Practical skills for performance management and improvement

Overview

Maximising team performance is vital for any organisation, but most organisations are surprisingly bad at dealing with performance issues (a Personnel Today survey in February 2006 showed that 96% of companies questioned had problems with performance management). Why is this? Principally, because line managers have not been equipped with the necessary skills.

Managing individuals with significant performance issues is a key skill – one that benefits the performer, the team and the organisation. Too often, managers either over-react or fail to take appropriate action early enough. This course identifies the key causes and types of poor performance within a team. It gives managers the knowledge, behaviours, skills – and, above all, confidence – to manage poor performance effectively. They are also encouraged to think how their own management style can help foster and motivate high performance within their teams.

Training objectives

This course will help participants:

• Appreciate the range of management tools available to improve performance
• Identify when and how to use these management tools
• Clarify the roles and responsibilities of managers and HR when managing performance issues
• Give negative feedback in a considered and effective way
• Support individuals in their attempts to improve performance
• Maintain an approach that balances the interests of the individual, the team and the organisation
• Use formal methods of managing performance when informal action has failed

Audience

This programme is ideal for line managers at all levels, including team leaders and supervisors.

Format

Participants in this highly practical one-day workshop are encouraged to take a pro-active approach, in small team discussions, case studies and practical exercises. This helps to ensure a pooling of ideas, knowledge and experience in applying the skills back at work.

The dynamic nature of this course requires that the number of participants be limited to no more than 12 if maximum benefit is to be had from the day.

The expert trainer

Alison is an independent HR and management development consultant, specialising in employment law, leadership development and organisational development. Formerly European HR Manager for Kodak, she has also worked within the finance, retail, hospitality, IT and manufacturing sectors. With a highly interactive and dynamic training style, Alison is unerringly focused on the practical aspects of helping people solve problems and achieve objectives. Her enthusiastic and professional approach has won her many clients, including Avis, BP, Daimler Chrysler, Deutsche Bank, Ecotec, Elite Hotels, HSBC, Homebase, Microwarehouse, Procter & Gamble and Standard Bank.

Course outline

1. Introduction
   • Welcome and workshop objectives
   • The knowledge, behaviours and skills required to manage performance
2. Knowledge – the procedure
   • Principles of managing performance
   • Performance management cycle
   • Setting performance standards
   • Failure to meet performance standards
   • Managing poor performance informally
   • Managing poor performance formally
3. Behaviours – what a manager must do
   • Styles of leadership and performance management
   • Situational leadership questionnaire
   • Using performance interviews effectively
   • Recognising the symptoms of under-performance
   • Diagnosing the reasons and influences behind an individual’s performance
   • Motivation and performance
   • Using self-appraisal
   • Setting targets and performance measures
   • SMART objectives
   • Giving and receiving feedback
   • Follow-up and record-keeping
   • The manager as coach
   • Checklist for barriers to improved performance
   • Video-based case study
4. Skills for effective performance management
   • Questioning
   • Listening
   • Building rapport
   • Staying positive
5. Conclusion
   • Course review / discussion
   • Preparation of action plans for building on the skills learnt
   • Close