Communicating Performance Expectations

Performance conversations are more than evaluations—they're opportunities to inspire reflection, growth, and clarity. I've been reflecting on how we can approach these moments with greater purpose.   Too often, we dive into discussions focused solely on outcomes or metrics. But what if we paused to look deeper? What if we encouraged employees—and ourselves—to approach these moments from different vantage points: stepping back to observe like a fly on the wall, zooming out to the balcony for perspective, and then engaging with purpose on the dance floor?   This layered approach challenges us to ask meaningful questions: "What patterns am I noticing? How do my efforts align with broader goals? What could I do better?" It’s a mindset shift that transforms performance conversations into opportunities for growth, even when outcomes aren’t ideal. Here are a few practical ways to bring this perspective to life: 1. Start with Observation (Fly on the Wall): Before diving into feedback, encourage employees to reflect on their contributions objectively. Ask questions like " What moments felt like your strongest? What would you approach differently? help set a tone of self-awareness." 2. Zoom Out to the Bigger Picture (Balcony): Help employees see how their work connects to broader team and organizational goals. This shift in perspective ensures the conversation isn’t just about isolated outcomes but about long-term impact and alignment. 3. Engage with Purpose (Dance Floor): End every conversation with actionable steps and encouragement. Even when feedback is tough, leave employees with clarity and optimism. A simple affirmation like "I believe in your ability to grow from this", can turn a challenging moment into a catalyst for improvement. Performance conversations are a dance between reflection and action, but they’re also about perspective—knowing when to step back, when to zoom out, and when to engage fully. When we guide our teams to critique their own contributions—not to judge, but to grow—we unlock their potential and leave them inspired to improve. Would love to hear your perspective.

VP: "Employee A is under-performing. They won't last long." Me: "Did we clearly explain to employee A the expectations for the role?" VP: "Yes, definitely. Very clearly explained" Me: "Have you told them as clearly as you have told me?" VP: "Actually... no. Not that clearly." Me: "Great, let's have a convo. Let's CLEARLY tell them what those expectations are." — They had the conversation and within two weeks, Employee A's performance was on par with everyone else on the team. Why is that? They got the skills suddenly? They got more motivated? They just did not know what good performance looked like. Before making assumptions on why a team member is under-performing. Communicate SUPER effectively the expectations for the role. Clarity creates speed. Speed creates progress. Progress creates momentum. Momentum makes success inevitable. agree?

Performance conversations should ignite growth, not anxiety. “When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” – Simon Sinek This thought connects deeply when we talk about performance conversations. For years, performance reviews have been framed as verdicts that is evaluative, transactional, and often induces anxiety & stress. But in today’s hybrid and agile workplaces, where collaboration and adaptability define success; we also need to rethink about how we approach them – starting from ground level. ▪️ What if we shift from evaluation method to a developmental method? ▪️ Simply, from “How did you perform?” to “How can we help you grow?” Doesn’t it already sound effective and impressive? Well, great leaders like Peter Drucker reminded me, “The best way to predict the future is to create it.” Performance conversations, when reimagined, can become exactly that where platforms are to shape the future by investing in people’s potential. In practice, this means: ➡️ Frequent check-ins that replace the one-off annual review. ➡️ Coaching-style dialogues that highlight strengths while guiding growth. ➡️ Clarity with flexibility, recognizing the fluidity of goals in dynamic environments. ➡️ Safe spaces for feedback, where trust fuels progress. The true measure of performance is not just output, but the growth journey behind it. If we, as the leaders, can turn these conversations into catalysts for inspiration, employees won’t just perform — they will thrive. Turlough Gorman Arnabi Marjit Ashutosh Kotwal Sanjay Mishra Bahar Shaikh

Like a medical diagnosis, criticism in the workplace serves to pinpoint problems, inefficiencies, or shortcomings. It highlights areas that require attention, whether in individual performance, team dynamics, or organizational processes. However, criticism that stops at identification, without providing a roadmap for improvement, is incomplete. It can lead to frustration, demotivation, and a sense of aimlessness, akin to a patient knowing their ailment but having no means to cure it. The transition from merely diagnosing to offering a treatment plan in the business context involves providing actionable feedback. This step requires skill, empathy, and a deep understanding of the individual or the situation at hand. Actionable feedback is specific, achievable, and relevant. It not only points out the area of concern but also offers practical steps, resources, or guidance on how to rectify the issue. This approach transforms criticism from a potentially negative interaction into a constructive and empowering one. Incorporating actionable plans into criticism yields multiple benefits. For employees, it provides a clear path to improvement and facilitates growth. For teams, it encourages a culture of continuous improvement, collaboration, and open communication. And for organizations, it leads to improved results and a competitive edge. Implementing this approach is not without its challenges. It requires a culture that values open communication and continuous learning. Leaders and managers must be trained to provide balanced feedback that is both honest and constructive. Additionally, there must be an understanding that the 'treatment plan' might require adjustments and flexibility, as every professional scenario is unique. The takeaways ... [1] When offering criticism, accompany it with a specific, measurable action plan. For instance, if an employee's performance is lacking in a certain area, don't just highlight the problem; provide clear, achievable goals and a timeline for improvement. Offer resources, if needed. [2] Constructive criticism should not be a one-way street. Encourage employees to engage in the feedback process actively. This can be achieved by asking them for their input on potential solutions or improvements. Such an approach not only empowers the employees but also builds a culture of mutual respect and collaborative problem-solving. [3] Criticism and action plans are not a 'set it and forget it' scenario. Regular follow-ups are crucial to ensure that the action plan is being implemented and to assess its effectiveness. [4] Recognizing and acknowledging progress is equally important, as it reinforces positive behavior and outcomes, leading to sustained improvement and development. ✅ Share this to your network ✅ Follow me on LinkedIn for expert insights ★ DM me for a conversation to learn how we can help you grow & succeed #business #people #leadership #management #growth #success #feedback #communication

Cross-functional misalignment is the silent killer of great product strategies. But… how can you fix it? A couple of weeks ago, I asked about the biggest challenge in executing your product strategy, and many of you pointed to cross-functional misalignment. It's a concern that resonates deeply, and it's something we've been addressing with leaders in the CPO Accelerator. Why is this such a common hurdle? Misalignment often stems from the absence of a clear, shared vision. When teams like marketing, sales, and engineering are not aligned with the product vision, efforts become fragmented. This lack of unity can cause delays, wasted resources, and ultimately, products that miss the mark. To effectively tackle this, communication is key. Leaders must articulate the product strategy across all levels, ensuring every team understands how their work contributes to the bigger picture. This isn't a one-time effort but a continuous dialogue. Regular updates, town halls, and aligned roadmaps can keep everyone on the same track. Repetition is key here 🔑 Empowering product leaders with tools and processes to foster alignment is essential. This is where Product Operations can bring immense value, acting as a bridge between teams. By optimizing workflows and facilitating collaboration, Product Ops ensures that everyone moves toward the same goals without stumbling over each other. Remember, alignment doesn't mean micromanaging. It's about providing clarity, setting boundaries, and then trusting your teams to deliver results. Encourage a culture of experimentation and accountability. Allow teams to make decisions aligned with strategic outcomes, not just ticking off feature lists. By focusing on aligning teams with a shared vision and clear objectives, you can transform cross-functional misalignment from a barrier into an opportunity for collaboration and innovation. Let's make strides toward cohesive strategies that drive meaningful outcomes. How are you ensuring alignment in your organization? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Last week I led a session on #PerformanceManagement for senior leaders. One of them reached out with the following important question about #PsychologicalSafety in the context of managing underperformance: "Psychological safety is an extremely difficult concept to pin down, especially in a setting where we have to strike a balance between supporting human beings under pressure, while at the same time being accountable for results. I would like to have more guidance on is how one manages the psychological safety element in a situation of underperformance - which often requires (at least partially) withdrawing that safety, to the discomfort of the staff member." Here is my advice to those of you wondering the same thing: In the context of managing underperformance, having psychological safety means feeling that you won't be punished or humiliated for making mistakes or for underperforming. That being said, having a conversation with a supervisor about your performance when you’re not meeting expectations is inherently stressful. It is psychologically difficult for people to focus on where they are coming up short; this undermines their sense of self as a competent person, particularly when they feel that they have been working diligently or when they have been negatively affected by situations beyond their control. While it may not be possible to make a staff member completely comfortable during feedback conversations about underperformance — and indeed, a total lack of discomfort with the status quo may not be optimal for motivating improvement — these conversations are much more likely to achieve their aim of helping the staff member perform at a higher level when the supervisor does the following:   ⋙ Provide Actionable Feedback ⋘ 👉 Give specific, timely, and constructive feedback on performance gaps, not just vague criticisms. 👉 Clearly outline expectations, metrics, and deadlines for improvement. Maintain an empathetic, development-focused tone even as you increase accountability. ⋙ Focus on Development, Not Just Evaluation ⋘ 👉 When addressing underperformance, emphasize how you can support the employee's growth and improvement. Make it clear the goal is to help the employee succeed. 👉 Collaboratively identify obstacles (e.g., by asking questions like, “What is most difficult about this for you?” and “What’s getting in the way?”) and craft a plan to overcome them through coaching, training, or other resources. 👉 Engage the staff member in articulating what help they feel they need and what path forward feels most motivating and productive. This helps to build employee ownership over their plan for improvement rather than thrusting it upon them.

🌟 Is PIP a Myth? Let’s Dive In! 🔍 - - Keka HR I recently had the privilege of participating in a deeply insightful discussion about Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs) and their role in employee development. This conversation challenged traditional approaches to PIPs and provided actionable strategies to ensure they are used as effective tools for genuine growth rather than just another corporate formality. 💼 The discussion featured valuable perspectives from industry leaders: Key takeaways from the session: 🗣️ Capt.Partha Samai (VP & Head HR, Jio) emphasized the importance of setting clear, measurable goals that align with both company objectives 📈 and the employee’s personal growth 🌱. He stressed the need to foster a supportive environment 🌟, offer actionable feedback 💬, and maintain consistent progress monitoring ⏱️ to ensure that course corrections are timely and effective. 🤝 Ganesh Iyer (Sr. Director HR, ADP) highlighted the critical role of empathy 💖 in the PIP process. He encouraged HR leaders to focus on unbiased practices ⚖️, ensure fairness ✨, and adopt a KPI-driven approach 📊. He also stressed the importance of validating evidence 📑 to back up decisions, ensuring transparency 🔍 and trust 🤝 in the process. 📊 ☑️ Barun Mallick (Marketing Head, Keka HR) underscored the significance of a structured action plan 📝 that includes continuous feedback loops 🔄. He emphasized that a PIP should never be a one-time check-in ⏲️ but a dynamic and supportive process 🔧 to help employees make real, measurable improvements 🏅. Key Insights: ✅ A PIP is only effective when it’s transparent, fair, and goal-oriented 🎯. It's not about penalizing employees 🚫; it’s about guiding them toward success 🏆. ❤️ Empathy and unbiased HR practices 💬 can help create a supportive environment where employees feel motivated 💪 to improve rather than demoralized by the process. 🔄 Continuous feedback 🔁 and a clear action plan 🛠️ are essential. A PIP should be seen as an ongoing journey 🛤️, not a final destination 🛑. 🎯 A well-executed PIP aligns employee development with organizational goals 🏢, ensuring both personal and company growth 📈. Without this alignment, PIPs risk becoming just another bureaucratic exercise 🗂️ that fails to drive real change. This session reaffirmed that fairness, transparency, and measurable outcomes 📊 are critical to transforming PIPs into an effective tool for performance improvement. PIPs don’t have to be a myth—when done right, they can serve as an essential part of an organization’s talent management strategy 🧠. #HR #PerformanceImprovement #EmployeeDevelopment #PIP #Leadership #FeedbackCulture #WorkplaceExcellence #TalentManagement #FairnessInHR

Feedback doesn’t have to be awkward. It doesn’t have to feel like an attack. And it doesn’t have to go in one ear and out the other. Here’s how to make it stick. We struggle with feedback. Many find giving and receiving feedback tough. Here are tips to master both: Giving Feedback ↪ Sit down with the person and discuss the topic together. ↪ Start by sharing experiences. Let them speak first if they want. ↪ Agree on points that need improvement. Guide them to find solutions. ↪ If they don't offer areas of improvement, share your observations. ↪ Acknowledge your part in any issues. It's a team effort. ↪ Frame feedback as a joint challenge, not a personal attack. Receiving Feedback ↪ Separate yourself from the task. It's not personal. ↪ Reflect on why the task failed. Was it skills, time, or effort? ↪ Admit your shortcomings. Be honest about what went wrong. ↪ Ask for help if you lacked skills. Show willingness to learn. ↪ Communicate time constraints early. Seek support when needed. ↪ Focus on factors affecting the task, not your personal worth. Mastering feedback can improve team performance and personal growth. Let's get better at it together.

Every time I sit on a stage like this, talking with leaders about culture, communication, and trust, I’m reminded of something simple… and uncomfortable. Most performance problems aren’t performance problems. They’re actually clarity problems. As leaders, we assume we’ve communicated. We gave the instruction. We sent the email. We used the right terminology. We think it was clear. But real clarity requires something most of us avoid: painful specificity. That means: - No vague language - No corporate clichés - No acronyms people are too embarrassed to ask about - No assumptions about what the other person understood If you want to know whether your expectations are truly clear, try this: 1. Ask them to repeat it back. Not to test them, but to test the clarity of your message. 2. Give them a real scenario. Ask, “If this situation came up, what would you do?” This reveals whether they understand the intent, not just the words. 3. Ask for their action steps. Have them walk you through exactly how they would meet the expectation. Yes, clarity takes more time on the front end. But it saves relationships, results, and energy on the back end. If your team keeps missing the mark, it may not be a motivation issue. It may be a clarity issue, and that’s a problem you can fix. Try these three little things that can make a huge difference in those day-to-day interactions, and help to steady your team in the process. #Communication #Unshakableleadership

𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝘂𝘇𝘇𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗱. To me, it’s the foundation of trust, connection, and growth. I’ve learned this the hard way. In moments when I held back, thinking it would “protect” my team, I saw confusion and disengagement take root. But when I leaned into honesty – even when the truth was uncomfortable – I saw something incredible: stronger bonds, deeper commitment, and a team that felt truly empowered. Transparency isn’t about having all the answers; it’s about having the courage to share what you know, where you’re headed, and why it matters. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝘆 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺 𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗱𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀: 1️⃣ 𝗦𝗲𝘁 𝗰𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗴𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Ambiguity is the enemy of motivation. When your team knows exactly what success looks like and why it matters, they’ll rise to the challenge. 2️⃣ 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: People thrive when they understand how their work contributes to the mission. Don’t just focus on tasks – connect them to purpose. 3️⃣ 𝗘𝗻𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝗼𝗽𝗲𝗻 𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲: Some of the best ideas come when you create a space where every voice feels heard. Feedback isn’t just a process – it’s a gift. 4️⃣ 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀: Addressing challenges openly shows integrity. It’s not about being perfect; it’s about being accountable. 5️⃣ 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘁𝗼𝗼𝗹𝘀 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘃𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: Whether it’s dashboards, check-ins, or team updates, clarity fosters alignment – and alignment fuels performance. Transparency doesn’t mean overloading people with information. It means sharing the right insights, at the right time, in a way that builds trust and inspires action. What do you think? Is transparency embedded in the way you work or manage your teams?