How to balance performance and development to get what you want from work

Sometimes it’s hard to juggle doing what you need to do to ensure you’re performing well right here, right now, while also putting the building blocks in place to support your long term career growth and development. It’s the ultimate balancing short and long term priorities conundrum!

It’s an important balance to get right, as performance and development are not the same thing, but they do have a clear and tangible effect on each other. They’re symbiotic.

However, we often spend more time focusing on our performance because it’s more immediate and, well, it’s what we get paid for, but investing time in our development journeys can help us be more effective, and happier, in the long run. 

Here’s how to do both…

Know the difference

Performance: Focus on your job right now, your current tasks and responsibilities. Understand how you can measure your success, maybe through KPIs or similar metrics, which might include achieving targets, maintaining quality, or delivering great work on time.

Development: Think about your long-term career goals. What skills and knowledge do you want to improve or gain to prepare for future roles? Development is about your growth and potential, about where you want to go, not just what your current job is all about.

Set yourself clear goals for performance

Work with your manager to set clear, achievable performance goals. These should align with your role and your organisation’s objectives. Regularly review these goals to ensure you’re on track and make adjustments as needed. Smashing your performance goals shows your reliability and ability in your current role.

Define your own development plan

Identify the things you need to do or learn in order to make the progress you want, and build a plan around those things. Maybe it’s completing a training course or taking on a new project that will stretch and inspire you. And make sure you discuss your development plan with your manager to get their buy-in and support to help you achieve your goals.

Seek feedback and reflect

Getting regular feedback is crucial for both our performance and our development. Actively seek feedback from your manager, colleagues and others you interact with at work. Reflect on what’s shared to better understand your strengths and areas for improvement, and let those reflections help guide your onward progress.

Say yes to new challenges

Volunteer for projects or tasks outside your usual responsibilities, especially where you'll be stretched or challenged. This can help you develop new skills and demonstrate your ability to handle more complex work. It also shows initiative and a willingness to grow, which can positively impact your performance reviews.

Keep on learning

Commit to continuous learning wherever you are in your career. Take advantage of learning opportunities, whether structured and formal, like courses, or more organic like exchanging knowledge with those around you. Keep across what’s going on in your industry and function to expand your expertise and focus on your long term growth, as well as doing your job better right now.

Balance short and long term goals

Make time for both your immediate work tasks and your long-term development activities. One shouldn't come at the expense of the other. Invest real time in your own development, while also making sure that you prioritise hitting your performance goals. Managing your time well is key to getting the balance right.

Talk to other people

Build a strong professional network and seek out relevant people who can provide guidance and support. Networking can open up new opportunities and provide different perspectives on your career growth, while connecting with peers on a deeper level for collaborative career conversations can help overcome challenges and supercharge progress.

Give yourself regular reviews

Routinely assess your performance and development progress, and make necessary adjustments as you go. Staying flexible and responsive to changes in your work environment and career aspirations will help you stay on track.

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By focusing on the difference between performance and development and actively managing both, you can achieve greater happiness and success in your career. The key is to balance excelling in your current role while also continuously preparing for future opportunities, or at least thinking about what those opportunities might be. Get it right, and you'll be able to own your own career performance and development!

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