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4.2 Manager Guide For Goal Setting Discussions

4.2 Manager Guide for Goal Setting Discussions

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GIULIANO LEONIDAS GONZALES NUÑEZ
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34 views

4.2 Manager Guide For Goal Setting Discussions

4.2 Manager Guide for Goal Setting Discussions

Uploaded by

GIULIANO LEONIDAS GONZALES NUÑEZ
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as DOC, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Manager Guide for Goal

Setting Discussions
What it does:
The Manager Guide for Goal Setting Discussions highlights the tactics to prepare for and conduct the goal setting and
alignment discussion and includes checklists to help set the right goals.

How to Use it:


Share this guide and tools with managers to help them understand the needs of employees and then accordingly plan
their goal setting conversation with direct reports.

Instructions:

1. Understanding the Basics


Read a quick introduction to understand the 5Ws (Who, What, Where, When, and Why) of your goal alignment
conversations.

2. Key Questions For Manager Before The Goal Alignment Discussion


Consider these questions before goal setting meetings with employees to ensure the clear communication of relevant
goals for employees.

3. Skill Improvement Grid


Use this grid to map goals to current skills and behaviors and to identify areas of development.
 Work with your direct report to check the accuracy of the goals and assess the alignment of goals with those
of peers and the department.
 Ensure that the goals support the employees’ development based on any recent performance feedback.

4. Future Performance Conversation Checklist


Use this checklist identify unknown future performance interests that may align with the goal setting process.

CEB Corporate Leadership Council


© 2015 CEB
UNDERSTANDING THE BASICS

The Importance of Conducting Goal Alignment Conversations

Managers and their direct reports need to collaborate in setting meaningful goals. Connecting an employee’s work with
organizational goals is the top driver of discretionary effort.

For the organization, goal-driven performance management aligns employees within an organization around achieving
the strategic goals.

5Ws of Goal Alignment Conversation

Who: The direct manager and employee should collaborate to set meaningful goals.

What: The manager and employee should discuss how the employee’s individual goals align to the overall organization
objectives.

Where: The discussion should take place in a private forum, away from disruptions.

When: The manager should hold a goal setting and alignment discussion as soon as the manger has reviewed the
employee-created goals and how they are aligned.

Why: Setting and committing to specific, challenging goals can boost employee effort, focus, and performance. In fact,
aligning employee goals with the organization’s objectives can increase employee discretionary effort by as much as
45%. Additionally, clearly set goals provide an objective, unambiguous basis against which to measure performance.
KEY QUESTIONS FOR MANAGER BEFORE THE GOAL ALIGNMENT
DISCUSSION

Manager Questions to Increase Relevance of Goal Communication

Consider these questions before goal setting meetings with employees to ensure the clear communication of relevant
goals for employees.

These questions help managers to ensure that employees understand how their goals relate to strategic
objectives.

 How much do my employees know?


 Why should they care?
 What is their primary interest or concern?
 Do they have preconceived notions?
 Do they have past experience with this?
 What questions will they have?
 Are there other burning issues that they will expect me to address?
SKILL IMPROVEMENT GRID
You should work with your direct report to check the accuracy of the goals and assess the alignment of goals with those
of the department and the overall organization. In addition, you should ensure that the goals support the employees’
development goals based on any recent performance feedback.
Another way for managers to think about setting objective and attainable goals is to think of goal setting in terms of four
questions that comprise a Goals Grid. This grid will help you as well as your subordinates set goals that cover all bases.

Goal Grid for Improving Skills


Do You Want It?

Yes Achieve Preserve

No Avoid Eliminate

Yes No

Do You Have It?

Source: CEB analysis.

Once managers have set SMART goals with their direct reports, ensure that employees understand how to
connect those goals to current and desired skills to take action across the year.

What do you want that you don’t have? (Achieve)

What do you want that you already have? (Preserve)

What don’t you have that you don’t want? (Avoid)

What do you have now that you don’t want? (Eliminate)


Individual Development
Plan

FUTURE PERFORMANCE CONVERSATION CHECKLIST

Capabilities

 Ask the employee about skills he/she wants to learn in the future.
 Talk about the skills the employee must learn and the development areas the employee needs to work on in
order to continue to provide value in their role.
 Discuss how the employee’s strengths can contribute to the organization’s vision and future goals.
 Motivate the employee to change a past negative behavior or an under-developed skill and discuss the
outcomes if the employee changes his/her behavior.

Career Interests

 Ask the employee about their future career interests and aspirations.
 Discuss whether the employee’s future career aspirations align with the organization’s vision and purpose and,
if not, then how can the two align.
 Discuss the possible career paths available to the employee given the organization’s vision and strategy for the
future.
 Discuss how the career progression would look for at least two positions above the employee’s current position.

Network

 Ask the employee about the types (role-related, technology-related, process-related, etc.) of networks he/she is
interested in being connected to based on his/her future career aspirations
 Discuss the types of networks the employee needs to be connected to in order to be successful in future roles
and how the organization can help him/her connect to them.
 Discuss the employee’s current networks and how they can contribute to a high level of future performance.
 Discuss the peers and senior leaders who could have a positive impact on the employee’s future performance
as mentors and coaches.

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