If you struggle with giving employees clear explanations about your expectations, you are not alone. In the performance management arena, much discussion abounds about performance discussions. So the next time you find yourself struggling to explain what you want or don’t want when it comes to performance, try the following KISS (Keep, Improve, Start, Stop) method. It contains a series of questions to help you think critically about your expectations.

K — Things you want employees to Keep doing:

• What things do employees do exceptionally well?

• Where do employees exceed expectations?

• Where do employees exhibit satisfactory performance?

EXAMPLES: Keeping a master list of all the smaller jobs and assignments that need to be handled over a several week period; prioritizing various jobs and activities; or grouping similar items together and handling several things in one visit or call.

I — Things you want employees to Improve:

• Where can employees do just a little more?

• What areas do employees need to make an extra effort?

• Where are employees doing some things well and some things not so well?

EXAMPLES: Looking for ways to streamline tasks; using checklists or some other organizing method to standardize routine tasks; or writing out a regular workload management plan that includes time estimates for specific tasks.

S — Things you want employees to Start doing:

• What actions do employees need to begin to take?

• What are employees totally overlooking?

• What are employees totally not doing?

EXAMPLES: Analyzing unnecessary interruptions and systematically working to reduce or eliminate them; scheduling time each day to do the most important tasks; or meeting with others to coordinate activities when necessary.

S — Things you want employees to Stop doing:

• What do employees do that negatively impacts their performance?

• What do employees do that negatively impacts the performance of other employees?

• What do employees do that negatively impacts the team, office, or organization?

EXAMPLES: Waiting until the last minute to get started on tasks; putting off unpleasant or difficult tasks in favor of tasks that are easier or more desirable; or setting unrealistic deadlines and time estimates.

Remember, employees cannot give you what you want if you are not clear about what you want. Also, when it comes to performance improvement, employees don’t always know what they need to do to get better. This approach can help you more effectively formulate your thoughts, structure your conversations, and communicate your expectations. It might also give your employees some ideas.