From the Ask Tom Mailbag:

Question:
You seem to make a big deal between a Job Description and a Performance Contract. Other than the name, what’s the difference?

Response:
Most job descriptions simply list the tasks and activities related to the job. It is important to know what to do in your job. But it is also important to know how well something should be done and when something should be done.

It is only when we specifically describe the results, that people clearly understand the expectations of the job.

So, how do we know when we have clearly stated the results. I use the Q-tip criteria. QQT. Quantity, Quality over Time. When I state the results in terms of a specific Quantity of something at a given Quality standard over a specific period of Time, there is a great likelihood that the expectation is clear.

Look at your own Job Description (if you can find it) and see if it describes Results. -TF