Performance Management

Performance Management IUA HR Conference 2013 Doreen Gerety Snr Director HR & L&D, Alkermes PharmaIrl. Ltd. Vice Chair CIPD Ireland

“I Think you must have sent this to me by mistake – I don’t do Performance Management”!!!!

Definitions of.. “Performance management is a process for establishing a shared understanding about what is to be achieved and how it is to be achieved and an approach to managing people which increases the probability of achieving job related success” Hartle 1995

Definitions of.. “..a means of getting better results from the organisation, teams, and individuals within an agreed framework of planned goals, objectives and standards” Armstrong 1994

Plenty of others…. • However when it all boils down it is really about the way we engage with and manage people! • Think about it – it’s not rocket science • But it is important!

Best experience …For me.. • The most profound effect … Intel … start up • Very supportive manager • Constantly coaching and reassuring • Always insisting that I could do it… • Even when I knew I couldn’t • Didn’t feel like performance management – just positive conversations

Your best Experience…. • Take a few minutes … link up with the person beside you… • 2-3 minutes each … • Can you recall one of the best bosses / managers you have ever had? • What were the attributes of that relationship? • What was Performance Management like?

What sort of words did you hear / use? • Supportive • Coaching • Mentoring • Respect • Clear expectations • Relationship • Clarity of Goals • SMART Objectives • How can I help? • What are the barriers preventing you from…

Human Interaction “The impact is determined by the quality of the Human Interaction, NOT the documentation” General Electric

The power of expectations.. • “Treat a man as he is and he will remain as he is. Treat a man as he can and should be and he will become as he can and should be.” Stephen R. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change

Pygmalion Effect • Introduction to a phenomenon on performance which is basic, but intriguing

Who was Pygmalion? • Pygmalion - (Greek mythology) a king who created a statue of a woman and fell in love with it; Aphrodite brought the sculpture to life as Galatea

Managing the Power of Expectation "The way managers treat their subordinates is subtly influenced by what they expect of them," The Pygmalion effect -J. Sterling Livingston in the September/October, 1988 Harvard Business Review.

Pygmalion • Play You Tube.. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjbL7zW-Wig “The Pygmalion Effect and the Power of Power of Positive Expectations”

Managing the Power of Expectation We form expectations Our expectations come true. We communicate expectations to others Our expectations are picked up by the recipient • The four factors:- • Climate • Input • Output • Feedback

Factors • Climate – how we set the climate for Performance and other discussions – warm, inviting, supportive or cold, tense, aggressive • Input – how much time we afford the employee, present in the moment or rushing to answer phones, being disrupted etc.

Factors • Output – how much time we give to the employee to provide their perspective and to actively listen to what is being said • Feedback – how we give feedback, coaching, supportive or critical, aggressive and harsh

Principles… • Every supervisor has expectations of the people who report to him / her • Supervisors communicate these expectations consciously or unconsciously. • People pick up on, or consciously or unconsciously read these expectations from their supervisor. • People perform in ways that are consistent with the expectations they have picked up on from the supervisor.

Why not think about… • Provide opportunities for the employee to experience increasingly challenging assignments. • Enable the employee to participate in potentially successful projects that bring continuous improvement to the workplace. • Provide one-to-one coaching with the employee. This coaching should emphasize improving what the employee does well rather than focusing on the employee's weaknesses. • Provide developmental opportunities that reflect what the employee is interested in learning.

Why not think about… • Assign a successful senior employee to play a developmental mentoring role with the employee. • Hold frequent, positive verbal interactions with the employee and communicate consistently your firm belief in the employee's ability to perform the job. Keep feedback positive and developmental where possible. • Make sure the employee is receiving consistent messages from other supervisory personnel. How you speak to others about employees powerfully moulds their opinions. • Project your sincere commitment to the employee's success and ongoing development.

Changing Culture • Some of the recent changes we have made … • Focus on building relationships • Through 1:1 meetings • Held at least once per month • Focused on Job, individual, personal development

Gallup Poll Q 12 • I know what is expected of me at work • I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right • At work I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day • In the last 7 days I have received recognition or praise for doing good work • My supervisor or someone at work seems to care about me as a person • There is someone at work who cares about my development

Gallup Poll Q 12 7. At work my opinion seems to count 8. The mission or purpose of my company makes me feel my job is important 9. My associates or fellow employees are committed to doing quality work 10. I have a best friend at work 11. In the last 6 months someone at work has talked to me about my progress 12. This last year, I have had opportunities at work to learn and grow

The true question • How many of our employees can answer these questions positively? • How many of us can answer them positively for ourselves?

The Question is.. • What can I do to make work and performance a positive experience?

Thank you for your attention • Questions..

Performance Management