1. Performance Conversations
Dr Tim Baker

2. Aims &
Objectives
Practice & observe some conversation structures &
techniques
Apply some tools & strategies for facilitating difficult performance
conversations
Understand how you may use a structured Five Conversations
Framework with staff

3. Reflection
• Share your experiences with the Five
Conversations Framework.
• What have you found easy?
• What has been difficult?
• What questions do you want to ask?

5. Job PerformanceJob Performance
Individual attributes
Organisational supportWork effort
(Blumberg et al., 1982)
Capacity to perform
Willingness to perform Opportunity to perform
•Demographic
•Competency
•Personality
•Time
•Budget
•Tools
•Instructions
•Expectations
•Procedures
•Level of effort
•Direction
•Persistence

6. What is performance management?
(Baker, 2009)

7. What types of systems & processes
are available?
Traditional approach Peer group approachDiscussion
•Military
•Power
•Manager judgment
•Relationship
•Agreement
•Mutual agreement
•Teamwork
•Multiple perceptions
•Peer group judgment

8. What’s Wrong
With the
Traditional
Performance
Appraisal?
They are a costly exercise
Appraisals can be destructive
Appraisals are often a monologue
rather than a dialogue
The formality of the appraisal
stifles discussion
Appraisals are too infrequent
Appraisals are an exercise
in form-filling
Appraisals are rarely followed up
Most people find appraisals stressful

9. Roles people play in
organisations are
more important than
the jobs they do...

10. The Work People Do
Job Tasks Non-job Tasks
Technical skills
Team role
Career role
Innovation &
Continuous
Improvement role
SOURCE: The End of the Performance Review

14. Climate Review
conversation
Job satisfaction
Morale
Communication

15. Climate Review Conversation
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being high and 1 low), how
would you rate your current job satisfaction?
• Why did you give it this rating?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being high and 1 low), how
would you rate morale in the department/section/team
you are working in?
• Why did you give it this rating?
• On a scale of 1 to 10 (10 being high and 1 low), how
would you rate communication within our team and
outside our team?
• Why did you give it this rating?
• Is there anything else you would like to comment on
regarding job satisfaction, morale, or communication?

16. Strengths &
Talents
conversation

17. Strengths and Talents
Conversation
• What are the tasks you enjoy doing most in
your current job?
• Why do you enjoy those sorts of task?
• In your current role, how can we work
together to provide you with the opportunity
to do more of this?

18. Opportunities for
Growth
conversation
What are my expectations
as manager?
How are you performing to
those expectations?
What can we do to help you meet my
expectations?
Are you committed to
meeting those standards
in the future?

19. Opportunities for Growth
Conversation
• You’ve no doubt had a chance to review your current role. If
there is one area where you believe you have an
opportunity for growth, what would it be?
• Can you elaborate on this so that I understand what you
mean?
• What can we do to improve this performance?
• Apart from that, what other area in your current role do
you think is an opportunity for growth?
• Can I suggest that another area you might consider is ...
• What’s your opinion about this?
• What are the behaviors you believe you are (not) doing that
are leading to this (area of improvement)?

20. Learning &
Development
conversation
Technical-centred approach
Person-centred approach
Problem-centred approach

21. Learning and Development
Conversation
• How would you rate your technical skills on a scale of 1
to 10 (10 being high and 1 low)?
• What technical areas do you think you have mastered?
• What technical areas of your job could be improved?
• Why do you say that? Can you give me an example?
• What are some areas that you would like to develop in
personally or explore further for your own growth to
help you become even more effective and efficient in
your work?
• Why do you say that?
• Can you cite an example?

22. Learning and Development
Conversation (cont.)
• What problems or dilemmas have you had to deal
with over the past few months that were
challenging?
• What happened?
• How did you approach the situation?
• What did you learn from it?
• How would you do things differently next time?
• What knowledge, skills, or capabilities would
have helped you deal with the issue you raised
with me

23. Innovation &
Continuous
Improvement
conversation

24. Innovation and Continuous
Improvement Conversation
• Thinking about the job you do for us, what
could you do …
• How would you go about this?
• What support would you need from me and
others?

25. benefits of the Five
Conversations
Framework
ongoing dialogue
openness and directness
flexibility
timely information
more relaxed approach

27. Big 5 Personality traits

28. Guidelines for Difficult Conversations around Performance
• Establish & maintain rapport
• Clearly explain the purpose of the
conversation
• Encourage the team member to
talk
• Listen & don’t interrupt
• Avoid confrontation & argument
• Focus on performance
• Focus on the future
• Emphasis strengths as well as
weaknesses
• Get down to specifics
• Seek out the causes
• Keep things two-way
• Set & reset goals
• Motivate through empathy
• Terminate discussion when it is
advisable
• Conclude on a positive note

29. 20% off the price
Normally $35 plus postage
You get my new book for
$28 plus postage!!
Send me an email
tim@winnersatwork.com.au
by 12 midnight tonight