Guia de conocimientos de los directores (en ingles)

PERFORMANCE AND DEVELOPMENT REVIEW

LINE MANAGERS’ SKILLS GUIDE

1. The role of the Line Manager

1.1 The role of Line Manager in the Performance and Development Review Process is to:

• provide regular feedback on progress;
• support the employee’s development by encouraging reflection on development needs and supporting development activities;
• Giveregular, constructive feedback on performance;
• Encourage and praise performance and achievements as appropriate;
• Provide on the job coaching and opportunities to learn new tasks and skills;
• Encourage and support off the job development, including agreement of an annual Personal Development Plan (PDP)
• Deal with performance, attendance and team issues; and• Ensure ongoing in year dialogue and feedback with employee about their performance and development.

1.2 During the year you should provide regular informal feedback to the employee, and should meet them informally on a one-to one basis to discuss performance. It is recommended that this should happen in between the formal meetings and at least once every 3 months. You should alsoencourage them to readily ask you for feedback if they wish. Investment in giving feedback is worthwhile because people need to know as soon as possible if their performance needs to improve - and praise for good work is a great motivator. You should give praise and feedback promptly, clearly and through face-to-face discussion, making a note of the key points that you have discussed.

1.3 You areresponsible for creating a culture where people expect, are given and accept feedback. You can do this by modeling the process yourself, inviting feedback and asking others if they are getting sufficient feedback.

2. Holding Effective Review Meetings

2.1 In order to make Performance and Development Review Meetings a positive experience for both the employee and yourself there are a fewthings you should remember:

• Meetings should be conducted in a relaxed, friendly and uninterrupted atmosphere.
• Adequate time should be set aside for the appraisal and every effort should be made to put the individual at ease.
• Open questions and attentive listening should be adopted and the employee encouraged to give his/her own personal views and to talk throughthe points raised.

3. Skills for holding effective Performance and Development Reviews

3.1 Body Language

Your body language has a very important influence on the outcome of the meeting - it is essential to be aware of this and to behave accordingly. Our behaviour is everything we say and do. It is essential to make sure that the two elements - the visual and verbal behaviours, are keptin harmony.

An example of where this fails is speaking to someone without looking at them, and saying 'Carry on, I'm listening', when you know that to do both things well is almost impossible. This sends conflicting messages.

Most people are highly sensitive to this type of contradictory behaviour and in an review meeting will pick it up very quickly and it may reduce the benefits of themeeting.

Some examples of appropriate behaviours include:

1. Leaning forward, arms and legs uncrossed.
2. Maintaining regular eye contact.
3. Sitting beside or at a 90 degree angle to the other person.
4. Using the other person’s name appropriately.
5. Asking open questions.
6. Reflecting back to the other person what you believe they said.
7. Giving praise when it isdue.
8. When you agree with the other person, saying so openly, and saying why you agree.
9. Building on the other person’s ideas.

3.2 Building rapport

Communication frequently breaks down when little or no effort has been made to establish rapport and people launch into potentially contentious discussion.

In the context of a review meeting, both parties are in an unfamiliar...