When someone isn’t achieving your performance standards – or their behaviours run contrary to our values – you need to have the courage to take them aside and tell them the truth. Don’t put your head in the sand and hope the issue resolves itself. Yes, it can be uncomfortable for both parties – but this is what you are paid to do. Don’t make the mistake of protecting people’s feelings at the expense of the truth, because without your honest feedback they will not see the need to improve.  

All of us have developed communication patterns that reflect our individual identities. These patterns develop over time and become our preferred manner for communicating. Your effectiveness in giving and receiving feedback will be enhanced if you are aware of your preferred communication style and that of your feedback recipient. We tend to give and receive feedback in a manner consistent with our dominant communication style. If you understand both your own and your team’s individual communication styles, you can adjust your style to avoid conflicts and ensure understanding.

Since a good part of our self image is based on how others view us, when we find out that someone sees us in a less than positive light we may feel devastated. Make it clear your intentions are positive. If you don’t have a positive intent you won’t overcome resistance and a positive outcome is not possible.

Since a good part of our self image is based on how others view us, when we find out that someone sees us in a less than positive light we may feel devastated. Make it clear your intentions are positive. If you don’t have a positive intent you won’t overcome resistance and a positive outcome is not possible.

Reinforcement feedback should be given as soon as possible to have the most impact. For example, if your team member presents or performs strongly in a meeting, delivers an exceptional result or outstanding service, praise the performance immediately. Be specific, mentioning the precise actions that you commend. Be prepared to take a couple of minutes to talk about the positive effects of what they did. To record positive feedback, use the Performance Conversation Planner – Manager.

Speak with your team member privately within 24 hours of a situation requiring you to give developmental feedback (i.e. feedback about a situation where performance or behaviour could be improved). Have the facts ready along with a clear view of how they can improve. Communicate developmental feedback constructively and specifically to enable your team member to improve. Explain what you see as the performance or behavioral gap and the consequences of this for those affected. To minimise negative employee reactions to feedback, refer to the Manage Negative Reactions guidebook.

“At least you tried hard.” Instead, be specific about what needs to happen, and help them figure out how to do it right.

Give employees an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns after you provide the feedback.  Listen attentively to employees’ ideas and consider implementing ideas that might help improve the business.

Give your team members an opportunity to share their ideas and concerns after you provide the feedback. Listen attentively to your team member’s ideas and consider implementing ideas that might help improve the business.

The following resources will assist with feedback and coaching:

• Performance Conversation Planner – Manager 
• Painless Performance Conversations Workbook
• Manage Negative Reactions Guidebook 

Agree with your team member the specific capability improvements you both wish to make. Link these to job requirements (current job) and/or development requirements preparing your team member to take on additional or new responsibilities.

Whether the coaching is to remedy a weakness or grow capability for development you need an agreed plan which:

• Identifies the improvement required (e.g. acquire business development capability)
• Spells out the standard of achievement required (e.g. the level of competence and measures of competence)
• Details the action required (the usual S.M.A.R.T formula)
• Stipulates the assistance to be provided.

View our example coaching plan then use our Coaching Plan template to develop your own coaching plan.

Provide assignments or goals that challenge your people and meet business needs at the same time.

We learn by doing. Identify opportunities to delegate responsibility (increasing over time) to people who would benefit from growing capability in those areas. Make sure you don’t abdicate or micromanage. Discuss and make clear the level of delegation involved so that it reflects your team member’s capability.

State what you observe, be specific and direct, show sincerity, and communicate face-to-face for both motivational and developmental performance feedback. Give timely recognition for a job well done.

One of the most effective coaching techniques is to partner someone with an expert and let them watch the guru at work. Organise for your “expert” to involve and teach the coaching subject, giving them some tasks to do in return for the chance to learn.

Schedule regular 1 on 1 conversations with your staff  at least once a month to review the 4 C’s – Career & Capability, Contribution and Connection and record important aspects of these conversations in the staff Performance Plans in PeopleStreme.

Collaboratively set plans that define how team member’s will prepare themselves — from training to work assignments — to grow in their skills and capabilities.

Give systematic instruction that involves your team member applying the skills or procedures in a hands-on way. (Maybe delegate this to an ‘expert’ in your team to do on your behalf).

Be willing to comment on team members doing quality work or demonstrating positive behaviours as you are to comment when the reverse is true.

Back good people to succeed. Give them opportunities to grow/fail. That’s how we learn.