Performance Management – it is not about the forms, it’s about the conversation
I spent the day with the extended leadership team of one of my long term and regular clients yesterday – talking about the age old chestnut of “effective performance management”.
Actually – that is not quite true. Firstly – they have done away with a traditional performance appraisal/management system and have replaced it with a support and development system for employees.
We spent the first part of the day talking about how performance management done badly can go so horribly wrong and the lasting impact (scars) that it can leave on both employees and their managers. We also talked about some of the experiences where it had gone right – stories of development, of amazing feedback (not necessarily always positive feedback), of managers and employees truly invested in the process.
And so, through the day we developed the top tips for a great performance management support, development and appraisal process. And the thing is, these tips – none of them are rocket science.. But I promise you, all of them will help you totally change the way your appraisal discussions are conducted.
The most important tip of all
So the number one tip? It is not about dutifully completing the forms or the paperwork.
It is about having the conversation.
And a conversation, by definition – is two way. It’s not just about talking at, or blankly receiving it all – it is about both parties engaging with the conversation. Listening for what is being said, listening for what is not being said. Listening for feedback, listening for compliments, listening for areas of development. Not hearing white noise and preparing the response in your head; but truly listening.
We can spend a lot of time filling in forms, worrying about whether we have this word exactly right or not in our objectives- and then rush the face to face conversation or use it is simply as a rubber stamping process; as a fait accompli.
But a truly engaging conversation where both people are invested in both the quality of the conversation and the outcome. Well, that can be magical.
Some other tips that will help an average performance management process become great
There are other tips of course.
- Give feedback effectively, regularly, immediately and appropriately (ie – don’t save up all your feedback for the half yearly discussion)
- There should never ever ever be any surprises arising out of the meeting. If regular feedback is being given throughout the year, then the employee should come to the meeting knowing the state of play, and the meeting should be around how to move the situation forward (however that looks).
- Be prepared, do your homework, make enquiries, know the situation “in the round” as far as is possible.
- Time out/adjournments/having a break – use them. They can save relationships and stop people saying things that cannot then be unsaid.
- If you can’t have a conversation about a difficult issue – learn. Being able to speak your truth honestly, openly but without damaging the other party is a skill that every manager should possess.
- Positive intent can go a long way. If the process is about learning, development, growing rather than punishment, criticism, discouragement, then employees are much more likely to engage positively – even if they have to hear some difficult messages along the way.
- Look for ways to build on innate talent and strengths rather than spend a lot of time trying to remedy “weaknesses”.
