Performance Mentoring

Transcription

1 Performance Mentoring Introduction Race for Opportunity research 1 shows that many employees, from every ethnic group, at every level and in every profession say that they are working in poor, uninspiring and unsatisfactory managerial relationships. Employees feel that their discretionary effort is going unrecognised, their capability to do more and be more, achieving personal ambitions as well as organisational targets is being frustrated. Research 2 also shows that accountability to organisational goals has a significant influence on a managers' behaviour, a fact that could negatively impact on team development initiatives. This guide is designed to provide practical and pragmatic guidance on how to address daily working challenges. To improve individual as well as organisational outcomes in terms of performance and progression. In addition this guide will help managers to be more effective at developing each of the people who reports directly to them so that: these employees achieve their desired workplace ambitions; managers will be more successful, and less burdened and pressurised, in their management and development role. The guide is straightforward, addressing and answering in a practical way the four big questions managers and developers of people face. 1 Race to Progress - Race for Opportunity Line managers and Diversity - Opportunity Now -2 1

2 Why should I hold performance mentoring for my staff? Managing people well as individuals requires effort and commitment; but both are repaid many times over by making the manager/staff relationship, and their business outcomes, more successful. Why should a manager engage with helping their staff to be the very best they can? Short answer: An engaged and proactive team reflects positively on the team manager and the organisation. Investing time in the performance mentoring of teams will: Improve performance of individuals and the overall team as the team members become more proactive and motivated. Gain internal praise and recognition for individuals, the team and the team manager. Improve attendance and staff satisfaction: engaged staff are happier coming into work absence falls; engaged staff are much more effective ambassadors for the organisation; a good internal reputation attracts top quality recruits; Team members will share their creativity and will be open to new ideas. Engaged team members will be more proactive with crisis management. Taking time to develop others can be a game-changing experience for both the manager and the staff member. Coaching, mentoring, supporting opens up new horizons for both parties and the development of successful people management is a key skill in today's informed workplace. When do I do it? Short answer: All the time The enhancement and improvement of performance can be undertaken at any time... during an induction, in introducing or reviewing a new product/service/process, bringing in a change, holding team meetings or regular all staff sessions, or even simply walking round the office or the shop floor. Think about performance mentoring: At every point in the employment year, time should be taken to talk meaningfully about personal (and team) performance improvement: Whilst setting objectives. Whilst discussing: o development, o promotion, o performance, pay, o transfer When completed tasks are reviewed. At every point in management, time should be taken to talk meaningfully about personal (and team) performance improvement: in daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly work planning; in budget setting and monitoring; in project management; in handling feedback, questions from managers and colleagues; as an issue arises, timely feedback is paramount. 2

3 What do I do? Short answer: Keep it simple with 5 purposeful steps. Prepare > Start > Feedback > Coach > Wrap-up Step 1: Prepare Whenever a conversation is held: discussion, review formal or informal with an individual staff member or the team the opportunity is there to help staff be great at their job. Preparation should include: The right environment for a discussion, based on facts. The right environment is: appreciative: We can put right together any things that are going wrong ; professional but relaxed; fact and evidence based, with feelings and emotions neutralised; action and performance-oriented, not about personality. Getting the logistics right: have these discussions when there is the physical and emotional time to devote to them, without distraction; plan the flow, the content with evidence, examples, options and alternatives; think in advance about the questioning approach to be used; and the wider tone and style of the discussion starting with the requirements of the member of staff. Establish evidence about good and weaker practice from past experience. Take into consideration the future. The standards that will be required from the employee and the assistance required to achieve these. Where possible development conversations should be face-to-face even if teams are geographically dispersed, utilising technology to facilitate this. Be sensitive around the use of for giving feedback if in doubt don t have a conversation instead. Step 2: Start Handle the preliminaries well. Ensure the staff member is comfortable and that he/she is aware that the conversation is 'safe' and he/she can contribute honestly without fear of retribution. Bring to the surface the key issues. Ask relevant and open questions: How would you describe this/the issue/the project/the task to me? What key things stand out in your view? Tell me about those evidence, data,? What conclusions can we draw? Are those solid? Might there be others? Is there anything else that is relevant? There will usually already be a context and a history of previous discussions with a team member. During the planning stage reflect on that history, be informed by it what has worked well and what has been less successful; and acknowledge this in discussions. 3

4 Step 3: Feedback Give feedback on performance. Try to differentiate between good and less good performance, praise the good, together learn from what s going well to improve what s not. Praise: What are you most proud of? I think you can be really proud and pleased with XXX as well. Improvement: Are you satisfied with the way everything is going? What would you change if you could? How and why? I was wondering also about XXX. Tell me about that. I noticed that you did and it seemed to have this effect. How might you manage the issue in future/learn from others? Learning: What can you do to ensure the same things don t arise in future? What needed to have been different for you to do things differently earlier? How would you like me or others to help? Check-out: So we have talked about xyz, is there anything else you would like to add or discuss? Step 4: Coach Move the relationship forward: take one or two of the issues raised in step 3 and explore them together, assisting and coaching the staff member by utilising previous experience. Get a statement of intention: 'I think you were trying to achieve XXX. Am I correct? Offer an observation: This is what I saw happen. Assess reality against intention: How did that help or hinder what you were trying to achieve? Reflect together on responses. Suggest a way forward or question further: What other ways could you do XXX? I have seen others try a, b, c, could any of these help here? Ask the employee to expand from the specific example you have been discussing into other relevant issues showing the wider issue. Together identify conditions that will enable and motivate the member of staff to act constructively in the future. Seek a summary from the staff member to be sure all the right and the key messages have been heard and taken on board. Seek feedback from the member of staff and be of support to them. Step 5: Wrap-up Managers should try to agree a consensual way forward that will work, with actions. Agree an objective for each action; its importance (High, Medium, Low importance/priority) and the reason for that; target dates; stakeholders to work with; and the expected outcomes. Follow up in a timely fashion. 4

5 How do I do it? Short answer: Consider the member of staff s perspective and plan accordingly. Style adaptation may be necessary to help each team member achieve their goals and to be the very best they can. Adapting style and tone isn t difficult. This is frequently undertaken automatically, but by consciously and deliberately adapting style and tone when working to support staff members, the potential for misunderstanding can be avoided: Think about style adaption if: A staff member is naturally quiet and thoughtful, and you are naturally more outgoing, exuberant. The staff member is someone who understands points and issues with examples, patterns and metaphors, and you are naturally more comfortable with data and analysis. The staff member is someone who likes to plan in detail and have targets with precision and systems, and you are more naturally spontaneous. Other areas that call for the manager to adapt their style are: Staff members whose culture, creed, background, life choices are different to the organisational average. Staff members whose diversity is important to them in ways that such issues may be less important to the organisation. This is about genuine attention, care and respect in relating to individuals in the ways that work best for them and for the organisation. A team that feels that their manager is genuinely interested in them as people will be more resourceful and productive, benefiting both the team and the business.. If the same developmental issues keep cropping up with the same employee, the manager will need to find different ways of adapting style and language. Employees want to feel valued by their organisation and most have the ability and aspiration to learn and improve. To this end the support and understanding of their manager is paramount and further emphasis should be placed on the communication style in the planning stage. Issues that are about misconduct or rule breaking, redundancy or dismissal, are a different category altogether and are not part of this resource. 5

6 Best Practice Recommendations. Building The Foundations: Ensure all the 'basics' are in place in the team - clear job descriptions, appropriate training and skill development, fair and felt recognition, assessment and reward. Engage with performance mentoring for all. Ensure meetings are held both for those who are already engaged and working to potential as well as with those staff members who are less engaged and not as pro-active. Hold performance mentoring meetings on a regular basis. Invest time to deliver performance mentoring fairly, giving everyone the same opportunity to learn and to access development opportunities. Work as a partner - ask how can I help?' Communication Best Practice: Plan the meeting to ensure that performance conversations are productive. Ensure the discussion is seen as important. Prepare in advance, allow time and emotional resource. Adapt delivery style to the individual. Use appreciative techniques, 'How can we learn from what is going well to improve what is going less well? Take the context and history of the manager/staff relationship into consideration. Be open to learning from team members. Individuals' experiences inform their communication style and approach. This is a skill that is likely to become even more critical as future leaders will to be competent in building understanding across international teams. Check that the actions and objectives discussed in the meeting have been clearly understood by both parties. Taking the Conversation Forward Take notes and forward a copy to the employee or make sure they are readily accessible. Ensure any actions are delivered in a timely fashion. Keep the two way dialogue open and amend objectives as appropriate. 6