Effective managers create alignment by
ensuring strategic clarity, building high performance cultures, and
differentiating top talent.
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 Difficult Performance Conversations Are No Fun Most managers (including me) dread difficult performance conversations with their direct reports and are willing to try almost anything to avoid them. Whether it is delivering bad news, discussing sensitive subjects, or firing an employee, the most upsetting performance conversations are the ones that evoke anger, yelling, accusations, defensiveness or tears.
As appealing as it may be to avoid a
potential confrontation with a coworker, we have found that high performing
team leaders face these conversations without dread. They are adept at
managing conflict in a way that creates clarity, trust, and accountability.
What do they do differently? .
There Are Countless
Tools and Techniques Available
There are countless performance communication tools and techniques available to help make performance management discussions better. They range from better listening, to being more empathetic, to being more direct. Used correctly, they can all help make difficult conversations about performance more productive.
The Six Most Common
Difficult Performance Conversation Mistakes
When we ask employees to list the most frustrating and ineffective aspects of ineffective performance conversations at work, six rise to the surface:
The True Root Cause
- Bad Performance Expectations
Avoiding these common mistakes will certainly help. But we find that they often do not address the root cause of most difficult performance conversations - a lack of clear performance expectations. |