1. What is the big picture?

2. What is expected of me?

3. How will I know how I’m doing?

We can work with you to clarify and describe the results you want people to achieve in the context of your programme of work (the big picture) so that you can explain the impact or value of that result or behaviour for your business, the team and the individual staff member.



Giving and receiving feedback

Effective feedback is both positive and critical. It is based on observable actions (behaviour) not attributions or personality and it uses specific examples. Good feedback is a dialogue balanced with listening and based on shared goals and agreed standards. Good feedback is regular and timely i.e. throughout the year and as close as possible to the performance that you want to keep, stop or start seeing.

We can work with you to develop your feedback skills so that you have clarity in the workplace around what is expected and a free flow of ideas around how   the business can development grow.



Poor Performance  - managing difficult conversations

The key to managing poor performance is good behaviour based data. You need to ensure you have valid examples of actions, inaction or results. Differentiating what is a fact from what is an assumption is very important. You need to explicitly state the issue and the impact it is having on you, the team and the business. Talk about how you and the team member need to find a solution and allow the person to identify solution – this is critical for ownership and improvement. Listen and allow silence. Absorb any criticism and focus on a solution… “yes I understand that… so we need to find a solution about how we are going to do this together and identify what each of us are going to do”. Be clear about ownership/accountability for the issue and what is the person going to agree to do and what are you going to do to assist them - Be clear about what you can and cannot do. Commit to solutions, timeframes, actions and measures. So the fundamentals are:

- Clear goals (what are we trying to achieve?)

- Clear accountabilities (who delivers what result)

- Good data (past performance)

- Trust (confidence and integrity within the relationship)

Making and taking the time for mutually planned dialogue (i.e. both parties bring information and have an equal investment in the success of the conversation), giving and receiving feedback and getting clarity on future activity. 

We can work with you to resolve performance issues and coach you through managing to a resolution.



Managing High Performers

Managing high performers can be just as challenging as poor performers. Retaining clever people is about ensuring that they have exposure to the big picture and stretch experiences that keep them engaged and challenged. You want to be channelling their energy and capability and encouraging them to coach other and transfer there knowledge and they need to be rewarded equitably.

We can work with you to create development plans and reward mechanisms for your high potentials


Measuring performance

Performance is observable goal directed behaviour. Managing performance is the process of measuring progress toward achieving predetermined goals and providing feedback that enables achievement of results. So the goals needs to be clear and the desired results talked through. Traditional performance appraisals don’t work very well and there are alternatives. If managers insist on having an annual appraisal approach then they need to ensure that annual reviews are a summary of the ongoing and regular conversations that take place throughout the year.

We can work with you to develop a robust and transparent performance management process that embodies effective goal and standard setting, mutually planned no surprises conversations and effective reward and recognition systems.