The more-with-less marketplace dictates managers elevate the overall performance of existing staffers. This requires a great deal more emphasis on individual training and development.

In that spirit, BusinessBrief offers these four questions, that can help managers determine how they can maximize the performance of their troops, and accomplish each department’s annual goals:

1. What type of personalized incentives can you offer each employees to boost his/her productivity? Get to the heart of what might specifically motivate every employee to go above and beyond, and raise the bar on their own results.
2. How much does the team need to increase its overall performance to achieve the overarching goal? Look at last year’s numbers and productivity to determine how much the team will have to do to lift its results, and what you’ll need to do in order to get there. Then break the team members down into specific sub-groups with clear goals and benchmarks.
3. Do you revisit and adjust goals and progress once a quarter? Individual staffers balk when they feel management wants them to make a huge leap all at once. But if you can break down lofty goals into small, incremental improvements, it may not seem as daunting.
4. What role will you play in helping them succeed? The more committed you are, the more committed your employees will be.

Tags: development, incentives, increase productivity, performance, questions