Performance Management Skills: Overview Coaching Coaching Coaching Styles Coaching Styles Coaching Process Coaching Process Performance Review Meetings Performance Review Meetings

Coaching: Definition (1) Helping relationship Helping relationship Manager Manager Interacts with employee andInteracts with employee and Takes active role and interest in performanceTakes active role and interest in performance

Coaching: Definition (2) Collaborative ongoing process Collaborative ongoing process Directing employee behaviorDirecting employee behavior Motivating employee behaviorMotivating employee behavior Rewarding employee behaviorRewarding employee behavior Concern with long-term performanceConcern with long-term performance

Understanding Successful Coaching Guiding Principles (1) A good coaching relationship is essential : A good coaching relationship is essential : Trusting and collaborativeTrusting and collaborative Willing to listen in order to understandWilling to listen in order to understand Looking for positive aspects of the employeeLooking for positive aspects of the employee Understanding that coaching is done with the employee, not to the employeeUnderstanding that coaching is done with the employee, not to the employee

Understanding Successful Coaching Guiding Principles (2) The Employee is the Source and Director of change The Employee is the Source and Director of change The Employee is whole and unique The Employee is whole and unique The Coach is the Facilitator of the Employee’s growth The Coach is the Facilitator of the Employee’s growth

Major Coaching Functions: Give advice Give advice Provide guidance Provide guidance Provide support Provide support Give confidence Give confidence Promote greater competence Promote greater competence

Key Coaching Behaviors Establish developmental objectives Establish developmental objectives Communicate effectively Communicate effectively Motivate employees Motivate employees Document performance Document performance Give feedback Give feedback Diagnose performance problems Diagnose performance problems Develop employees Develop employees

The Good Coach Questionnaire  Do you listen to your employees?  Do you understand the individual needs of your employees?  Do you encourage employees to express their feelings openly?  Do you provide your employees with tangible and intangible support for development?  Do your employees know your expectations about their performance? (continued on next slide)

The Good Coach Questionnaire (continued)  Do you encourage open and honest discussions and problem solving?  Do you help your employees create action plans that will  Solve problems?  Create changes?  Do you help your employees explore potential areas of growth and development?

Coaching Styles More assertive Less assertive Task & Fact oriented DriverAnalyzer People oriented PersuaderAmiable

Adaptive coaches use all styles according to employee needs: Sometimes providing direction Sometimes providing direction Sometimes persuading Sometimes persuading Sometimes showing empathy Sometimes showing empathy Sometimes paying close attention to rules and established procedures Sometimes paying close attention to rules and established procedures

Set Developmenta l Goals Identify Developmental Resources & Strategies Implement Strategies Observe and Document Developmental Behavior Give Feedback Coaching Process

Coaching Process: Steps covered in Chapter 8 Set Developmental Goals Set Developmental Goals Identify Resources and Strategies Needed to Implement Developmental Goals Identify Resources and Strategies Needed to Implement Developmental Goals Implement Developmental Goals Implement Developmental Goals

Coaching Process: Overview of remaining steps Observe and Document Developmental Behavior and Outcomes Observe and Document Developmental Behavior and Outcomes Give Feedback Give Feedback PraisePraise Negative FeedbackNegative Feedback

Observe and Document Developmental Behavior and Outcomes Constraints: Time Time Situation Situation Activity Activity

Organizational Activities to improve documentation of performance Good communication plan to get manager buy-in Good communication plan to get manager buy-in Training programs Training programs Rater error trainingRater error training Frame-of-reference trainingFrame-of-reference training Behavioral observation trainingBehavioral observation training Self-leadership trainingSelf-leadership training

Reasons to document performance Minimize cognitive load Minimize cognitive load Create trust Create trust Plan for the future Plan for the future Provide legal protection Provide legal protection

Recommendations for Documentation Be specific Be specific Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly Use adjectives and adverbs sparingly Balance positives with negatives Balance positives with negatives Focus on job-related information Focus on job-related information Be comprehensive Be comprehensive Standardize procedures Standardize procedures Describe observable behavior Describe observable behavior

Giving Feedback Main purposes: Main purposes: Help build confidenceHelp build confidence Develop competenceDevelop competence Enhance involvementEnhance involvement Improve future performanceImprove future performance

Potential costs of failing to provide feedback: Employees are deprived of chance to improve their own performance Employees are deprived of chance to improve their own performance Chronic poor performance Chronic poor performance Employees have inaccurate perceptions of how their performance is regarded by others Employees have inaccurate perceptions of how their performance is regarded by others

To be effective, feedback should: Be timely Be timely Be frequent Be frequent Be specific Be specific Be verifiable Be verifiable Be consistent (over time and across employees) Be consistent (over time and across employees) Be given privately Be given privately Provide context and consequences Provide context and consequences (continued next slide)

To be effective, feedback should: (continued) Provide description first, evaluation second Provide description first, evaluation second Cover the continuum of performance Cover the continuum of performance Identify patterns Identify patterns Demonstrate confidence in employee Demonstrate confidence in employee Allow for both Allow for both Supervisor’s advice andSupervisor’s advice and Idea generation by bothIdea generation by both Employee Employee Supervisor Supervisor

Guidelines for Giving Praise Be sincere – only give praise when it is deserved Be sincere – only give praise when it is deserved Give praise about specific behaviors or results Give praise about specific behaviors or results Take your time Take your time Be comfortable with act of praising Be comfortable with act of praising Emphasize the positive Emphasize the positive

Giving Negative Feedback Managers avoid giving negative feedback due to: Negative reactions and consequences Negative reactions and consequences Negative experiences in the past Negative experiences in the past Playing “god” Playing “god” Need for irrefutable and conclusive evidence Need for irrefutable and conclusive evidence

Negative feedback is most useful when it: Identifies warning signs and performance problem is still manageable Identifies warning signs and performance problem is still manageable Clarifies unwanted behaviors and consequences Clarifies unwanted behaviors and consequences Focuses on behaviors that can be changed Focuses on behaviors that can be changed Comes from a credible source Comes from a credible source Is supported by hard data Is supported by hard data

Feedback Sessions should always answer: (1) How is your job going? How is your job going? Do you have what you need to do your job? Do you have what you need to do your job? Are you adequately trained? Are you adequately trained? Do you have the skills and tools you need to do your job? Do you have the skills and tools you need to do your job?

Feedback Sessions should always answer: (2) What can be done to improve? What can be done to improve? JobJob ProductProduct ServicesServices How can you better serve your customers? How can you better serve your customers? InternalInternal ExternalExternal

Supervisory roles in managing performance Judge Judge Evaluate performanceEvaluate performance Allocate rewardsAllocate rewards Coach Coach Help employee solve performance problemsHelp employee solve performance problems Identify performance weaknessesIdentify performance weaknesses Design developmental plansDesign developmental plans

Performance Review Formal Meetings Possible types of formal meetings: 1. System Inauguration 2. Self-Appraisal 3. Classical Performance Review 4. Merit/Salary Review 5. Developmental Plan 6. Objective Setting

Steps to take before meeting: Give at least 2 weeks notice Give at least 2 weeks notice Block sufficient time Block sufficient time Arrange to meet in a private location without interruptions Arrange to meet in a private location without interruptions

Merged Performance Review Meeting Components 1. Explanation of meeting purpose 2. Employee self-appraisal 3. Supervisor & employee share rating and rationale 4. Developmental discussion 5. Employee summary 6. Rewards discussion 7. Follow-up meeting arrangement 8. Approval and appeals process discussion 9. Final recap

Possible defensive behaviors of employees Fight response Fight response Blaming othersBlaming others Staring at supervisorStaring at supervisor Raising voiceRaising voice Other aggressive responsesOther aggressive responses Flight response Flight response Looking/turning away Speaking softly Continually changing the subject Quickly agreeing without basis Other passive responses

To prevent/reduce defensive behaviors Establish and maintain rapport Establish and maintain rapport Be empathetic Be empathetic Observe verbal and nonverbal cues Observe verbal and nonverbal cues Minimize threats Minimize threats Encourage participation Encourage participation

When defensiveness is unavoidable:  Recognize it  Allow its expression  Accept employee’s feelings  Ask for additional information and clarification (if appropriate) If situation becomes intolerable  Reschedule the meeting for a later time

Quick Review Coaching Coaching Coaching Styles Coaching Styles Coaching Process Coaching Process Performance Review Meetings Performance Review Meetings