Executive Coaching - Performance Management Coaching Company

Teams of employees working together toward a common goal require a complex skill set in order to achieve and/or exceed the performance expectations for their group. In many cases, the collaborative dynamic within the members of the team, perhaps influenced by differences in experience levels, performance management objectives, career aspirations, and/or interactive style/behaviour in a group setting, can impact the synergy of the team and impede or "block" its path to maximum success.

A number of team building workshops can be customized to address the specific need or needs of the team, in such skill areas as communication/listening, leadership, trust, and "think globally/act locally".

Setting and Communicating Expectations

1. Why it is important to set performance expectations?

2. To ensure the alignment of all team members

3. To establish a sense of fairness/parity across the entire team

4. To clearly define performance expectations

5. By omission, to outline what will not be accepted/not be tolerated

6. To provide a basis for performance measurement and recognition

How might these expectations be communicated? – some options are:

1. Describe what the endpoint would look like

2. Describe the steps that need to be addressed to achieve the endpoint

3. Draw an analogy to a non-work related activity

4. Simulate the behaviour in a practice session or setting

5. Manifest/demonstrate the behaviour in an actual setting

6. Key point – clearly established expectations will help influence and shape behaviour and positively impact performance

Observing and Documenting Behaviour

It is important to focus any/all observations on patterns of behaviour that are seen or heard only. This keeps the relationship at an objective level and removes or restricts any subjectivity or personal biases from potentially influencing the assessment.

Another factor for consideration is whether the behaviour is relevant to the situation at hand, does listening to the music impede productivity or does the manager want the radio turned off because he/she does not like that style of music?. Key point – the manager or supervisor does not have to be physically present to observe an employee`s behaviour – telephone conversations, e-mail communication, feedback obtained from a third party (as long as it is objective/behavioural) are other ways to assess performance against expectations

Coaching and Providing Feedback

Feedback provided must be relevant to the established performance expectations

Prior to delivering feedback or to providing any coaching, managers and supervisors should ask themselves: “Is this useful information that will help my employee decide

whether his/her behaviour meets or achieves performance expectations?”

These elements are also critically important in performance coaching and providing effective feedback:

1. Timeliness – deliver the feedback as soon as possible – the fresher the better

2. Balance – use positive words/statements; make suggestions for improvement

3. Specificity – deal only with behaviour seen or heard – and give examples

4. Objectivity – focus on the performance, not the person or the personality

5. Intent – even if the feedback is unpleasant, position it with an intent to help

Coaching For Enhanced Performance offers both standard and customized business training and business coaching programs for audiences ranging in size from single digits to 100+ participants. These programs are offered in half-day or full-day formats and can be delivered as stand-alone sessions or as part of a more comprehensive meeting agenda or skills training initiative.

With more than 30 years of sales, management, human resources and business coaching experience to offer, Coaching For Enhanced Performance is committed to understanding and supporting your individual and team development needs. Once you have the opportunity to review the business coaching services and training programs highlighted within these pages, Coaching for Enhanced Performance would be pleased to arrange a no-obligation consultation at your convenience.

For business coaching services, visit Executive Coaching for more information.