012

In September of 1992, the Interagency Advisory Group (IAG) Committee on Performance Management and Recognition established a working group of Federal agency representatives to research the issue of evaluating team performance. This report and the accompanying annotated bibliography are the products of that working group. After studying both public and private sector performance management systems, the working group observed that a variety of approaches are used in interdependent work environments to assess team performance. These approaches fall along a continuum, ranging from completely individual-focused approaches to team- and/or organization-focused approaches. (A graph and matrix which depict the four benchmark approaches or "models" are included on pages "iii" and "iv".) The report begins with an introduction to the focus continuum and includes an overview of components of assessment systems that apply to all the models. Detailed chapters follow for each model outlining the specific characteristics, the optimum organizational environment, the cost-of-implementation factors, and the advantages and disadvantages, along with some examples of each. Model #1 represents an individual-focused approach to planning and assessment in a team setting and begins the continuum. This model is very similar to traditional types of evaluation which may currently be in place in many organizations since this model uses only individual performance measurements to determine the final rating of the employee. At this point on the continuum, even though teams have been introduced into the organization, most work is still independent, the culture of the organization is still centered around the individual, teams may only be used occasionally or are very informal, and/or the climate and structure of the organization lends itself to individual planning, assessment and recognition rather than team or group assessment and recognition. Model #2 represents a shift along the continuum towards a more team-oriented approach but still focuses on individual performance. The Model #2 approach introduces an element into employees' appraisals addressing the individual's contribution to the team. This model--as well as Models #3 and #4--is supportive of employee involvement and high-performance initiatives as found in Total Quality Management, Total Quality Leadership, or other programs which use teamwork as a process to improve organizational performance. This model can be appropriate for organizations where the nature of the work is a combination of independent and interdependent tasks but where the culture and environment focus on individual accomplishment. This approach can also be a beginning and supportive incremental step toward the long-term strategic goal of the organization to move from an individual-focused culture to a team-focused one. The Model #3 approach represents an attempt to link team performance to individual performance by actually factoring the team's performance into the individual's performance rating. This is done by having at least one element of the individual's appraisal involve measurement of team performance, i.e. did the team meet its goals? did the team produce a quality product? does the team work well together? This approach may be used by organizations that use teamwork to accomplish a significant portion of the work, that have well-developed teams, or that for whatever reason want to enhance teamwork. Model #4 represents a completely organization-focused approach to planning and assessment as was practiced in the PACER SHARE demonstration project at McClellan Air Force Base in California and as promoted by Dr. W. Edwards Deming. This model lies at the end of the focus continuum with only the organization's performance evaluated.