To help him prepare, ask him to write down answers to these three questions before each meeting:
A. What actions have you taken? These should be the details of his performance over the last three months. He should include scores, rankings, ratings, and timelines, if available
B.What discoveries have you made? These discoveries might be in the form of training classes he attended,or they might simply be new insights derived from an internal presentation he made, or a job-shadowing session in which he participated, or even a book that he read. Wherever they came from, encourage him to keep track of his own learning.
C. What partnerships have you built? These partnerships are the relationships he has formed. They might be new relationships or the strengthening of existing relationships. They might be relationships with colleagues or clients, professional relationships or personal ones. It is up to him to decide. Whatever he decides, it is important that he take responsibility for building his constituency, inside and outside the company.
At the beginning of the meeting ask him A, B, and C. Jot down his answers and keep a copy. He should keep his written copy. If he wants to share all of his written answers with you, wonderful, but don’t demand it. Either way, use his answers as a jumping-off point to discuss his performance over the last three months.
After about ten minutes direct the conversation toward the future, drawing on the following questions:
D. What is your main focus? What is his primary goal(s) for the next three months?
E. What new discoveries are you planning? What specific discoveries is he hoping to make over the next three months?
F. What new partnerships are you hoping to build? How is he planning to grow his constituency over the next three months?
Terms such as “discovery” or “partnership” may not fit your style or your company’s culture. You will know the right words to choose. But whatever your word choices, make sure that your conversation about his next three months extends beyond simple achievement goals. Suggest that he write down his answers. You should discuss his answers, agree to them, and then keep your copy. His answers will now serve as your specific expectations of him for the next three months.
After another three months have elapsed, ask him to write down his answers to A, B, and C, and once again, at your second performance planning meeting, ask him these three questions and use his answers to spur discussion about his performance. Then quickly move into a discussion about the future and ask him D, E, and F—once again, it will be helpful if you and he write down what he says and keep copies. As you talk through his successes, his struggles, and his goals, try to keep focusing on his strengths by setting expectations that are right for him, by helping him to perfect his style, and by discussing how you can run interference for him.
Repeat this routine at the next three-month interval, and the next, until the year cycle is complete.
By the end of the year you will have met at least four times. You will have reviewed his past and planned in detail his future progress. You will have learned more about his idiosyncrasies and, perhaps, have used what you learned to help him identify his true strengths and weaknesses more accurately. Perhaps he will have changed his mind about some of his opinions and some of his needs. You will have been close to him through some difficult times and through some successes. You will have disagreed on some things and agreed on much. But whatever happens, you will now be stronger partners. By meeting frequently, by listening, by paying attention, by advising, and by planning in detail, you will have developed a shared and realistic interest in his success. And, important, he will have a record of it all.
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