When it comes to addressing performance in team meetings, there are often inherent challenges that both team leaders and team members face. The discomfort surrounding performance discussions can make finding the right words a difficult task. Nobody wants to insult or demotivate their team members.
The goal is to help each individual to perform to the best of their abilities.
There are numerous potential pitfalls to navigate, such as:
- being too harsh in criticism,
- lacking objectivity,
- experiencing emotional tension due to missed targets and deadlines, or
- unintentionally displaying favoritism towards certain team members.
Here is how to approach meetings about performance differently.
The primary objective of these meetings is to
- enhance transparency,
- identify areas for improvement, and
- ultimately increase output.
This requires a shift in focus from individual performance to team progress.
By discussing performance in terms of topics or projects, rather than solely evaluating individuals, you foster a supportive atmosphere instead of starting the blame game during performance discussions (or in your head–know that one? I, Stefanie, am an expert).
Before diving into performance discussions with your team members, it is crucial to have certain elements in place. First and foremost,
- Defining clear team goals is essential. Each team member should have a role in contributing to these goals, promoting shared responsibility and fostering a sense of collective pressure to perform.
- Implementing a performance management system can help maintain objectivity and provide guidance in the right direction. We use annual goal setting (which we do in August to align with our university’s performance evaluation cycle. Then we have quarterly objectives and key results (OKRs). See this previous blog post for an example. Each month we take a look at these OKRs and evaluate and plan the month.
- Focus on outcomes (or lack thereof), not the person. Prepare to discuss the progress made on projects or other areas of work that were agreed on. We usually also have a professional skill development objective included in our annual and quarterly goals. Focusing on pre-set goals, allows for a more comprehensive analysis of performance.
- Hold team members accountable ensuring individual responsibility and ownership. Even if folks work on projects together, it is important to hold each individual accountable for the parts that they contribute. And that is only possible if you have a system to document expectations and results.
Defining clear expectations as baseline for performance assessments
As discussed above, to ensure objective and productive performance discussions, it is vital to set clear expectations from the outset. Defining specific and measurable goals is key. Without agreed-upon goals, it is challenging to have objective performance discussions. Research shows that annual performance reviews are more of a reflection of how you’ve felt about someone the last couple of weeks than a useful evaluation of the year–if you have no system to capture actual progress. You can use OKRs or any other system. Importantly, make sure that the goals or objectives are SMART: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Time-framed.
After having done annual goals and OKRs with my team for years now, I realized that most people have a lot of challenges formulating specific and measurable goals.
Here is an example of OKRs of a new postdoc (Stefanie got permission to use it):
Objective 1: Make an overview of ST6Gal1 project
KR1: Analysis and quantification of fluorescent confocal images, arriving at a conclusion
KR2: Compile the data into publication quality figures and discussion with collaborator
Objective 2: Deciphering the role of atypical neurons
KR1: Does serum exposure create atypical response in neurons ?
KR2: Design experiments to determine the expression of degradation pathways in atypical neurons
KR3: Elucidating the role of calpain in the generation of atypical neurons
Objective 3: Performing RNA Scope for Cx43 project/grant
KR1: Find a method of fixation and cryoprotection which preserve tissue quality and cut the tissue for RNA scope
KR2: Capture confocal images and quantify the RNA copy number in atypical astrocytes in TBI (<5 minutes time point, immediate)
KR3: Repeat RNA Scope for 7 dpi tissue
And here is the feedback I provided:
- Objectives (O) 1 and 2 are not specific enough. There is no binary assessment accomplished/not accomplished possible. O1 should capture a specific goal related to a biological question. For example, O1: Determine if astrocyte border-formation is changed in ST6Gal transgenic mice after TBI.
- KR1 in O1 is a task, not necessarily a great key result (KR). Suggestion for KR1: Compile data on GFAP expression levels, astrocyte cell numbers, and morphology into publication-ready figures and discuss with our collaborator.
- How do KR2 and KR3 differ from each other in O1?
- The KRs for O2 are better, except for KR3, which is too vague. Clarify the specific measurable actions.
- O3, KR3 doesn’t seem to fit here. Suggestion: KR1 – Find a fixation and cryoprotection protocol that results in high tissue quality; KR2 – Complete RNA Scope, capture confocal images, and quantify RNA copy number in atypical astrocytes early after TBI; KR3 – Complete RNA Scope, capture confocal images, and quantify RNA copy number in atypical astrocytes late after TBI.
People struggle with goal setting and what to keep an eye on
So specific and measurable are one thing that can be challenging for folks. Realistic and achievable is challenging even for me to this date. But here are a few things that we learned over the course of the last three years:
- Of three objectives, people often work mostly on two.
- It makes sense to make the third objective a professional development one.
- Reassess progress on OKRs every month and shift priorities if needed.
- Provide feedback on specificity, measurability of progress, and potential wishful thinking early and often.
- Review OKRs as a team to figure out if there are conflicts. For example, if we know we have a major grant deadline coming up, we like to align everyone’s work with this project rather than having the team pull in too many directions. I know, it would be unrealistic for me to write a grant and also a paper within the same month (or even quarter), so we align our team deadlines accordingly.
- People really struggle with goal setting–a lot. And they struggle connecting big picture goals to their monthly and weekly tasks. If you can help them to bridge that gap, they are much farther along the path to working independently.
Delivering feedback:
Effective communication is paramount in conducting performance meetings. Clearly communicating the expectations and guidelines for these meetings is crucial. By involving team members in the creation of these rules, everyone has a stake in the process and understands their role in the discussions.
Regularity is also important; performance discussions should not be limited to annual reviews. Instead, they should occur on a monthly or even weekly basis to promote continuous improvement.
A strong feedback culture within the team can significantly ease performance discussions. Establishing a regular feedback loop among team members creates an environment where discussing performance becomes a natural and constructive process. Feedback should also not only come from the team leader. Create a culture where every team member takes ownership of the team’s success and realizes that they have to speak up when they see someone else make a mistake or underperform. It’s important to train your team to do this in an empowering way and not in a bullyish or blamey way.
Along those lines, performance meetings are not the appropriate platform for discussing behaviors you disliked. Instead, provide instant or very time-near feedback to address behaviors.
Rules for to make sure feedback is heard the way it was intended:
- Creating an inclusive environment is vital, where the focus is on support and maximizing team output rather than individual achievements.
- Stick to facts rather than stories. Creating stories from data points is one of our superpowers as humans. And yet, to keep feedback encouraging, you need to refrain from telling stories and stick to observable facts. For example: “We agreed on completing task X by date Y. I didn’t hear from you on Y. This also happened on date A, B, C. What gets in the way of timely task completion?” and “My expectation is that you let me know that you will miss the deadline.” instead of “You never complete your work on time!”
- Encourage questioning and challenge accepted standards, fostering a mindset of continuous improvement.
- Avoid micromanaging and instead focus on addressing significant issues that impact overall performance. This one can get a little tricky because some of us give up when team members repeatedly miss the mark or fail to set and meet goals. We may then be tempted to just do it for the person. Yet, this is what results in a lack of independence and overreliance on others.
- To foster accountability and engagement, involve all team members in the discussion. Each individual should feel responsible for the performance of at least one aspect of a project.
- Rotate the moderation of performance meetings among team members, distributing ownership and promoting active participation.
- Lastly, offensive language must be avoided. Respectful and professional communication sets the tone for productive performance discussions.
Consistent questions to ask during performance review
Consistency is key in performance discussions. Asking the same set of questions in each meeting allows everyone to come prepared and ensures a structured approach. Some suggested questions include:
- What was the goal?
- What is the gap to the goal?
- What are the root causes for the gap?
- What help is needed from the team to get back on track?
- When do you anticipate being back on track?
By adhering to these guidelines, you can create a positive and effective environment for discussing performance within your team, fostering growth, collaboration, and a shared sense of accomplishment.
Robert & Stefanie