We have an ethical responsibility to do our best, prior to our being hired to help, to determine whether we think we CAN help. Failed projects damage both our clients and us, so we do our best to get enough information to provide an informed decision, YES, we think we can help, or NO, it probably won't work. We look at the customer situation, where the customer is at now with their performance management systems, and a number of other factors.

And, of course we evaluate whether our skills fit.

Things We Don't Do (Because There Are Better Options)

We do NOT:

• help you develop a new performance appraisal form. That doesn't work for you, and it gives the illusion of change. New forms don't make a difference.
• offer longer canned training on the nuts and bolts of things like writing standards of performance, objective setting and so on. If you believe that's what you need, (and sometimes it is), you will find options close to you and at lower costs than what we would provide. Nuts and bolts training courses are a dime a dozen.
• help you automate a system for performance appraisals. I'm not convinced of the value of doing so in terms of improving performance. Besides, our skills and knowledge on the topic are too limited to help.

Are We Likely to Succeed Together On Improving Performance Management?

Here's some factors we believe are related to success working together on training and consulting. They are just guidelines, though.

We will be more able to help if:

• Key players in the organization are willing to make a reasonable commitment to making performance management work, and that means potentially altering their own use of the process.
• The desire to improve performance management is really a desire to create success for everyone, including employees, and that means dedication to improving performance rather than shuffling papers more efficiently.
• Key stake holders are open minded about change.
• Key players understand that the work world has changed and that it's necessary to work with employees, to the extent it is possible to do so, rather than to do something "to employees" to improve performance.