Performance development is considered a very important aspect in the growth and progress of individuals in their respective careers. It comprise of several strategic processes that are integrated and utilized with the purpose of developing individual capabilities that will benefit the employee, specifically, and the company as a whole. It focuses mainly on performance, along with its classification, measurement, factors, and management.

To gain a better understanding of performance development, its definitions are discussed here, in addition to a thorough explanation of why it is vital for career-oriented individuals to use it as a means to further their career.

Performance Defined

Performance is a broad term but essentially, its general definition is, “a record of an individual, team, or organization’s accomplishments.” This can be broken down into several more specific definitions, as follows:
1. It is the outcome of work done. (output)
2. It is, not only the outcome, but also the execution and carrying out of tasks.
3. It is likewise the behavior or set of behaviors attributed to the individual upon executing, carrying out, and accomplishing given tasks.

Performance therefore is a combination of both performance and outputs provided by individuals and teams in accordance to the goals of the organization.

Reasons to Develop Performance

Performance development is necessary because of the increased competition among career-oriented individuals. The foremost reason why enhancing one’s performance is needed lies in the fact that if a person does not keep up with the rest, he will be left behind.

Competent individuals- people who can perform in any given endeavor with excellence- are able to stay ahead of others who are not equipped with the necessary knowledge, skills, and attitudes (KSA) that will render them competitive. Another reason would be that with the lowered labor costs today, it is relatively easy to find more and more people seeking career growth in order to fulfill not only their need to excel and climb the corporate ladder, but also to satisfy their financial requirements.

Lastly, performance development is seen as the ‘fad’ among organizational leaders today; big companies such as those belonging to the Fortune 500 have put so much of their resources in order to improve their people’s performance. With employees from these companies honed and molded to become highly competent in their fields, it is but fitting for the rest to keep up and adapt themselves to this ‘fad’ to stay competitive.

While performance development usually targets organizations as a whole, individuals can also adopt this concept as a means to improve their own personal competencies. In its fullest sense, performance development is based on the business principle that each individual performance contributes to the overall performance of the organization or company; thus, it is imperative for each one to utilize it as a means to better themselves to achieve the organization’s overall purpose.

Who Should Use Performance Development?

Performance development is a set of strategic processes that will help an individual not only to identify personal KSA’s that need to enhanced, but also be able to provide this person with a means to improve weak areas and measure his own progress accordingly.

As mentioned, it is now the trend to be competitive; large corporations have realized the value of human resource as a means to stay ahead of competitors, and in order for people who have just started to establish their own career to get a chance at success, it is necessary for them to do what they can to keep up. Being a newbie is no longer an excuse not to be capable of giving outstanding work to the company he works for. In addition, corporate employees who have already spent years in their chosen careers should not be contented with mediocrity otherwise they will not be able to meet the criteria set by their company to define an excellent performer.

Recognition and career opportunities are, almost always, given to deserving employees who are constantly working hard to ensure they perform well in everything they do.

Put simply, everyone and any one who aims to achieve success in his career should utilize performance development because it is an effective tool to help a person sharpen his abilities.