"People often say that motivation doesn't last. Well, neither does bathing -- that's why we recommend it daily."
--Zig Ziglar

Home >> Motivation Initiatives >> Performance Management >> Stage 2

 

Supervisors can create performance discussion opportunities in a variety of ways:

• Staff meetings — Schedule the meetings regularly, adopt a format, and start and end the meetings on time. Avoid the usual drudgery of staff meetings by requiring staff to submit status reports for all to read prior to the meeting, and then devote the meeting to discussing issues, opportunities, barriers and obstacles, solutions and plans.
• One-on-ones — Schedule periodic one-on-one meetings with employees. Adopt a format and follow it. One possible format:
  • What is going well?
  • What problems, or barriers and obstacles, is the employee encountering?
  • Discuss opportunities and problems, identify underlying factors, and consider possible actions.
  • Agree on actions to be taken and follow up.
• Informal drop-bys — Some work settings make informal drop-bys impossible, but in most cases, supervisors can strike up informal, impromptu conversations with their employees, either in groups or one-on-one. These are unscheduled happenings. However, someone has to initiate them. Supervisors can make it a point to walk around, say once a week, and talk to their employees. The conversations should be work-focused but should not come across as "checking up" on the employee. One possible format:
  • How's it going with the XYZ project? (Or whatever goal the employee is working on that is of particular interest or concern at the moment)
  • Discuss whatever is going especially well or whatever issue is of concern to the employee at the moment.
  • Agree on any follow-up action to be taken.
  • Thank the employee for the good work.

Conversations should center on the employee's results expectations. Which expectations are being achieved? Which are in jeopardy? Discuss the measures that have been set up to track performance.

Supervisors should also express their appreciation for their employees' good work and ask if there is anything they can do to help their employees' meet their performance expectations.

These conversations should also solicit employee feedback. Ask for ideas on how processes can be improved, for example. Employees are more inclined to contribute when they have a forum for making suggestions and when they know that their suggestions will be appreciated.

If an employee is not performing well, the one-on-one can be an opportunity to initiate discussion of the performance problem (if it has not been discussed before) or to follow up on an earlier discussion, corrective action plan, or disciplinary action.