Patterns in talking about a personal development goal Simone Schenk November 27, 2013Paper presented at EAPRIL

First an example What are they talking about? Please read the next example. What behaviour, goal and action plan are discussed? What do you think happens? 2

An example from an appraisal interview -1 a Manager: I would really like you to cooperate more. The team needs your expertise. (Gives a ‘general’ example of the role of feedback.) 3

An example from an appraisal interview -1 b Employee: I agree that mentors should give more feedback, but I am not a mentor. And I do communicate with my colleague in the night shift on a regular basis. (Gives examples.) 4

An example from an appraisal interview -1 c Manager: You know we have to work harder with less staff. This means our team strategy has to change. We can’t have people doing their thing anymore. 5

An example from an appraisal interview -1 d Employee: I know. Pressure is on. So whenever there is time I lend my ear, especially to the juniors. When they are having a difficult time. 6

An example from an appraisal interview -1 e Manager: We are busy with the protocols and we are trying to adjust …. (Starts to explain what plans there are in general to enhance cooperation.) 7

Analysis of example 1 What (past) behaviour is addressed? Examples of communication with colleague and reaction manager “not doing their thing” What (implicit) goal? Cooperate, feedback What action plan? Lend my ear What happens during the dialogue? 8

In the next minutes Results from 97 parts of conversations on a personal development goal What patterns? Essential aspects of these patterns Consequences for research Consequences for practice 9

Method 97 conversations on a personal development goal audio tapes actual interview as part of the anual performance cycle Managers and employees Schools, banks, hospitals, consultancy Descriptive approach (Giorgi, 2012) Reliability 10

Theoretical framework (1) Until now, no comparable research found on ‘what happens while they are talking’ between manager and employee Before listening to tapes a lot of different research themes on aspects playing a part in talking about a goal: –Information processing and memory (Woike, 2008) –Conscious thought and sub(un)conscious thinking (Baumeister, Masicampo and Vohs, 2011) –Goals and attention (Dijksterhuis and Aarts, 2010) –Decision making and emotion (Greifeneder, Bless and Pham, 2011) –Emotion and conscious thought (Lambie and Marcel, 2002) –Multi-tasking (Borst, 2011) 11

Theoretical framework (2) We did find research on ‘what happens while they are talking’ between teacher and student –Teachers find it hard to get the student to talk (Winters, Meijers, Kuijpers and Baert, 2012) –Teachers can be more or less directive and active (Crasborn, Hennissen, Brouwer, Korthagen and Bergen, 2011) –Teacher – student relation; Dominance – Submission ; Cooperation – Opposition (Wubbels and Brekelmans, 2005) –Teachers reflecting on their behaviour (Mena Marcos and Tillema, 2006) –Formulate goals SMART: vague goals don’t work (Locke and Latham, 2002) 12

Four different patterns Non of the conversations had a pattern of manager and employee both talking about the same goal, in relation to behaviour and action plan and specific enough Trying to describe what happens, four different patterns emerged 13

Pattern 1 Example M: You remember our last meeting? We discussed the night shifts and you didn’t stand up for yourself. You were given the most … (explains what she thinks about the nurse’s schedule) E: Well, of course … But, everybody has a say in it …. (tells a lot about what colleagues said before, during and after the meeting) M: Yes, I heard it too. But that doesn’t mean you have to lose out? E: Of course not, I don’t always draw the short stick …. (gives an example of her schedule a few months ago) M: I don’t agree. That was during the summer break, it is always quiet that period. Look at you now. You seem tired (gives feedback on things she saw happening the last few days). E: Yes, everybody is stressed, more or less. There is the flu, leaving the ward understaffed (describes the daily routine with colleagues at home, sick) M: I still think you should take better care of yourself. What are your plans for your spare time coming up? 14

Pattern 1 Thinking - Reacting Thoughts manager are dominant Employee reacts (fight – freeze – flight) It often starts with the manager giving input It often starts with a HRM-format or guideline 15

Pattern 2 Example 16 E: I want our team to have a mutual understanding. I will give you an example. Last week we …. (gives an example of something having happened) M: Yes, I see. Why do you think … ?E: Well, it is not the first time. Last meeting we discussed …. (gives another example) M: What did you do?E: We tried to talk it over, but there is a great reluctance … (gives a third example) M: Yes, meetings should not take so long. It is more effective if the team has short sessions. I will take that into account when I talk to the project manager.

Pattern 2 Listening - Talking Memory employee is dominant Manager follows, non-directive It often starts with the manager asking “What do you want to talk about?” The employee tells …. and more and more, associative 17

Pattern 3 Example 18 M: I would like you to talk to a colleague who works at the department I used to manage. He is an expert on giving feedback. Ever since he coached some employees the cooperation went up. It will be really worth your while. E: uh, … yes M: he is an asset to the team, a real natural. He invested by doing a workshop on coaching. And he has read a lot about it. I suppose you will get along just fine. E: oh, … M: By the way, have you seen the notification on the new software we are going to implement? E: yes, it will be a real change for the better I presume … (tells about it)

Pattern 3 Talking - Listening Memory manager is dominant Employee follows, short sentences or sounds It often starts with the manager giving an example, information, a solution The manager often starts to talk more and more when the employee gives a minimal reaction 19

Pattern 4 Example 20 M: You are doing a fine job coaching that junior colleague. I am proud we have a team cooperating so well. E: I enjoy doing it. It is fulfilling to see such a junior develop into a self- confident teacher. I would really like to do this more often. (Shares thoughts on what to do and how to be able to do it.) M: Of course, it is a rewarding task. You know everybody has got to get the opportunity to coach. I had a workshop on the theme last winter. (Explains a new coaching method.) E: How interesting. That could work very well. I am going to read about it. And find out whether it works in our team just as well.(Starts to think out loud what would work and how) Yes, I have a project on measuring quality coming up. I have you in mind to motivate the team to participate. Your way of giving arguments might set a good example … (start to explain the project)

Pattern 4 Thinking - Thinking Each have their own thoughts and input They react to their own input mostly Each seems to have an own agenda or goal It is often an exchange of thoughts on two different subjects 21

Pattern matrix 1)No specific input on behaviour: judging, appraising, process talk Effect emotion on judgement and decision making: no analysis (Greifeneder et all., 2011) 2)Employee input on behaviour: associating, thinking out loud, story telling Goal setting theory: vague does not work (Locke and Latham, 2002) 3)Manager input on behaviour: giving examples, explaining, suggesting Effect on memory: overload (Woike, 2008) 4)Employee and manager each input, but no dialogue, each own line People cannot have attention to the self and other at the same time (Lambie and Marcel, 2002); Borst (2011) : multi tasking problem 22

Consequences (1) 23 Further research : training managers (workshop Friday C729) Further research: checking after a few months: what are the results of the dialogues on the different patterns?

Consequences (2) 24 Practice: patterns have an effect on memory, thinking and / or emotion –Pattern 1: Needs activating memory –Pattern 2: Needs specific goal and action plan –Pattern 3: Needs memory ready –Pattern 4: Needs lead and attention

Discussion 25 Do you recognise these patterns? Is there a pattern missing?