Tips for clearly communicating expectations:

·        Be specific – avoid overly broad and ambiguous terms

Too broad:

Provide good customer service

Be courteous and friendly

Specific:

Smile and make eye contact

Return all client calls within 24 hours.

·        Check to see what clarification is needed

·        Ask for a summary to ensure understanding

     I want to be sure I covered everything. Would you tell me what you’ve heard so far?

Performance Conversation Tips: 

Effective coaching occurs through conversation. Below are key characteristics of effective performance coaching and feedback conversations:

·        They are dialogues, not monologues

·        They occur regularly, rather than being reserved for formal reviews

·        They are balanced – address strengths as well as concerns

·        They are collegial and conducted with respect, both in words and non-verbal behavior

Giving Feedback

·        Be timely - give feedback as close to the event as possible

·       Be specific and give examples – avoid broad generalities

·        Focus on actions and their impact, not personality judgments

·        Partner with the employee to find solutions rather than assign blame

·        Provide a balance of feedback about what’s working and what can be improved

·        Maintain an adult-to-adult tone rather than a parent-to-child tone

Receiving Feedback 

·        Avoid taking feedback too personally

·        Remain non-defensive

·        Consider how the feedback may be helpful

·        Accept compliments

·        Ask for specifics and examples

 ·        Listen actively

o        Listen to understand, rather than to respond

o        Ask questions for clarification when needed

o        Summarize the feedback in your own words to be sure you understood the message as it was intended

·        Remain involved – you are a partner in the conversation

·        If you have a different perspective, offer it, but only after you’ve fully listened to and understood the other’s point of view

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Addressing Performance Concerns or Problems

Suggested steps when addressing performance concerns or problems:

1.      Present your view of the problem. If the problem is a concern you have about the other’s actions, use the Action-Impact format to present your concern.

Action-Impact Format:

o        State the Action (behavior) you observed

o        Describe the Impact the action had on results

2.      Invite and hear the employee’s view of the problem.

o        Listen non-defensively and seek to understand the other’s perspective

3.      Identify a definition of the problem that is agreeable to both of you.

4.      Brainstorm possible solutions.

5.      Agree on a strategy to implement.

6.      Schedule a follow-up meeting to check the success of the strategy.

Phrasing examples

Asking for a summary (to ensure that expectations were accurately understood):

I want to be sure I’ve covered everything. Could you tell me your understanding of what needs to happen so I can be sure I haven’t left anything out?

Using the Action-Impact format to address a concern:

“What I’ve noticed over the past two weeks is that you’ve been between 10 and 30 minutes late to work 5 of the 10 days (action). As a result, other team members have been pulled away from their tasks in order to ensure that customer needs are met. This has put the team behind schedule on a critical project (impact). I understand that on rare occasions, being late can’t be avoided, but 5 out of 10 days is not acceptable. Let’s look at what can be done to ensure that you’re present and available for clients each work day by 8:00 a.m (desired outcome).”

Inviting collaboration to develop solutions:

The outcome that needs to be achieved is 100% on-time arrival by 8:00 a.m. in order to be present for customers. Can we brainstorm together about ways to achieve this? What ideas do you have about how to overcome the barriers you’ve identified?

Using the Action-Impact format to give praise & acknowledgement:

You did excellent work on that project! The initiative you took to identify potential problems and suggest proactive solutions (action) is what allowed us to complete the work on time (impact).

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