The Manager’s Playbook: 8 Steps to having a great performance review conversation.
Whilst often not considered one of the sexier elements of leadership, at Psychology Works we very much believe in the power of performance management done well.
For a Leader or Manager, performance management is probably one of the most important organisational processes to master, and when used correctly is a powerful tool to:
Communicate effectively with your team about organisational goals and objectives
Build a culture of commitment, engagement and motivation
Ensure your people are rewarded, developed and promoted appropriately
Whilst it is of itself a process, at the heart of performance management is just having a really good conversation.
When it comes to having a really good conversation, there are a number to be had throughout the year - whether it be discussing career aspirations, setting objectives, or giving feedback. However, the type of performance management conversation most leaders tend to find most challenging is giving feedback in the context of reviewing performance.
So, here are eight key steps to help you prepare, structure, and close your performance review discussion and have a really good conversation:
1. Prepare what you want to say.
Take time to prepare. Feeding back high-quality specific objective evidence requires preparation. Reflect on the positive and negative behaviours that you have seen, and decide how you want to structure the discussion.
2. Introduce the session.
Begin by explaining the purpose of the discussion. Also include how long the discussion is expected to last, and that it will be interactive – you want to hear from them as well - this won’t just be you talking at them!
3. Make it interactive.
To make it interactive. Aim to make sure you do no more than 50% of the talking. Remember, feedback is for the other person’s benefit. Encourage your team member to reflect on their performance - ask them for their opinion before you give your own. For example, ask an open question, and then after they have given you an initial response probe to find out further detail by asking questions such as:
What progress do you think you have made towards achieving your first objective this year?
What were you most proud of in achieving that result?
What challenges did you overcome in achieving that?
What feedback have you received in relation to that objective?
What have you learned in working towards this objective?
4. Balance weaknesses and strengths.
Aim to strike a balance between the feedback of relative strengths and limitations. It can often help to begin with favourable feedback on an aspect of his/her performance which was relatively good (even if their overall performance was poor). Never present feedback which is all poor: always try to offset unfavourable feedback with a positive comment about something that was done well. Remember:
Even the best performance will include some relative weaknesses which may require development effort, and
Even the poorest performance will include at least one or two redeeming elements
5. Be sensitive, constructive and honest.
Convey all feedback in a non-judgemental way and avoid applying your own values or attitudes to their performance. Be sensitive to the person's feelings, motivations, aspirations etc. and overall seek to to convey a positive and constructive tone - where together you can discuss opportunities, and help them to think of difficulties as challenges that can be tackled rather than insurmountable problems.
Don’t avoid unfavourable feedback altogether; you must confront the person with his/her limitations honestly, but do so constructively. A failure to do this is a disservice to the individual as it deprives them of the information they need to make an informed choice about their performance or behaviour - and what they may want to change or do differently going forward.
6. Focus responsibility on them.
Throughout the feedback conversation encourage them to take responsibility for the feedback. Remember, the session is for their benefit, and it will be up to them to make use of it and apply the feedback to his/her development.
7. Conclude with where to go from here.
For each objective or aspect of performance discussed, round off with a summary of what actions the individual will take. Then, when all the objectives or areas of performance have been discussed, summarise again, with an action list of where to go from here. This helps the session end on a positive, proactive note.
8. Close the discussion.
Once you have discussed all the feedback, check for any final questions or comments from your team member. Summarise what has been discussed and what actions that will be taken by either you or the other person and agree when you will next meet to review progress and close the discussion. As appropriate, update/amend the appraisal form to reflect any changes to objectives - i.e. new objectives set, old ones closed down, or existing goals changed or revised.
Find out more…
If you would like to know more about performance management and leadership development and the services Psychology Works offer in this area, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
In the meantime, if you’ve enjoyed our musings on leadership and management, why not check out some of our other blogs and thought pieces. For real time updates and insights you can also find us on LinkedIn, our social media platform of choice: @PsychologyWorks and @mariagardner.