When employees share in setting their own goals, they’re more committed and involved in achieving them. Follow this four-step process for participative goal setting:

• Take the lead. Yes, you’re working together, but as a manager you still have the main responsibility for identifying performance targets. Start by suggesting a goal. Ask your employee to evaluate it for anything that’s unclear or inaccurate. Revise the goal if necessary.
• Formalize the plan. Once you’ve agreed on a goal, write it down so neither of you misunderstands what’s supposed to happen. Make sure you both know how you’ll measure the employee’s efforts.
• Follow up. Ask the employee to check in with you regularly. Agree on follow up intervals at the outset; plan on at least four if the employee is entering new territory where his or her skills may not yet be up to par. Put a reminder on your calendar to check in if the employee doesn’t come to you with a progress report on the specified date.
• Evaluate the process. Once the goal has been completed, meet with the employee to discuss what worked well and what didn’t. Ask for suggestions about how to improve things the next time.