How to Conduct a Performance Discussion
Providing positive feedback to an employee is easy, right? Smiles and emotional high-fives are exchanged, while everyone feels warm and fuzzy about it. Although, in my opinion, positive feedback is not offered frequently enough to employees, leaders don't stress about delivering good news to an employee.
Talking about a performance shortfall with an employee is a totally different story however. The angst can be so tumultuous that some managers ignore these discussions all together. Note that I titled this person "a manager" here and not "a leader". Leaders do not ignore those tough performance discussions. They tackle them head-on and with great finesse.
An employee performance improvement conversation is a structured discussion between a manager and an employee where feedback is provided about an employee's work performance, areas for improvement, and setting goals for future development. It's a critical tool for fostering employee growth, aligning expectations, and ensuring optimal performance for the company at large.
When it comes to these conversations, I’ve witnessed it all. I’ve witnessed yelling, fist pounding, quiet whispering, rudeness, abrasiveness and avoidance. But, I’ve witnessed some really solid interactions too. I've even experienced a few employee life-altering performance conversations in the midst of very challenging performance gaps. The goal is always improvement. Not termination. So when employees improve, everyone wins. Including the employee. Sometimes their improvement is so dramatic that it spills over into their personal life and the employee's entire life gets a little better.
These positive interactions can be well navigated by any leader who takes the time to learn the required skills for positive employee interactions . This article outlines the correct methods that when learned and practiced, develop the required leadership skills.
Here are the key elements of an effective performance conversation:
Start Positive:
Begin by setting a positive tone and establish a foundation for constructive employee feedback. Welcome the employee to the meeting, thank them for meeting with you and smile at them. The person on the other side of the table is a person, not a suspected criminal in need of integration. Ensure respectful feedback delivery. Once you both get settled, state the purpose of the conversation in a clear and direct manor.
Provide Specific Examples:
When discussing areas for improvement, always use concrete examples of situations, behaviors, or outcomes to illustrate your points. Avoid vague generalizations.
Describe the Business Impact:
Focus on the impact of the employee's actions rather than personal attacks. For example say, "When you missed that deadline last week, it created additional work for the team which resulted in overtime costs and late customer shipments."
Allow Two-Way Communication:
Encourage open dialogue by actively listening to the employee's perspective, understanding their challenges, and allowing them to share their thoughts on their performance. Sometimes you will learn new insights as to the root cause of the issue.
If you find that the employee is deflecting the issue, then respond with an empathy statement that redirects them back to the issue. For example, if the employee says, "Mike drops the ball too", you say, "I understand how you feel and that you think other people sometimes drop the ball, but we are not here to discuss Mike or anyone else. We are here to discuss your performance and that recently missed deadline."
Focus on Development & Improvement:
Instead of dwelling solely on negative aspects, prioritize actionable steps
for improvement and discuss potential development opportunities, such as training or resource support. Collaboratively set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals for the employee to focus on during the next performance period. The employee should always walk away with clear expectations and a clear improvement roadmap.
Discuss the Consequences of Future Issues:
Tell the employee the consequences of continued performance issues. Be direct and to the point. For example, “Continued performance issues could result in additional corrective actions up to an including termination.” Typically, HR needs to be in alignment on this particular statement. Touchbase with them on specific outcomes and exacting wording.
Summarize
Restate specific areas where the employee can improve their performance, Ask the employee if they understand their improvement actions and your expectations. using concrete examples to support your feedback.
Establish follow-up check-ins to monitor progress.
There should be gated check-ins. Scheduling some reoccurring check-in meetings prevents you and the employee from being caught off guard. The frequency of the the meetings is based on the depth of the performance gap. The meeting frequency ranges from weekly to quarterly.
Express confidence in the employee's ability to improve.
If this interaction went well, then expect the employee to improve. Let them realize your confidence by telling them that you are confident that they will make the improvements and do a great job in the future.
Open the floor for any questions or concerns the employee may have.
Allow for one last interaction, but don't let it drag into a debate. Keep this brief and focused.
End Meeting
After the Meeting
Regular Feedback:
Performance conversations shouldn't be limited to formal review cycles. Provide ongoing feedback throughout the year to address issues promptly and encourage continuous improvement.
Employee Privacy:
Maintain confidentiality when discussing performance issues and never share sensitive information with other employees unnecessarily.
Summary
By effectively conducting employee performance conversations, managers can create a culture of open communication, support employee development, and ultimately drive higher levels of performance within the organization.
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