How Give Effective Performance Feedback

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Delivering Performance Feedback
Larry Olmstead / August 15, 2008

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Today’s discussion
• Five keys to managing for high performance
• Performance management toolkit
• Elements of effective performance feedback
• Case study
• Your comments and questions
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About Leading Edge Associates
• Leading Edge helps organizations improve their capacity to
lead and manage. Our special expertise is in leadership
development, organizational change and diversity.
• Founded July 2006
• Based in San Jose, CA
• www.leadingedgeassociates.net

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Leading Edge – What we do
Organizational Change Leadership Development and Training
Leadership Assessment Research Edgeline e-newsletter
Executive Coaching Diversity/Inclusion Webinars and Seminars
www.leadingedgeassociates.net

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Influencing performance: What works …
THESE HAVE THE GREATEST POSITIVE IMPACT ON
PERFORMANCE, IN ORDER:
• Fairness & accuracy of informal feedback
• Risk-taking culture
• Emphasis on performance strengths in formal review
• Employee understanding of performance standards
• Internal communication
• Manager knowledgeable about performance
• Opportunity to work on the things you do best
• Feedback that helps employees do their jobs better
• Opportunity to work for a strong executive team
SOURCE: Corporate Leadership Council

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… and what doesn’t
• Emphasis on performance weaknesses
• Increasing the number of formal reviews given each year

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Managing for high
performance
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Managing for high performance
What are some of the key principles?
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Five keys to managing for high performance
1. Set high expectations
2. Make sure expectations
are clear and agreed upon
3. Establish “line of sight”
between individual
performance and
organizational goals
4. Provide consistent, timely
feedback
5. Play to strengths
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It’s about playing to strengths
“This is the one insight we
heard echoed by tens of
thousands of great
managers:
‘People don’t change that
much.
Don’t waste time trying to
put in what was left out.
Try to draw out what was
put in.
That is hard enough.’ “
-
from “First Break All the Rules”

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Set SMART performance goals
• Specific
• Measurable
• Actionable
• Realistic
• Time-bound

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Individual performance should help the team
Members of your group should have a shared set of goals
and expectations that are reflected in performance reviews
and that tie to the broader mission of the organization

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Performance management tools
• Reward systems: Pay, bonuses
• Promotions
• Assignments
• Training, cross-training
• Coaching
• Performance reviews
• Other formal, informal feedback
• Selection of partners, teammates
• Others?

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Six steps to a great performance review
1. Maintain ongoing dialogue,
feedback
2. Keep track of milestones
3. Get employee input
4. Write with clarity and
courage; put key issues on
the table
5. Deliver with clarity and
positive intent
6. Follow through on
performance expectations
and developmental goals

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Delivering constructive feedback – a key skill
• Give feedback that is:
- timely
- frequent
- relevant
- useful
• Deliver feedback with:
- courage
- positive intent
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Feedback challenge – Donita the analyst
Joel, an accounting manager on the finance staff at City College, was
struggling with his review of Donita, a finance analyst. Technically,
Donita’s work was the best on his staff. Her numbers were accurate
and she was good at forecasting trends. But she often was sarcastic
and negative. The admissions and marketing staff complained she
was great at talking about how much money they were wasting, but
rarely offered ideas on efficiencies or ways to make money. Her
nickname around campus was “Doomsday Donita.” Also, Joel thought
her appearance undermined her. In his view, Donita was a little too
plump, wore her dresses too tight, with her neckline too low. He
wished she came across like his deputy Rosa, trim, neat, conservative
and professional. Bottom line – Donita had a strong finance mind, but
how was she going to rise to the top?
1. Should Donita’s attitude be addressed in the review? Why, or why
not?
2. Should her appearance be addressed? Why, or why not?
3. Write two or three sentences that would be appropriate for this
review.
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Final comments or questions?

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Contact us
Larry Olmstead
(408) 997-2905
larryo@leadingedgeassociates.net
www.leadingedgeassociates.net

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