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n What is the specific outcome that we expect from an employee in
this position?
– Given that outcome, what is likely to be our return on the total
investment over time?
– Does the return justify the investment?
– Do we need to re-think and raise our expectations of the
employee’s contribution?

What key activities or major accomplishments are essential?

n What exactly will the jobholder have to do to achieve the job
purpose?

Please note carefully the wording here. The question is “what will they
DO” – not “be able to do”. Anything that an employee can do, but doesn’t
actually do delivers no benefit to the firm.

Bob Mager, the leading thinker in the field of job performance had a
very effective way of assessing whether an employee could perform the job
or not. He suggested that the supervisor should load a pistol, cock it and
hold it to the employee’s head with the words, “Now do it or else!” If the
jobholder still failed to perform the task to the necessary standard he or
she needed training. If they could do it under such extreme circumstances
they lacked motivation to perform.

If, for example, you were considering the replacement of an existing
employee who may be performing below standard and replacement is a
major expense you might first ask yourself:

n What is my equivalent of Mager’s loaded pistol?
n How do I convince any employee of my willingness to pull the

trigger?
n Do I have the authority to use my equivalent of a pistol?
n Does the employee really understand what is expected of them?
n Have they ever been told why the company is willing to invest in

them?
n Is there anything that I or others are doing that distracts this

employee from doing what is necessary? (Task interference.)
n Do we provide the employee with a working environment in which

the task can be performed effectively? (Working environment.)
n Is timely, accurate and relevant feedback provided on job

performance? (Feedback.)
n When they receive training how will I ensure that they use what

they have learned on the job with appropriate levels of peer and
supervisor coaching?

36 Key management questions