Around 2,700 people were surveyed in Switzerland, including employees, leader HR specialists. Among other things, the following discrepancy was identified: 94 percent of leader they set clear goals. However, only 42 percent of the employees surveyed stated that they had received clear goals from their superiors.

The results in Germany are unlikely to be much different. According to the Gallup Institute (Engagement Index Germany 2015), employees answer the question: "Is your performance at work measured or recorded using data or key performance indicators?" 58 percent answered "No." A total of 55 percent also answered "No" to the question: "Has your supervisor had a conversation with you about your performance at work in the last six months?" Most of the respondents therefore do not receive qualified feedback, including praise, as their performance is neither measured nor commented on by their supervisors.

It is therefore understandable that only 16 percent of all employees have a strong emotional attachment to their company. An equal number have no emotional attachment at all! The remaining 68 percent have a weak emotional attachment. In addition, more than 30 percent of all employees would not describe their superiors as "good leader. leader

How exactly do you know what is expected of you? How would your employees answer if they were asked this question? How clearly and precisely has it been agreed what needs to be achieved and by when? How confident are you that the results can be achieved as planned? How are the results measured? How is feedback given?
In the article EOA – Good reasons for the "Result-Oriented Job Description,Result-Oriented Job Description you will find further arguments in favor of using the EOA. The following section will show how this tool is generally used and what is important when doing so.

How to create an EOA

Before presenting EOA in our seminars and EOA workshops, we highlight responsibility that need responsibility assumed. This includes your own results and those of the colleagues you manage. We also explain why Result Orientation is an effective inner attitude and that results are relevant in an economic context – impact rather than activity. Participants then learn in a practical way how the results to be achieved can be recorded in the form of an EOA. The completed EOA is used as a written agreement between the contractor and the client. It enables employees to become co-thinkers and achieve results autonomously.

Task – Result

Since most people find it easier to describe their tasks than their results, we start with this in our seminars. Participants list their most important professional activities and rank them. The results of these tasks are then determined. A desired new state in the future is formulated as SMART as possible. This also includes qualitative criteria such as the time frame. Care must be taken to ensure that actual results are described in measurable terms, rather than apparent results. This should also make the meaning clear. For goals that are further away, interim results are useful for identifying deviations at an early stage.

responsibility: "I will ensure that ..."

Responsibility is defined in the EOA by the phrase"I will ensure that ...". This makes it clear who is responsible for the result. However, it does not specify who will actually carry out the task. responsibility can responsibility active or passive. In the latter case, delegation is possible.

Procedure: "... by ..."

The Result-Oriented Job Description not usually Result-Oriented Job Description how a result is to be achieved. This is because the owner of the EOA can decide howtheywanttoachieve results. However, if a specific procedure is to be specified, this can be added in a subordinate clause with:"... by ...". This is usually not necessary for experienced professionals (phase 3 or 4).

Discussion and review of the EOA

The EOA review practiced in the seminars should also be carried out in the meeting with the supervisor. At a minimum, the following questions should be considered:

• Are the criteria for an EOA met? Are measurable results formulated in terms of results as the desired future state?
• Is the EOA effective? Are the correct results described? Are these results appropriate? The "control buttons"can be used as an aid.
• Has the EOA been accepted? Has the owner emotionally embraced their EOA? Do they truly want to achieve the results?

Simple examples

• "I ensure that our hotline is available during the published hours and that the waiting time for callers is less than three minutes [by ...]."
• "I will ensure that Project XY is completed by August 31 and that the customer accepts the result without reservation [by ...]."
• "I ensure that management is aware of the previous month's sales figures on every third working day of the month [by ...]."

Frequently asked questions

• • Is one EOA or several EOAs required per employee?
    We use the term "EOA" for both the fourth tool and the individual descriptions it contains. The document referred to as EOA contains a list of EOAs in the form shown above. There should be one EOA document per role that is up to date and can be used as a guide by its owner.

 

• • Who should create the EOA, the supervisor or the employee?
    Since the EOA is written in the"I will ensure that" form, it makes sense for everyone to create their own document. However, this is only possible if sufficient knowledge is available. Otherwise, supervisors can also create the EOA for their employees and discuss it with them. Ultimately, everyone should be able to accept and sign their agreement.

 

• • Does everyone in the company need their own Result-Oriented Job Description? Up to what level are EOAs useful?
    In principle, every employee should be managed indirectly to a large extent. If systems are sufficient for this, an EOA is not necessary. An EOA should be created for areas of work and personal development goals that are not covered by a system.

 

• • How comprehensive is a Result-Oriented Job Description?
    An EOA usually consists of several EOAs that define overarching results for the owner of the document (see also: The five tasks of a leader). These EOAs can be described in more detail with additional EOAs. The entire document therefore comprises one to several A4 pages.

 

• • When is an EOA created and how often is it adjusted?
    It makes sense to draft EOAs as early as possible so that it is clear what is expected. Whenever something changes, the EOAs should be reviewed, adjusted if necessary, discussed again, and signed. If a new position needs to be filled, an initial version of the EOA can be created for the job interviews.

 

• • What is the connection between leadership guidelines EOA?
    leadership guidelines to develop and guide an individual and are therefore specific to a particular person. EOA, on the other hand, describes a role that is assumed by one or more people. An employee can have more than one role and thus several EOAs. Separate EOAs can be created for individual goals if necessary. An employee should only take on tasks and thus EOAs that they are capable of fulfilling. leadership guidelines be helpful in this regard.

 

• How are the various EOAs in an organizational unit aligned with each other?
  Normally, the supervisor's results-oriented task description is created first. This is then broken down for the employees. Of course, responsibility should responsibility to active and passive responsibility . This is illustrated in the presentation from a workshop (see image).