Principle 2.1: Managers translate leaders’ drive for excellence into clear workplans and incentives to carry out the work effectively and efficiently.

2.1.1: My organization’s managers partner with staff to develop individual performance objectives that support our organizational goals.

2.1.2: My organization’s managers regularly recognize and reward (in financial and non-financial ways) outstanding performance by team members.

Principle 2.2: Managers’ decisions are data informed whenever possible.

2.2.1: Front-line workers and those who support and manage them have timely access to understandable, useful data, analysis, and evidence-informed tools.

2.2.2: My organization’s managers regularly use qualitative and quantitative data to inform their operational, programmatic, and strategic decisions—rather than relying on their intuition alone.

Principle 2.3: Managers, like executives and boards, recruit, develop, engage, and retain the talent necessary to deliver on the mission. They help staff get the tools and training they need in order to deliver the desired results.

2.3.1: My organization’s managers actively look inside and outside the organization for great talent—to “get the right people on the bus, in the right seats.”

2.3.2: My organization’s managers allocate sufficient resources to recruit, develop, reward, and retain high-performing individuals who are committed to our mission and our culture.

2.3.3: My organization’s managers continually assess our talent pool, identifying individuals who are strong contributors and creating opportunities for them to develop their potential.

Principle 2.4: Managers provide opportunities for staff members to see how their work contributes to the organization’s mission. Managers know that doing so helps staff members find meaning and purpose in their work—and generally leads to higher motivation and performance.

2.4.1: My organization’s managers engage in ongoing dialogue with staff members to ensure they understand how their individual roles contribute to the results the organization is trying to achieve.

2.4.2: My organization’s managers foster a positive culture within their teams by sharing genuine praise whenever it’s warranted. When they have specific feedback or critiques, they share them in private.

Principle 2.5: Managers establish accountability systems that provide clarity at each level of the organization about the standards for success and yet provide room for staff to be creative about how they achieve these standards.

2.5.1: My organization’s managers communicate their standards of excellence by clearly defining what team members are accountable for and how and when their success will be assessed.

2.5.2: My organization’s managers can point to examples where staff have been given the flexibility to be creative about how they achieve the standards.

Principle 2.6: Managers provide continuous, candid, constructive feedback to team members and augment it with periodic performance reviews. They view performance reviews as an opportunity to help staff improve.

2.6.1: My organization’s managers dedicate time to observe team members in action so they can provide staff with real-time, actionable feedback; effective guidance; and well-informed performance reviews.

2.6.2: My organization’s managers regularly conduct performance reviews with all staff. Managers work with each staff member to define what strengths the team member should build on, what areas he/she should improve, how he/she is adhering to the program model (as applicable), what he/she should continue to develop, and how the manager and organization can support him/her.

2.6.3: My organization’s managers establish an effective professional-development plan tied to each individual’s career goals and the organization’s needs.

Principle 2.7: Managers provide frequent opportunities for staff to provide feedback to their supervisors. Supervisors are not only open to receiving this feedback; they encourage it and are willing to act on it.

2.7.1: Managers in our organization are receptive to receiving feedback and make genuine efforts to create safe spaces for staff to provide it.

2.7.2: My organization’s team members perceive these spaces as safe and take advantage of opportunities to provide their managers with feedback.

2.7.3: My organization can point to examples in which managers have used staff insights and ideas to fuel innovation/risk-taking and improve individual, team, and organizational performance.

Principle 2.8: Managers acknowledge and take action when staff members are not doing their work well. They give these staffers help to improve or move them to more suitable roles. If it becomes clear that staff members are unable or unwilling to meet expectations, managers are not afraid to make tough personnel decisions so that the organization can live up to the promises it makes to participants, donors, and other key stakeholders.

2.8.1: My organization’s managers have the latitude and fortitude to make difficult personnel decisions when a team member’s performance is undermining our ability to operate effectively and meet the needs of our target population/target audience. This includes re-assignment, additional development, or separation in accordance with our policies.