United States Botanic Garden Performance Management Managers and Supervisors Training Program October 24 and 26, 2006 Your facilitators: Graeme Frelick Patricia García

Welcome

Start Up Activity  Read the team leader behaviors posted around the room.  Select the one you feel you do best and stand by the flipchart.  With the colleagues at the same flipchart share your reasons to select that particular behavior.  Be ready to report to the rest of the group.

Start Up Activity  Now select the one you feel you need to improve the most and stand by the flipchart.  With the colleagues at the same flipchart share your reasons to select that particular behavior.  Be ready to report to the rest of the group.

Overview – During the last retreat…  What we need to do better: –Link performance plans to goals and the business plan, support staff, give and receive honest feedback  The Business plan will help us: –Have tangible results, foster better understanding of individual needs…  Manager/supervisor roles and responsibilities implementing the plan: –Big picture, build plan into individual performance goals, provide guidance, keep team on track…  Pending Issues: –How to provide feedback, recognize teachable moments, encourage employees to develop their career, open door policy.

Interview Themes 1.Consistency in using the Performance Management Systems: How the system is applied, the way performance evaluation conversations are conducted, expectations around the system, role of manager/supervisor Different practices defining goals No consistent practice of giving feedback

Interview Themes 1.Understanding and application of the performance management process Need to define, understand and consistently apply the performance process and clarify managers and supervisors role. Need to have on-going feedback conversations Recognition of importance of having measurable goals and linking them with the Business Plan 2.Skills Development for Supervisors and Staff Recognition that managers/ supervisors require training Need to train staff as well.

Goal and Objectives Goal  Strengthen the culture of communications about performance in the US Botanic Garden. Objectives  Explore the role of the Botanic Garden managers and supervisors in the performance management process.  Set performance goals and expectations.  Conduct a performance goals/expectations conversation.  Give informal and formal feedback.  Propose improvements in the way the Botanic Garden manages performance

Agenda October 24  Welcome and Start up  Interview themes, Objectives, Agenda, Norms  Performance Management Cycle and Role of the Manager  Setting performance goals  Conducting a performance goals conversation October 26  Conducting a performance goals conversation  Giving feedback  Formal conversations and Practice  Proposing Improvements in the way that BG Manages Performance

Guidelines for Working Together  Active Participation  Listening for understanding  Openness

Performance Management Cycle Performance Management is:  An approach to planning, supporting, monitoring and reviewing individual performance.  Managers work with their staff to make individual goals, clear, meaningful and result-oriented by linking them to organizational goals.  The approach is organized and systematic, consisting of two connected loops: a yearly/semi-yearly cycle and an ongoing management cycle.

Yearly and Semi-yearly Organizational Goals Individual Performance Planning and Follow up Ongoing Management Reviewing Planning Documenting Coaching (as needed) Feedback Monitoring Work plan conversations

Role of the manager/supervisor  Based on the cycle and start up activity, what do you see as key roles and responsibilities of the BG manager/supervisor in the performance management process?

Setting Performance Goals  Quantitative goals - Focus on results and often involve a numerical measurement.  Quality or Behavioral Goals - Focus on the means or methods for achieving a goal.

Setting SMARTS Performance Goals S pecific - help the staff member understand exactly what is expected. M easurable - measurements help the staff member and supervisor understand when the goal is achieved. A chievable - goals should be realistic. R esults Oriented - goals should focus on end results. T ime Bound - deadlines should be identified where applicable. S tretch - some but not all goals should be a challenge to reach.

Team Member Behaviors When Teams Work Best Attributes or behaviors of individual team members as seen by their fellow team members that help the team succeed or interfere with the team’s success. –Openness –Supportiveness –Action Orientation –Positive Personal Style

Team Member Behaviors Openness:  The courage to surface and deal with issues you are having with another person or a team.  To be willing to have conversations that build strong interpersonal relationships and contribute to teamwork and collaboration. Supportiveness  The desire to bring out the best in the other person or the team.  To be committed to helping each other succeed.

Team Member Behaviors Action Orientation  To make a deliberate effort to make something happen.  To suggest courses of action, to be willing to experiment or try something different. Positive Personal Style  To be positive, energetic, optimistic, engaging, confident and fun to work with.

Practice Setting Performance Goals Individual Task:  Think of a person you want to set goals for, one of the staff members you supervise. Avoid using your most difficult case.  Use the business plan (one objective and action plan) and write two goals for the person you selected: one goal related to the business plan and the other to a behavior.  Write each goal on the cards provided.

Practice Setting Performance Goals In Pairs:  Review the goals you wrote and identify one of each you like to present.  If needed write each revised goal on a card.

Conducting a Performance Expectations Conversation 1.Set the climate for a two-way conversation 2.Explain that the goals are related both to tasks and to behaviors. 3.Ask the person first whether there are any clarification questions. 4.Identify areas that you and the person agree will be relatively easy for carry out and those that may require support. 5.Set up a timeline for follow-up conversations

Key Communication Skills  Asking Questions  Paraphrasing  Summarizing  Encouraging

Assignment Individual Assignment  Using the same person you selected before, write two more performance goals.  Prepare for a performance goals conversation, following the model. Expect different reactions to your goals: some openness to one goal, and some questions or challenges regarding the other goals.

See you Tomorrow at 12:00

Performance Management Managers and Supervisors Training Program

Agenda October 26  Conducting a performance goals conversation  Giving feedback  Formal conversations and Practice  Proposing Improvements in the way that BG Manages Performance

Conducting a Performance Expectations Conversation  What are the typical behaviors you may expect from your staff?

Conducting a Performance Goals/ Expectations Conversation  Practice in pairs: –Brief the other person about your case and expected behaviors: 1 min. –Role play the performance goals/expectations conversation – 5 min. –Receiver provides feedback: 3 min. (What went well in relation to the model and one thing they may do that will be more effective).

Giving and Receiving Informal Ongoing Feedback

Feedback is…  Giving someone information about task or behavior, its impact on you, the team, the work -- both positive and negative -- and the consequences. –Positive feedback: to reinforce good performance –Corrective feedback: to change or improve performance.

Guidelines for Giving Feedback Giving feedback works best when you:  Make specific statements; support general statements with examples  Use descriptive rather than judgmental language  Are direct, clear and to the point  Direct it toward behavior which the receiver can do something about  Time it well  Take into account the needs of both the giver and receiver  Plan it well

Feedback Message ehavior Describe action/behavior – what the person did. mpact Tell what the impact was on the team, the work, on you. onsequences Say what the result/consequence of the action/behavior was.

Conducting a Performance Discussion 1.Set the climate for the conversation 2.Review previous agreements relating to the topic of this conversation with the receiver, wherever possible. 3.Give specific examples of situations and discuss them with the receiver. 4.Check for understanding by asking the receiver to paraphrase what she/he has heard and understood up to this point. 5.Develop new agreements through joint problem solving in areas where there are improvements to be made. Focus on a timetable. 6.Summarize key points, or ask the receiver to summarize.

Practice  Read the case scenario assigned to you  Identify at least two pieces of feedback, determine whether it is positive or corrective  Review the feedback guidelines and the feedback message  Prepare for that discussion: How will you begin? What will you say? How will you say it? Make some notes to yourself and be ready for the conversation  You have 15 minutes to prepare  Refer to page 25 on your workbooks

Practice In your pairs:  There will be one feedback giver and one receiver (who will also provide feedback)  There will be two rounds so that all of you will give and receive the feedback message  Receivers will give feedback to the feedback giver: use of the communication skills and the BIC model. Was the behavior clear, what was the impact and what were the consequences. Was the feedback message understood?  You have 10 minutes for the feedback conversation and 5 minutes for feedback from the observer in each round  The facilitator will announce when to rotate.

You can help others give you feedback if you…  Solicit feedback in clear and specific areas.  Make it a point to understand the feedback; paraphrase major points; ask clarifying questions.  Help the giver use the criteria for giving useful feedback.  Avoid explanations of "why I did that" unless asked.  Show appreciation for the person's effort to give you feedback.  Say what you intend to do in response to key points in the feedback  Remember that feedback is one person's perceptions of another's actions, not universal truth.

Proposing Improvements in the Way that BG Manages Performance  Individual Action Planning: –What are one or two key practices you learned from this training? –What are one or two things you plan to do different in your next performance evaluation conversation as a result of this training?

 As BG Managers/supervisors what would you pay particular attention to in the next performance evaluation cycle? What do you want to commit to do differently? Proposing Improvements in the Way that BG Manages Performance