How to Push a Conversational Boulder
GETTING EMPLOYEES TO TALK

Some conversations with employees may feel as if you are pushing a boulder uphill.

 

It SHOULD feel that way--slow, arduous, and deliberate--if you are guiding the conversation successfully. Here's what I mean.

Your job is to coach the employee to their own conclusions and solutions. 
If you give them the answers, they are compliant.  If they come up with the answers, they own the solution. Performance-related conversations, especially the tough ones, involve the employee in defining the problem and in identifying solutions. That's a painless performance conversation. 


Painless performance conversations follow a predictable pattern:

1. Explain the situation and why the issue is important.
2. 
Listen and probe. Ask the employee for his/her view.

3. Find agreement on what success looks like.
4. Discuss alternatives for achieving success.
5. Agree on specific actions.
6. Express confidence and set a follow-up.

As you follow this conversation model, it may feel like you are pushing a boulder up a mountain. That's because the hardest parts are at the beginning, when you are trying to establish and maintain momentum. Steps one and two are the uphill part of the climb. In particular, step two, asking the employee for his/her view, is the step we are most likely to skip. When you skip step two and jump to giving alternatives, you most likely will have to return to the beginning of the climb. If you can endure what often feels like the difficult part, asking and listening, you will eventually be able to reach the summit of the conversation, which is agreement on what success looks like. From there, the downhill is easy and fast. Here's how the conversational mountain might look:

Don't let the uphill part of the journey keep you from reaching your goal of helping the employee improve his or her performance.  

 

Painless Performance Conversations
HRCI CREDIT NOW AVAILABLE!

 
Painless Performance Conversations Webinar Series is HRCI-credit approved!

 "The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met the HR Certification Institute's criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit."

Webinar SeriesGive yourself and your managers the gift of confidence this holiday season by taking advantage of our new webinar series and receive 4.0 General HRCI credits from the Human Resource Certification Council.

 

The Painless Performance Conversations Webinar Series, is an easy-to-follow introduction to the key concepts from Painless Performance Conversations: A Practical Approach to Critical Day-to-Day Workplace Discussions.

 

With this new resource, you can pick up these powerful tools and concepts right at your desk. Delivered when you want, at your own pace, listening to these recordings is the next best thing to attending a live Painless Performance Conversation workshop.

 

 

Final Footnotes
NEWS & EVENTS FROM MARNIE

We are giving away signed copies of Painless Performance Conversations to randomly selected readers of our monthly E-tip. This month's winners are Kelly Tanzer and Linda Gabor.  If that's you, please send me an email with your mailing address and we'll get a signed copy sent to you right away.
 
As always, I'd be happy to talk with you about improving your organization's performance management practices. Just give me a call at 480-705-9394 or shoot me an email. I'd love to hear from you. 
 
Happy Holidays from sunny Arizona! May you and your team have the happiest holiday season and most prosperous New Year ever.
 
 

 

 

   
Warmly,  
MEG Signature 
Marnie Green, CSP, IPMA-CP
Principal Consultant

 

 

December 2013
How to Push a Conversational Boulder
HRCI Performance Management Training
Final Footnotes
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