Gain insights into performance management for engineering teams. Discover how to set clear expectations, design performance metrics, and provide constructive feedback to enhance team productivity and accountability.

Performance Management for Engineering Management.png

A manager is responsible for assigning tasks to the team members, keeping tabs on the progress, and analyzing their performance. A good manager must know their strengths and use them accordingly.

This course covers the essentials of performance management in engineering teams. You’ll learn the importance of setting clear expectations and the difference between individual and collective accountability. You’ll learn the importance of performance metrics and design them for your team. Next, you’ll explore ways to keep your team motivated and provide each team member with constructive feedback. You’ll learn how to decide when to let a team member go, including planning for a successor.

By the end of this course, you’ll have learned to apply processes and practices to monitor the performance of your team. You’ll be able to provide timely and constructive feedback to your team, including performance reviews. In addition, you’ll be able to balance a team with members having varying performances and competencies.

Effective Performance Management for Engineering Teams

First and foremost, if you got hold of HR to work with you during the "corrections" step of the performance cycle, then it's highly likely that they're already keeping their own pulse on the situation, and if you reach out to them with the news that the employee hasn't improved their performance, the HR team will be ready to take the next step.

And, in fact, in many companies, they'll tell you what you need to do from here: What documentation you need to provide, what meetings you need to be in, even down to the words you need to say. In many cases, once you've said the requisite words, the HR folks move in and take over, essentially ushering you out the door while they take care of the rest.

It may feel a little unempowering to be "scripted" so heavily, but this is actually for both your and the company's benefit. Given all the litigation (at least in the US) around wrongful termination suits, it's to your advantage to let people who (literally) study this subject take over and handle the heavy lifting around this.

Having said all that, and with the caveat that you should always follow the script that HR lays down for you, there's a few things to keep in mind as you progress forward.


Coordinate with HR and follow their guidance in the termination process, as they are the experts.

Introduction

Overview of Performance Management

The Need for Clear Expectations

Accountability

Metrics

Motivation

Feedback

Performance Reviews

Corrections

Termination/Separation

Rewards

The Development of Talent

Conclusion

Preparing with HR