Performance Management: Courageous Conversations

Today we will:

• Devise meaningful objectives and targets for people to aim for

• Identify what motivates (and demotivates) people who work for you

• Demonstrate simple conversational tools to talk about performance and attitude

• Use a simple feedback tool that can be used every day in business

What’s the lowest level of Performance someone can “achieve” before you would consider taking action?

Performance Sweepstake

Company A Company B Company C You 0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

100

Not at the races Also Rans Contenders Superstars

Will

ChampionCynic

CheerleaderCompletely

Lost!

Skill

Will

DelegateExcite

Train or Coach Direct

(Be very!)

Skill

Tip:

Be clear about whether this is a skill issue or a will issues before you have the conversation

Pen Pictures• Create short bios of

two people you would like to have a conversation with…

Audit

Individual

Vision and Mission

communicated

Clear Job Descriptions in

place

Behavioural standards are

set out

Individual Goals and

Objectives set out and agreed

Managers are trained and capable of managing

performance

Conversations happen

regularly at right level

Performance frameworks

and processes are in place

Objectives • Enable Performance to happen• Helps people to grow and develop• Aligns people to your company strategy• Provides a means to review and feedback

Objectives • Verb – a doing or performing word• Standard – measurement of quality, quantity, standard• Timescale – achieved within a certain timeframe

Stats on Engagement • High Engagement business improved income by 19.2%• Engaged employees 87% less likely to leave• 70% of engaged employees have good understanding of

meeting customer need• 37% of workers plan to leave their current jobs• 59% rate opportunity for progression higher than £salary

We need to have courageous conversations…• What stops us?

Mental Rehearsal• People are contracted • The benefits are…… and if I don’t do it …• It is not my problem• But I am here to support and guide• This is an Adult to Adult conversation

The ‘Low Performance’ ConversationStructure Tone Purpose

Goal: I want to talk about ___

Assertively concerned Establish clear outcome and purpose of conversation

Reality of Performance (explore current)

Curiously concerned Ownership - individual to see where they are and identify reasons why

Options to improve Performance (explore and agree)

Supportive and challenging Ownership - individual to identify what needs to happen to improve

Way forward – what happens next?

Assertively confident Commitment – establish commitment to action and follow up

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

The ‘High Performance’ Conversation

Structure Tone Purpose

Goal: I want to say that ___ Upbeat and appreciative Show you have noticed specific performance and want to ask about it

Reasons for Performance (explore)

Curious and appreciative Provide platform for individual to share how they have contributed

Options to sustain or enhance Performance (explore)

Supportive and coaching Ownership - individual to own their own development

Way forward – what happens next?

Confident and empowering Reinforce commitment and establish support needed

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

The ‘Behaviour’ ConversationStructure Tone Purpose

Feedback: what I observed was ___ and the impact of that was ___

Assertive and direct Reason for conversation and specific feedback

Listen to what is happening and why

Curious and concerned Explore possible reasons behind behaviour (not excuses)

Options and ideas to stop the old behaviour and start new ones

Directive and supportive Ownership - individual to identify what needs to happen to change

Way forward – what happens next?

Assertive and confident Commitment – establish commitment to action and follow up

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

The ‘Follow Up’ ConversationStructure Tone Purpose

Goal: This conversation is about ___

High concern and urgency Set tone and the need to have conversation again

Reality is ____ High concern and clarity Set out where they are now and consequences of not improving

Options now are ___ Challenging and direct Create choice, something needs to happen so what is it?

Way forward – what happens next?

Direct and supportive Gain commitment and ensure clear and specific next steps

Step 1

Step 2

Step 3

Step 4

Feedback? •“Martin, I have to tell you that I am not happy with a certain aspect of your performance. It seems to me that it takes you much longer to complete work than I expect.”

Giving feedback effectively “I recently asked you to prepare a promotional campaign on product x. What I had hoped for was a complete plan including a budget, forecast results and recommendations as to which media to use in which combinations.

I had also hoped to see several mock-ups of promotional pieces. What I saw was several suggested slogans that we could use, but without any recommendations as to how we might use them.”

Feedback – how to serve

• Step 1: Ask the individual to evaluate the task positively: • What was good?

• Step 2: You provide your perspective:• What worked well • Why it worked well

• Step 3: Ask the individual to evaluate the task critically • What wasn’t so good?

• Step 4: You provides your perspective:• What didn’t work well • What would be better next time • Why this would work better

What now?• 1-3 Actions you feel

you can take back to the work and start doing now.

Performance Management: Courageous Conversations