Practice Makes Progress: Performance Conversations You Can Rehearse
Setting the Stage for Constructive Dialogues
Role-Play: Manager opens with context and purpose
Practice a 60-second opener that frames purpose, acknowledges effort, and outlines flow. Example: “I’d like us to review highlights, challenges, and growth goals, then agree on next steps.” Emphasize psychological safety, describe timing, and invite additions so the employee feels ownership from the start.
Role-Play: Employee shares self-assessment first
Reverse the script to empower voice. Have the employee start with achievements, learning moments, and obstacles. Provide prompts like “What are you proud of?” and “Where did you need support?” This ordering reduces surprises, surfaces context, and shows partnership rather than unilateral judgment.
Role-Play: Co-creating the agenda for the conversation
Invite the employee to propose agenda items alongside your priorities. Summarize aloud, check alignment, and timebox segments. Example script: “We’ll start with your wins, then feedback on collaboration, then growth plan.” Co-creation encourages engagement, reveals expectations, and creates a shared map you can revisit later.
Crafting Clear Expectations and Goals
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Using SMART and CLEAR frameworks in dialogue
Aligning individual goals to team and company outcomes
Navigating Tough Feedback with Empathy
Celebrating Wins and Encouraging Growth
Calibrating Bias and Ensuring Fairness
Spotting rater errors in live conversations
Inclusive language that builds trust across differences
Building calibration with peer shadowing and notes
Action Plans, Follow-Ups, and Accountability
01
From commitments to calendar: making next steps real
Role-play closing with a summary of agreements, a timeline, and calendar invites. Decide what will be delivered by whom, and how you will review progress. Clarity reduces anxiety and ensures momentum continues after the meeting, even when priorities inevitably shift.
02
Measuring progress with check-ins and micro-metrics
Break ambitions into weekly signals and short feedback loops. Practice questions for checkpoint meetings and lightweight dashboards that reflect behaviors, not only outputs. These micro-metrics illuminate trajectory, making it easier to coach early and celebrate incremental improvements meaningfully.
03
Templates for documenting agreements and learnings
Use concise documents that capture decisions, evidence, and next experiments. Share them transparently, invite edits, and store them where both parties can find updates. Documentation protects memory, improves onboarding, and accelerates growth when roles evolve or teams reorganize during busy seasons.
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