More Change

Performance Review Myths

Continuing to answer the excellent questions submitted by the participants in my session Managing Resistance to Change at the ASAE Great Ideas Conference. These Association leaders really know how to get to the heart of an issue with a question!

 

 If you are not a part of the Association Management world, substitute employees for the word member. You're facing these issues, too and the answers will apply.

 

Be sure to use the comments section to continue the dialogue.

 

1.    When mandating change with reviews – do you (and how) reach back out to staff and members for continued feedback on the change?

Let me start with a line to memorize: The purpose of all feedback is action. Say it again for emphasis.

 

Unfortunately, today’s Performance Appraisal usually falls far short of its purpose and intent. An annual Performance Appraisal isn’t feedback – it’s much bigger than that.

Its purpose is to convey a summary of the on-going feedback messages an employee has received regarding what they do well, where they have opportunities for improvement, and ways their leader and organization will support their sustaining and improving efforts. Its intent is to create a benchmark that notes and measures key behaviors. Key words: summary and benchmarks. Underlying implication: employees have on-going conversations with their leaders about their actual performance. How it meets, exceeds, or misses expectations. I am not naive; I realize this isn’t the way things work in most organizations. But it should.

 

Embedded in this question is the realization that reviews as a singular event don't result in much change. Allow me to repeat myself: the purpose of all feedback is action. Whether you, as a leader, are providing a formal Performance Review or having a regular, informal coaching conversation, that conversation should conclude with a complete discussion (followed by a written confirmation) of the following four questions and one statement.

1.    As a result of this feedback, what are you going to do more of? Less of? Continue? (Agreed upon goals)

2.    What will your first steps be? (Well thought-out commitments)

3.    What can I do to support you as you make these changes? (Continued care and support)

4.    When will we re-convene to discuss your progress or difficulties? (Specific follow-up)

5.    In addition to our scheduled conversations about these issues, you can expect me to act on informal opportunities to continue our dialogue and I expect you to reach out to me with any questions you might have. (Clear expectations and accountability)

 

If you call yourself a leader, what I have just described is your job – in a nutshell. Leaders develop people. Development in the workplace isn’t a do-it-yourself project.   We all need leaders who will suggest, guide, watch, and report our new behaviors. And all of that can’t happen just because of a Performance Review. Like all new behaviors, this will take a while for both parties to get used to. The only solution to the discomfort is persistence. It will get easier. I promise.

Questions and Answers about Resistance to Change

In mid-March, I had the opportunity to present a session on Managing Resistance to Change at the ASAE Great Idea! Conference at the Broadmoor in Colorado Spring, CO. During the program, participants had more excellent questions than time allowed for answers during the actual break-out. We gathered the questions via text messaging and I promised to post answers on my blog. So, to all the Great Idea! participants as well as any other readers, I hope you’ll find the answers helpful. If you are not a part of the Association Management world, substitute employees for the word member. You're facing these issues, too and the answers will apply.

Be sure to use the comments section to continue the dialogue.

 

1.    Do you recommend that we ask our members what it is that you are “afraid of” or don’t like about this change?

I’m all for asking questions. (Hey, the title of one of my books is 78 Important Questions Every Leader Should Ask and Answer.) Developing a process to engage your members in a meaningful dialogue is well worth your time and effort. The first step in a well-thought-out questionning process is always craft your question for best results. So, asking a member “What are you afraid of about this change?” is a more difficult question for most people to respond to than “What part of this change don’t you like?” Or, even better might be “At what point during our description of this change, did you start to feel some discomfort and why?” The way a question is worded will affect both the quantity and quality of the answers you get.

 

BUT (You knew there was a but coming, right?) be very careful to only ask questions you intend to act on. If your members start telling you what they don’t like about an upcoming change, there is a reasonable expectation on their part that you are going to factor in their concerns as you move the change forward. If that is a reasonable expectation, ask away. If it isn’t, you’re asking the wrong question. If you’ve already made the decision and want to talk to your members to gauge the potential resistance this change that is coming, try asking this instead. “How could we help you through the difficult parts of making this change?” This question will provide lots of fodder for change implementation action plans.

 

2.    How does staff handle change of major proportion when it is the third time in 3 years?

Starting with an apology might be a good idea. Sorry, I couldn’t resist that one. Some evaluation is in order here.

Are the three major changes in three years because of marketplace situations that made them necessary? If yes, than a re-cap of the explanations you’ve been giving all along is in order before you deliver the context of this next change. It is possible in the upheaval that has been our reality for the last several years, that these rapid changes of direction were necessary. If you haven’t given clear explanations for the other changes – start with the apology and move to a tardy history lesson.

 

If, on the other hand, the three changes are because of poor management, lack of vision, or management attention deficit disorder, you have another issue entirely. In this case I think you, staff, need to figure out how to give some upward feedback to your Senior Executive team. Change needs to be guided by a vision of the future and that’s what Leadership is all about. Any organization that is changing simply for the sake of changing without a plan, purpose, or process, is I’m afraid, doomed! Managed change must be grounded in a vision for the future, unchanging values that guide behavior, and a mission that directs short term action. All three are available to a Leadership Team willing to do the work. 

I Know It's Disgusting, But Vote Anyway!

I was raised by June and Audie – children of immigrants – who took democracy seriously. Around our dinner table we talked about important issues along with the regular what-did-you-do-today stuff.

We discussed the freedoms of democracy – the freedom of speech, the freedom of religious belief, the freedom to disagree and we learned the responsibilities of democracy – the responsibility to support, the responsibility to speak up, the responsibility to work for a common good.

My parents didn’t talk to us about the responsibility to vote – they took us – every election we went together to the polls – accompanied them into the voting booth and helped pull the lever – every election!

On November 2^nd it is your responsibility as an citizen of the United States to vote – for  the people who will lead us into the future.

In any democracy freedoms and responsibilities that are not exercised and defended are in peril. This political season has, I’m certain, caused all of us to examine what it means to live in an open, democratic society. Among so much else it means we CAN vote. On the 2^nd prove that you take democracy seriously and VOTE!