the top ten reactions to performance feedback and how to respond

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The Top Ten Reactions to Performance Feedback and How to Respond

Jamie Resker

September 5, 2012

Sponsored by: A Service

Of:

Advising nonprofits in:

• Strategy

• Planning

• Organizational Development

www.synthesispartnership.com

(617) 969-1881

info@synthesispartnership.com

INTEGRATED PLANNING

Sponsored by: A Service

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www.mission.do

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Today’s Speaker

Jamie Resker Founder and Practice Leader

Employee Performance Solutions Hosting:

Sam Frank, Synthesis Partnership Assisting with chat questions: Jamie Maloney, Nonprofit Webinars

5

How to Respond to the Top Ten

Reactions to Performance Feedback

A Program for Leaders Facilitator:

Jamie Resker Founder and Practice Leader

Unmet Expectations…

6

Aware

Knows How

You are here…

What needs to happen to go from here to there?

You need to be here…

Would it be useful to talk about why you are at your current level?

Yes, I’m eager to have you tell me about my deficiencies

Communicating Expectations

How We Respond to Feedback • Under Attack

• Thinking brain shuts

down

• Emotions crank up

• Fight or Flight Response

• Self-esteem threat

• Judgment = recoil

response

OVERDRIVE

Timing

No Change

Pattern Persists

Apparent Pattern

Single “Thing”

Performing: Reinforcing Feedback

Level 3: Formal Intervention

Level 2: Awareness Intervention

Level 1: Informal Intervention

Level 4: Disciplinary Intervention

Source:

Vanderbilt

University

Medical

Center

10

In the First Place…Getting the Best Reaction

• Make a request

• Say what you want

• Critical….

• Deficiency Driven…

Introducing Feedback…

• Improve… • Get better… • Stop… • Weakness… • You never… • You don’t… • You shouldn’t… YOU’RE DEFICIENT

• Develop the ability to… • Work on… • Focus on… • Put your energy into… • I need for you to… FUTURE FOCUSED Possibilities

Turn Around

• Makes Mistakes

– Stop making so many mistakes

Develop more accuracy

• Let’s talk about what that would look like…

– On the month end reports…

– For payroll…

– Etc….

13

I am struggling to manage someone that is disruptive, chatting frequently, Gets involved in selling things at the workplace, who is loud, very negative etc, but her

work is done well.

1. I wanted to check something out with you. Can we have a conversation?

2. First let me say how happy I am with the work you produce; you’re able to get it all done and the quality is great.

3. This is awkward to bring up but I have to ask you to work in a way that lets others focus fully on and attend to their work.

4. Can I describe to you what I mean by that?

4. Can I describe to you what I mean by that? (Working in a way that lets others be fully focused on their work)

• This would mean that you can go ahead and keep selling (x) but during the time when it’s lunch time when everyone is taking a break from work.

• And if you have a thought about the work or the environment here and that thought isn’t entirely positive then that’s something you should hold onto (keep under your hat, keep in the thought bubble).

• And the last thing would be to speak at a lower voice volume.

5. The reason I’m asking this of you is because we’ve got so much work and I need for others to be fully focused. Let me assure you that I’m happy with the work you produce. 6. Have I explained things in a clear way? What’s your take on what I’ve asked?

Managing the Conversation

I’m feeling confident

“There’s just one

thing I’d like to

have you

focus on…”

“I know… I

need to

work on

that…”

“What do you

mean? I thought I

was good with

customers”

“I can’t help

it…customers

annoy me.”

I’ll see what I can do…” What do you

mean? I have

GREAT with

customers!

Desired Response

Ultimate Goal

Acknowledges

Check In…

Recognize

Progress

More Feedback

Action Steps

Your Experience…

What are some reactions you’ve received

when giving performance feedback?

Acknowledgement

Employee

Reaction

Acknowledgement

Manager’s

Response

What will be your first step? What will

you do next?

Surprised

21

Employee

Response

Surprised

Manager’s

Response

Why Didn’t You Bring This Up

Before?

Employee

Response

Why Didn’t You Bring This Up

Before?

Manager’s

Response

When I Worked For My Other

Manager…

Employee

Response

You are SO

Awesome!

When I Worked For My Other

Manager…

Manager’s

Response

Excuses

Employee

Response

System or Process Issue?

Performance Issue?

Invalid Excuses

“I hear what you’re saying

but I still need for you to be

respectful to your

colleagues.”

Manager’s

Response

Non-Committal

“I’ll try but I can’t make any promises.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

Tone

Employee

Response

? ? ?

Non-Committal

“Sounds like you’re

hesitant…..

This is important

So I’m going to give you

time to ”

Manager’s

Response

Yes, I will.

Silence

Employee’s

Response

Silence

Manager’s

Response

Blaa, blaaaa, blaaa and

more blaaa, blaaa,

I’m noticing that…

Let’s reconnect…

Anger

Employee’s

Response

Anger

Manager’s

Response

Anger

Manager’s

Response

Acknowledge…

Anger

Manager’s

Response

Difficult: First Conversation

“Well, people

around here

should lighten

up a little.

I can’t help it if I

she has no sense

of humor, etc.”

Employee

Response

10 15 20

Difficult: First Conversation

Manager’s

Response

We’ve been talking for …

This is important…

Let’s reconnect…

1

3

2

Difficult: Numerous Conversations

HR Contact has

been involved

Manager’s

Response

I’ve outlined exactly…

If you choose not to…

This will lead us to talking about…

1

3

2

Resources Employee Performance Solutions Article

Will be posted on The Voice with webinar recording.

Thank You

Jamie Resker

Employee Performance Solutions

jamie@employeeperformancesolutions.com

781-752-5716

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