NSPS better ties mission with individual performance

  • Published
  • By Robert J. May Jr.
  • ASC executive director
WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio --  Commanders and leaders are always reminding us how important we are to the mission. Given that challenge, how many of us really know what the mission is? Furthermore, how many of us know how what we do influences the mission?

With the impending conversion of all General Schedule non-bargaining unit employees, excluding Air Force Research Laboratory, to the National Security Personnel System Sunday, there are two things that those transitioning to this new system must clearly understand. First, what is the mission of our squadrons, groups, wings, major command and Air Force? Second, how does what we do connect to and impact that mission?

Under the NSPS performance management system, there must be a direct link between the organization's mission and goals and the individual's contribution to the accomplishment of that organizational mission and goals.

Within the first few days of conversion to NSPS, employees and supervisors will develop individual performance plans. These plans will describe the objectives that individual employees are expected to achieve and how they are expected to achieve those objectives during the appraisal cycle. Employees must understand these expectations and ask questions to clarify the connection between their performance and how it impacts the organization's mission and goals.

NSPS employees and their supervisors must work together throughout the performance cycle to monitor performance and ensure a shared understanding about what is working well and what is not. Continual feedback and ongoing communication should be integral parts of performance-related discussions in order to reinforce employee strengths and to correct any weaknesses.

Employees should meet regularly with their supervisors to identify skill-building opportunities and work together to not only form but to refine a plan that enhances their value to the organization and maximizes their potential for career progression. Such plans may also involve identifying developmental opportunities, such as training, mentoring, on-the-job experience and coaching that may be necessary to further develop competencies.

Throughout the appraisal cycle, employees are encouraged to conduct self-assessments of their performance and contributions. These personal reviews provide insight that employees can provide to their supervisor as part of the interim and annual review process.

Under NSPS, individuals will be expected to take responsibility for communicating their accomplishments in a clear and concise manner. Those who are able to identify specific examples of achievements and demonstrate how those achievements support the organization's mission or goal accomplishment will find the new performance management process to be much more satisfying. Fully understanding what contribution to the mission actually encompasses can prove highly rewarding to employees.

In the past, many of us may have simply endured our interim and annual review meetings, getting through them with stoic silence or volunteering little toward a meaningful discussion concerning job expectations or career enhancing opportunities. Supervisory feedback oftentimes was limited to comments, such as "You're doing fine" or "Thanks for all the good work you do."

NSPS offers the opportunity to expand on that conversation. It encourages employees to take ownership of their success, and it encourages supervisors to fully communicate employee expectations, strengths and weaknesses as they relate to accomplishing the organization's mission.

That mission is our guiding compass. Now, more than ever, it needs to be expressed clearly and precisely, as each of us must know what to do to achieve mission accomplishment. Be involved and be passionate about your role and contributions in accomplishing the Air Force mission. All of us putting forth our best efforts will ensure the mission will not only be met, but that it will be carried out in an exemplary manner.