e-Book
This short e-book is designed specifically for HR professionals. It explains what the root cause of the problem that derails all type of formal and informal performance discussion processes is, and why this situation negatively affects employee engagement levels.
It then shows exactly how PAF works to overcome it.
The book also provides specific suggestions for how HR professionals can implement PAF in their organizations.
 
Working in Theory but Failing in Practice? How to make performance management and appraisal programs work by overcoming the root cause of the problem.
By: Julie Freeman
ISBN:
Date:
Pages:
Format:
Cost:
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0-9736824-0-X
July 2007 (Second Edition)
108 pages
Downloadable Adobe Reader (PDF) Printable
$29.95 US
Performance Feedback, Montreal, Canada |
Notes on the 2007 edition
Since this book was first published in 2004, the additional experience gained from teaching The PAF Technique to managers resulted in improvements to both the technique itself and to the way it is explained. These refinements, together with an enhanced explanation of the link between performance-related communication and employee engagement, constitute the major updates in this version of the book.
Full Book Summary/Description
More and more studies are documenting the link between employee engagement and all facets of an organization’s success. Improving the levels of employee motivation, commitment, and productivity is therefore becoming an increasingly top priority for Human Resources departments and individual managers alike. However, and despite many attempts at improving the situation, the statistics on engagement remain dismal.
This book makes the compelling argument that achieving success in this endeavour has been elusive because employee engagement is so intertwined with another huge issue facing organizations – namely, the scarcity and inadequacy of performance-related communication between managers and employees. HR professionals are well aware of this persistent and serious problem. In fact, they have been grappling with it for a long time, but with little progress to show for their efforts. Formal performance discussion processes in most organizations are working well enough in theory but still tend to fail miserably in practice. In addition, the rarity of honest and effective discussions about all aspects of performance and potential outside these yearly events is truly alarming.
It is therefore impossible to tackle the engagement issue without first solving the communication problem. Conversely, if we can solve the communication problem, then we are automatically in a position to improve employee engagement levels.
In less than 100 pages, this book identifies the root cause of the communication problem and presents a surprisingly simple solution that overcomes it – The PAF Technique (Performance Analysis and Feedback). The technique is easy for managers to learn and extremely flexible for organizations to implement to achieve a variety of communication improvement goals.
PAF is not a gimmick. Because it is a legitimate solution to the root cause of this serious problem, its effect is two-fold. It gives managers the tool that they so desperately need in order to hold more honest and effective formal and informal performance discussions with employees. This, in turn, is the key that enables them to tap into the potential for superior performance and productivity buried in the majority of those employees.
Reviews of Working in Theory but Failing in Practice?
2007 Edition
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We are currently looking for reviews from HR professionals working in larger organizations. If you fall into this category and would like to write a short review please send an email containing your name and title, and your organization’s name and address to jfreeman@performancefeedback.com
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I’ve read a lot of books and articles about Performance Management. I’ve also had to train on this topic over the past 10 years in every organization I’ve worked in from Financial to IT to Retail. With that in mind, I’m familiar with many different models on how to deliver feedback, how to make it digestible for the employee, how to help a manager form their thoughts into something that is “objective”. The book title Working in Theory but Failing in Practice by Julie Freeman describes what we, as HR practitioners face everyday. Taking the tried, tested and true theories to practical use on the job. his book walks through a comprehensive process, Performance Analysis Feedback (PAF) that helps us mold the theory into useable, bit-sized pieces that I could envision as I read. I found myself nodding at some of the true-to-life examples of feedback conversations in the early stages of the book and as the PAF process unfolded I could also see the conversation change significantly for the better.
The “flip” was a huge a-ha for me in this book. When it was first introduced, I must admit I was a little skeptical. As I read further, the technique started to transform the way I was thinking. Through the real-life examples provided, the light was switched on for me. This is do-able and managers who have been trained again and again on Performance Management could follow the PAF technique. As a Learning professional, I am always cautious about introducing “new” models into my organization. I need to ensure consistency in language and methodology to provide a solid base for all programs within our portfolio. The 3-Step PAF can be used on its own or blended with any model.
This book also made me think about “what” we train managers to give feedback on … now you might say performance. While performance is always the end result too often we focus our training on more tangible examples. In the real world we all know it’s the intangibles – the behaviours, relationships, personal impact on others, that need to be managed as well. Maybe even more so. The 3-step PAF will give managers confidence to have those conversations in the more grey areas. |
Amanda Mathieson
Director, Learning
Indigo Books & Music
Toronto, Canada |
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What HR department isn't chasing the employee engagement carrot? Practitioners all realize that engagement leads to improvement in virtually all critical HR metrics such as efficiency ratio, turnover, time to hire and employee satisfaction. Here is a concise, simple tool to provide busy business leaders so that they can follow a reliable method to provide performance feedback in a constructive way.
Business and operational leaders are busy running their business units. If we (HR) don't provide them with a proven yet simple approach to performance management, they simply won't do it. With the PAF system, they build their own communication capability and their willingness to seek out opportunities to proactively deliver objective performance and contribution feedback.
The old adage 'we are judged by our actions not our intentions' most definitely applies to performance management. Buy this book for all your people leaders and watch the shift in their actions; they will soon align with organization intentions and you'll unleash the power of an engaged workforce.
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Louise Taylor-Green
Vice-President, Retail Services
First Ontario Credit Union
Toronto, Canada
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2004 Edition
| Julie Freeman's work (Work in Theory But Failing in Practice) in improving performance appraisals is a "must-read" for those HR practitioners, supervisors and managers looking to improve their performance appraisal processes and outcomes. If we did a better job of communicating performance expectations and providing performance feedback, other items such as employee retention and leadership development just might take care of themselves. Julie gives you a very specific set of skills that will help you provide meaningful performance feedback and to use in training managers and supervisors in conducting and improving their performance appraisals. |
Alan J. Holz,Human Resources Manager
Olsen Thielen & Co. Ltd.
US |
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| Julie Freeman addresses real issues in her book, 'Working in Theory but failing in Practice?' detailing with accuracy why most formal performance review systems don't work and provides a technique that is simple, effective and can be used in the workplace. This is an interesting read, worthwhile for all people who want to improve communication around performance in the workplace.' |
Tracy Bickell
Training & Development Manager, Alexandra Hospital
UK |
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| I think this is some great work. Congratulations on a job well done. I believe this is making a huge contribution to the corporate environment where people are forced to act as line managers and not always getting the necessary support. This book will assist any line manager to get some good advice on making the feedback process easier. |
Johann van Jaarsveld
Human Resources, Sasol Technology
South Africa |
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| Julie Freeman's 'Working in Theory but Failing in Practice?' will ring true for anyone involved in performance appraisal. She persuasively identifies the critical problem - that managers find it difficult to talk about performance. The solution is simple and straightforward and is explained in a few pages, but anyone interested in the subject will want the whole book. This book is the condensed wisdom of an expert in performance appraisal presented in a way that is straightforward and accessible - with clear headings, convincing arguments and helpful examples. The author makes significant and specific criticisms of other approaches to performance appraisal, but she recommends adapting them rather than scrapping them. What I particularly like is how the book practices what it preaches: the whole book could be seen as a large-scale example of the PAF technique in practice. It is a performance appraisal of performance appraisal. You are left with a better understanding of the problem and plenty of good ideas about how to overcome it. |
Roger Greenaway
Reviewing Skills Training
Scotland |
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If we had the PAF technique before we could have achieved greater success and perhaps retained a few more stars in our business. The PAF technique gives us the tools to communicate in a constructive and trust creating way while we inspire people to reach higher levels of excellence. Before people just told staff to "do better". Now we have a valuable tool to inspire rather than direct. With PAF we can develop a buzzing workforce who know what is going on and who have the support of management because management also has a clearer picture of the performance of every staff member.
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Adriann Meyer
Aimcor International
South Africa |
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"Working in Theory but Failing in Practice" is an extremely easy book to read which concentrates on the practicalities of improving performance through delivering effective feedback. The book is well laid out and allows the reader to reflect on what has been read at the end each chapter with a short summary. A look forward encourages the reader to continue through to the next chapter.
Most readers will be able to recognise some of the symptoms which are identified as the root cause of the problem and therefore will be keen to explore a potential solution. The PAF Technique is a straight forward and logical approach to improving communication between managers and employees that should ultimately lead to an improvement in performance by both. Applying the technique prior to a feedback session will help ensure that managers are well prepared for what has traditionally been a difficult area to address.
Organisations will benefit from the chapter which covers teaching the technique to managers, as improvements will only be achieved if managers understand the technique and feel comfortable applying in practice. Various options are explored which allow organisations to adopt an approach that will fit individual circumstances.
To summarise the book will provide valuable advice to individual managers and organisations. Accepting and adopting the PAF Technique will encourage communication within organisations and help to achieve the elusive goal of improving performance.
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Stuart Errington
Learning & Development Durham & Darlington Fire & Rescue Service
UK |
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The book was fascinating for the most part. Of especial interest were Chapters 1, 2 and 3, which provided an excellent overview of the problem being tackled, issues in tackling the problem and the proposed solution. The approach mentioned seems to be extremely useful and is well worth trying out in any organizational setup. Unlike most books, this book did offer an approach to manage the transition to this approach (PAF) as well as a way to operationalize the PAF approach in an organization.
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G Krishnamurthy
Quark Media House Pvt Ltd.
India |
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Your book and the PAF approach you describe are excellent, excellent, excellent tools and guides for managers in conducting that awful task of performance appraisal. Why not learn to do it properly and then not dread this very important part of being a manager?
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Tony Belak
Executive Director, International Center for Dispute Resolution
Sullivan University, US |
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I thought the book indeed delivered on its promise. It takes the reader step by step through a process that is well defined – with explanations of reasons for the steps …I think you’ve hit the nail on the head about manager’s discomfort with articulating their evaluation with their employees.
This book offers a "recipe" solution which I think is useful for managers. The solution sells itself in that it spells out the needs in very clear and concise language – very easy to read.
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Jo-Anne Wilkins
Manager, Organizational Development & Training
Goodyear, Canada |
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… it is great. The content is easy to read and intuitively written. I think it will prove to be a good asset for the lectures, which will supplement the more theoretical aspects of the [Performance Management] course. Students often ask about the practical issues involved with performance management, so the applied nature of the material lends itself well to student learning.
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Sarah Wright, PhD Student, Psychology Department
University of Canterbury
New Zealand |
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