To have an effective performance management conversation that strengthens the relationship between you and your direct report and builds trust. Follow these steps.
One, don't wait for an issue. Make sure that these conversations are regular and diarized and don't cancel them unless you absolutely have to.
Let the individual have a say in their frequency and duration. You want them to have access to your support when needed, but you don't want to waste their time unnecessarily.
Two, think about the location and the setup of where you will have the conversation. The company cafeteria is not a confidential space and sitting behind your desk may be a bit intimidating for them.
Three, you don't have to use phrases like performance managemen,t review or even feedback to have an effective performance conversation. In fact, avoiding that kind of language can actually make the individual feel more relaxed and therefore more engaged. Four, always ask for their perspective first, before sharing yours, you should focus on asking open-ended questions and on active listening. The more you demonstrate your curiosity in hearing their opinions, the more open to yours they will be.
Examples of effective, open-ended questions include. Talk to me about how the last week has been. How do you see your performance? What are you pleased about? Where do you see opportunities for improvement? What do you need from me that you are not currently getting? Five, apply the 80/20 rule. A good performance conversation should have the individual doing about 80% of the talking and you doing about 20%. Using this rule as a guiding principle will help you focus on staying curious and on asking deeper questions. Six, provide high quality feedback. Seven, always agree the way forward. Ownership is key. You will sustain motivation and drive performance. Performance by allowing the individual to own their performance, their development, and their decision making with your support and where necessary your approval. Becoming a truly effective performance manager is not easy and you'll probably get a few things wrong along the way, but that's okay as your team will recognize and appreciate that. Although you are not perfect, your intent is to become the best manager that you can be for them.
