effective performance management for new supervisors april 3-6, 2013, long beach, ca these materials...

Effective Performance Management for New Supervisors

APRIL 3-6, 2013, LONG BEACH, CA

These materials have been prepared by the CASBO Human Resources Professional Council (or CASBO Associate Member). They have not been reviewed by State CASBO for approval, so therefore are not an official statement of CASBO.

2013 CASBO ANNUAL CONFERENCE & SCHOOL BUSINESS EXPO

Audience Poll

Communication is Key


It is very important to clearly communicate your expectations to an employee who is not meeting expectations

Communication Awareness Includes:•Seeking to build rapport•Understanding Personality Styles•Using “I” messages instead of “You” statements•Asking Effective questions


• What led to this decision?• What suggestions do you have for your

improvement?• When will (said action) take place?• How do you plan to turn this situation

around?• How do you plan to implement this change?• Why are you considering taking this action?

Examples of Effective Questions


• Demonstrating Empathy (people want to be heard and understood)

• Restating and Rephrasing what is heard (voice volume and active listening)

• Asking for clarification

• Being respectful and other’s opinions and feelings

Listening Awareness Includes:


Covey’s Five Levels of Listening


1. Hearing but ignoring2. Pretending to listen (“Yes”, “Oh”, “I see”)3. Selective Listening (choosing to hear only

what you want to hear)4. Active listening, without evaluation (i.e.

taking notes in a lecture)5. Empathic listening (with intent to

understand the other party)

Body Language Awareness includes:


• Demonstrating receptive body language (mirror body language- except negative)

• Maintaining good eye contact

• Being aware of others’ body language

• Matching your message with your body language

• Observe • Ask open ended questions to identify conflicts

and resentments• Listen effectively to get to the core of the

issue• Use “I” message responded; confront and

correct attitude problem• Match your message with your body language

Strategies To Keep Problems From Becoming Chronic & To Get To The Truth When Dealing With Sensitive Issues


• Embrace communication with employees that is encouraging and supporting.

• Listening and communicating back to employees results in a highly motivated employee.


Understanding Personality


• Needs recognition and appreciation• Loves ideas, projects, and proposals• Friendly, outgoing in nature• Poor follow-through on task completion

Socializer Characteristics


• Speaking the language of recognition• Encouraging him/her to talk• Supporting follow-through on their ideas and

projects• Using demonstrations• Giving them compliments

Tailor Your Message To The Socializer By:


• Results oriented• Task-focused individual• Businesslike, assertive manner• Thrives on change

Director Characteristics:


• Being well prepared• Speaking the language of getting results• Being task-oriented• Understanding and supporting their goals• Recognizing their contribution

Tailor your message to the Director by:


• Strong team player• Hates conflict• Friendly and considerate of others• Has difficulty with change

Relator Characteristics:


• Slow down and listen• Be friendly and sincere• Recognize their team efforts• Encourage input• Challenge them to accept change

Tailor your message to the Relator by


• Task focused• Prefers accuracy and documentation• Likes facts and figures• Prefers order in the environment

Thinker Characteristics:


• Using facts, logic, and structure• Being well-prepared• Providing documentation if needed• Go step by step• Clarify often

Tailor your message to the Thinker by:


Types of Employee Personalities and Strategies to Address Them


Problem Type Strategy

Excuse Artist Force them to take responsibility

Short Changer Force them to give 100%

Intimidator Neutralize them

Gossip Muzzle them

Clod Stop diversions and distress

Downer Turn them around

Minimalist Motivate them without pushing

Soap Star Stop Personal Crises

Itch Get them working independently

Know it All Get rid of contentious attitude & start working together

Whiners Change their focus

Back Stabbers Overcome Passive-Aggressive Behavior

Prima Donnas Develop a Team Mentality

Negativity in the Workplace


• Poor self esteem• Negative world view and perspective• Need for control• Authority issues• Sense of powerlessness• Need for attention• Chronic hopelessness

Negativity from employees results from:


• Internally by workaholic behavior, attempting to control all situations, or demonstrating a “know it all” attitude

• Externally through backstabbing, playing the martyr, or becoming the “troublemaker”

• Verbally through gossiping, cynical behavior, and apathetic remarks

Negativity is manifested:


• Tardiness • Defensiveness• Hostility• Defiance• Negative put-downs• Lack of cooperation• Lack of respect• Emotional outbursts• Chronic hopelessness• Backstabbing

Symptoms of negativity need to be identified early on:


• Situational or habitual

• Personal or work-related

Stress

Emotional Problems

Drug and alcohol abuse

Financial problems

Family relationship problems

Legal problems

Mental illness

Determine if the negative situation is:


• Negativity can spread like “wildfire” and impact the entire group.

Preventing Workplace Negativity


• Promote a positive, healthy environment• Develop an awareness of “negativity contagiousness”

in the workplace• Recognize the need to take responsibility for employee

attitudes toward the negativity• Support coworkers in clarifying their feelings. Get

everyone’s perspective while remaining neutral and fair. This will help prevent employees from “taking sides”

• Try to enhance employee self-esteem at work

To Survive a Negative Environment


• Implement an open communication model• Allow employees to air their gripes before they become grievances• Be supportive of others• Reward and recognize positive actions and behaviors• Create an atmosphere that challenges negative explanations,

attitudes, and assumptions• Provide factual information• Be committed to providing ongoing communication with employees• Encourage employee feedback on a regular basis• Be consistent and fair with how employees are treated

Other Strategies for a Manager


Addressing Behaviors


PROVIDING CONSTRUCTIVE CRITICISM:•Identify the behavior that needs to be addressed •Determine why the behavior is a problem •Plan effective ways to communicate message to employee •Discuss in private the needed changes in an employee’s behavior •Use “I” messages to discuss the behavior or performance issue with employee• Seek to build rapport in discussing situation• Explain clearly the needed change in employee’s behavior or performance •Assume personal responsibility for legitimate workplace grievances that are shared and follow up with the employee


PROVIDING EMPLOYEES WITH FEEDBACK


WHEN PROVIDING POSITIVE FEEDBACK:•Focus on results•Feedback needs to be consistent and powerful to motivate•Avoid sporadic feedback in communicating with employees•Acknowledge employee’s value and contribution


WHEN PROVIDING NEGATIVE FEEDBACK:•Find something to praise first in the employee’s performance•Preface correction with appreciation for employee’s work by specifically noting a contribution•Focus on behavior or performance issue that needs to be addressed•Encourage employee feedback and reflection on the situation•Seek mutual ways to resolve the situation•Discuss action steps by employee•Follow up after the meeting


Dealing with Emotional Behaviors


IF HOSTILE: •Allow employee to vent at first•Redirect the conversation to • calm the person down•Help the employee focus on the facts/issue•Ask questions to identify the real problem


IF ANGRY:•Reduce employee’s current state of mind•Use “slow down” techniques•Help the employee focus on the facts/issues•Identify the problem or source of employee anger•In unable to calm the angry employee, discuss the situation later


IF OVER WROUGHT AND HIGH WITH EMOTION:

•Show empathy•Redirect the conversation to focus on the facts and issues•Ask questions to help the employee regain composure•Help the employee move toward a more resourceful state of mind•If unable to console, discuss the situation at a later time


• Assume the difficult employee excels in a particular area and treat them accordingly

• Speak the language of high expectations with them on a consistent basis & let them know you think they’re capable of success in their assigned tasks

• Interrupt their negative behavior with a comment that reinforces positive behaviors as a way of focusing them on acting in more appropriate ways even though that might not be their natural tendency

Positive Intervention Strategies


• Always find something positive about the employee’s work you can praise before addressing the problem

• Expect a positive outcome with the employee, no matter what the past history, and let the employee know that is your expectation

• Be clear; tell the employee what you expect from them- force the employee to accept responsibility for the actions that trigger formal termination processes.

• Use the team play technique- involve the employee in forging a solution; encourage their input and discuss possible solutions

Positive Intervention Strategies


• Employees are de-motivated when they are unsure of manager expectations and are motivated when managers create clear expectations and priorities.

• Motivational communication by a manager motivates employees to take ownership and responsibility for their behavior and their performance

Motivational Communication


• A sense of security• Personal power• Respect• Sense of control

Motivated Employees Have


What about the Performance Evaluation?


• Start Performance Log (Notate good and bad)• Review Job Description and highlight in 2 colors, the duties

he or she performs well and those he or she needs to improve upon

• On separate document provide specific examples and the impact

• Provide detailed and constructive directives and suggestions for improvement (“What does Meets or Exceeds look like?); don’t state the obvious

• If you have lead the horse to water effectively, you have done your job!


Questions?

Alicia Schlehuber

Director of Classified Personnel

Escondido Union School District

CASBO Human Resources Professional Council State Chairperson

[email protected]


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