Driving Partner Performance and Accountability With Feedback … · 2015-07-06 · Driving Partner...

www.convergencecoaching.com ©Copyright 2000-2015

ConvergenceCoaching, LLC All rights reserved.

Driving Partner Performance and Accountability

With Feedback and Straight Talk

Presented by

Jack G. Lee III, CPA

July 21, 2015

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Poll #1

• What answer best characterizes your reason for attending this web seminar?

– To gain insight on the importance of partner feedback

– To understand the “barriers” to providing feedback

– To learn the skills needed to provide effective feedback

– To find out how to address difficult performance issues

– Other

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Partner Performance and Accountability Webinars

• Our 2015 Partner Accountability Webinar Series has been designed to spark your strategic thinking in the area of partner performance and accountability, and includes the following sessions: – In Session 1, on July 9th, we focused on “Setting Partner Expectations

and Reporting to Drive Performance and Accountability”

– In today’s session (Session 2), we’ll learn about “Driving Partner Performance and Accountability with Feedback and Straight Talk”

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Our Agenda

• In this session, we will continue to explore how to improve partner performance and accountability by:

– Understanding the “business case” for providing effective partner performance feedback and what effective performance feedback looks like

– Gaining insight on the “barriers” that keep us from providing effective feedback to our partners

– Learning strategies for discussing difficult partner performance issues

• How to “talk straight” when performance expectations aren’t being met

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Let’s Review: Unity, Ownership and Accountability

Establish Unity

Around Firm Strategy

Define Performa

nce– Roles and

Goals

Monitor Performa

nce – Return

and Report

Evaluate and

Discuss Performa

nce

Reward Performa

nce

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Keys To Performance and Accountability

• To improve partner performance and accountability, there are three key attributes on which to focus:

– Unity – establishing partner unity around your firm strategy with trust as your foundation

– Ownership – defining partner roles and goals and taking responsibility for achieving results

– Accountability – monitoring and evaluating your performance, acknowledging you can be better

These come together in our Leadership Development Model…

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The Leadership Development Model

Establish Unity

Around Firm Strategy

Define Performance– Roles and

Goals

Monitor Performance – Return and

Report

Evaluate and Discuss

Performance

Reward Performance

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Ownership

Accountability Trust



Creating A High Performance Culture • In Session 1, we learned that each partner (and each

team member) needs (and wants) to know what’s expected by: – Assigning ownership for all functions of the firm

– Developing “one size fits one” written role descriptions that memorializes what’s expected for EVERY position in the business, including:

• Overall objective, reporting structure, primary duties and responsibilities, skills and education required

– Establishing measures of success – or goals

– Providing ongoing and periodic performance feedback

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Ownership Principles

• We believe there must be clearly defined ownership for all

key areas of your organization - ONE owner for every:

– Business function, Service line, Office, Client, Engagement and Employee

• Ownership does not mean that the owner: – Always has to be a partner

– Does all the work

– Makes all of the decisions by themselves or without input

Bottom Line – things don’t progress without a clear owner and

performance expectations aren’t clear without ownership defined

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Creating Partner Role Descriptions

• Once ownership is established, “one-size-fits one” role descriptions should be developed for each partner, outlining the “areas” they own and answering these questions: – What are the duties and responsibilities of the assigned role?

– What clients, people, initiatives do they own?

– How do we measure their success?

– What skills, education, abilities, core competencies, and behaviors and desires are required for the assigned role?

• Role descriptions should be written and shared openly with the entire team

• Doing this will help with succession planning and transition of duties to the future “owners”

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Setting Goals or Measures of Success

• Each partner should set 2-3 “stretch” goals that go “above and beyond” minimum expectations based on each partner’s strengths

• To be effective, goals should be – – Specific, measurable, realistic, relevant, written and shared – Directly tied to each partner’s role and areas of ownership – Prioritized -- don’t establish too many goals – Based on input from others and approved by leadership – Reviewed and updated at least annually

• Achieving your goals should directly (and positively) impact partner compensation – Conversely, not achieving goals should adversely impact partner

compensation

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Return and Report Process

• Once goals are set, break them into “bite-sized” pieces each with their own “by-when” dates – Determine the first action step and “establish momentum” by taking

action to complete it right away

– Also be sure to delegate “pieces” that can be assigned to others

• Each partner should agree in advance with their mentor on the method and timing for periodically updating their progress and status whether via meetings or e-mail updates

• When you “return and report”, engage in straight talk about unmet commitments and be clear on new commitments with clear actions and reset expectations with affected parties – Develop the habit of written e-mail recaps including “owner”, by when

dates and agreed next return and report date

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The Business Case for Providing Effective Feedback

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Partners Are Not Above Feedback

• The phenomena that once you make partner, you’re “above” performance feedback or having to “answer” to someone still exists in many firms

• Partners should receive feedback on a regular basis when they return and report the status of their goals

• And, partners should receive a formal annual (if not semi-annual) review, too, just as you do for your other team members

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Your Partners…

…are your most important leadership assets …have options ...will make or break your plan …have to be clear on their role and responsibilities …need a way to measure progress and be

accountable …want feedback (both positive and constructive) …need rewards …will rise to wherever you place the bar

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Importance of Performance Feedback

• Performance feedback is a gift we give others

• It enables us to: – Communicate expectations and obtain insight on how we can

improve our business processes

– Explore ways to improve our own personal performance

– Motivate partners who are on the right track to continue on that path and inspire those who are not to get better

– Manage those who are not performing by communicating what is expected and steps they can take to improve

• Providing feedback gives us the courage to admit when a partner is not working out, knowing we’ve done all we could

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It IS Your Place …

• …to talk with your partners about their performance!

• Drive firm growth and succession, which requires a “constant refinement” mindset

• To encourage your partners to learn and improve every single day up until their last – Instead of something like, “Don’t call me on mine issues and I won’t

call you on yours”

• As managing partner, CEO, a service line leader to provide input on necessary “course corrections”

• …to provide feedback and talk straight to your partners at all times!

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Great Performance Feedback Is…

• Private

• Timely and often

• Shares good and “bad”

• Direct/clear

• Specific

• Non-punishing

• Focused on the future and provides ideas for growth or development

• About asking questions – and listening

• Concludes with a clear plan

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Provide Feedback All The Time!

• There are several "settings" for evaluating and discussing performance

– Annual (or semi-annual) performance evaluations

– Career planning meetings

– Post-engagement reviews

– Formal mentoring meetings

– Informal feedback and “return and report” discussions

– What else?

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Poll #2

• How often do you deliver partner performance feedback? (please check all that apply) – Once per year at annual reviews

– Semi-annually

– Quarterly

– As needed, giving feedback “in the moment”

– Other

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Barriers That Keep Us From Providing Effective Feedback

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A Sad Story “I thought everything was okay. I have received positive

performance evaluations each year and above average raises, too. But when it came time to be considered for the position of audit service line leader, I was passed over. I didn’t understand why and I finally asked our managing partner. She shared that there had been some issues with my management style and I didn’t have the support of the partners. This was the first I had heard of this. Why didn’t someone tell me earlier, so I could be working on this? And why as a partner am I ‘on my own’ when it comes to leadership training and feedback?”

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Where On Your “To Do” List Is Partner Development

• It’s doubtful that you deliberately write it last on your “to do” list, or say “out loud” that partner development isn’t important.

• But somehow, people development, especially for our partners, often ends up in last place behind all the other items, including:

– Emails, time reports, billing, other administrative tasks

– Client service

– Business development

– And what else?

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Why Is This?

• Here are what we hear as the top three reasons:

– I don’t know what to say or how to say it • Action: Learn and practice the necessary skills

– I feel like a “hypocrite” because I’m not consistently leading by example

• Action: Deliver the feedback to your partner anyway acknowledging your performance gap, and committing to improve together

– I’m too busy and just don’t have time • Action: Change your “mindset” to consider that you are really in

the business of developing people – including our partners - and then make time for what is important

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More Barriers To Providing Feedback • Other barriers to providing performance feedback include:

– Failing to properly set expectations in the first place – Not wanting to hurt feelings or get our own feelings hurt – Fear of someone stomping off in a “huff” leaving us hanging – Belief that the effort won’t make a difference and the behavior won’t

change – Not knowing the best way to communicate the improvement that

needs to occur – Fear of letting our emotions take over (and potentially saying

something we’ll regret) – Fear of looking like our expectations are unreasonable or that we’re

too hard to work with/for – Fear of being “exposed” for not “leading by example” – Not really being sure what we’re thinking is accurate – Not having authority to speak up

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It’s Also Difficult to Receive Feedback

• Mostly, the barriers to receiving performance feedback stem from our resistance to change: – Preferring to not have to “work at” improving our performance – Not understanding what’s wrong with what we’re already doing – Having difficulty admitting our weaknesses and flaws – Learning new skills and ways of doing things is hard – Knowing what we need to improve but simply not have the motivation

to do it – Knowing that we need to improve our performance but not having the

knowledge, skills, information, or resources to make improvements – Not really knowing how to ask for help – Having a negative perception of performance feedback based on past

experiences that were not positive and supportive

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Poll #3

• What is your biggest challenge when it comes to giving performance feedback? – I haven’t done a good job of setting expectations

– I’m concerned that I’m not “leading by example”

– I don’t know how to phrase what I need to say

– I don’t have enough time

– Other

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Strategies for Discussing Difficult Performance Issues

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Delivering Positive Feedback Is Easy

• Let’s first acknowledge that it’s easy to say:

– You’ve met or exceeded your goals!

– You’re getting a raise and / or a promotion!

– Keep up the good work!

• But let’s also acknowledge the crucial need to “develop” your partners by:

– Providing ongoing leadership development opportunities and programs for them

– Spending time with them, mentoring them, and providing “side by side” leadership training for them, too

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Discussing Difficult Performance Issues

• Is not easy…

• Why? Because it sets up (or seems to set up) a situation that is right at the top of our list of fears:

A conflict

Most of us avoid conflict because we are afraid of being wrong, causing an argument, damaging relationships, or hurting people’s feelings

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Instead, We Tell Others!

• We don’t go directly to the partner with whom we have a concern; instead we tell others!

– This is called “triangulation”

• This eventually “gets around” to the partner any way, eroding respect and trust

– And, it can erode trust and respect of those with whom you “confide” or “vent,” too

• Instead of professionally resolving the matter, you make it worse, or at best, allow it to persist

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The “Nice” Factor

• The culture of many CPA firms is “too nice”, which can have the following unintended negative results: – Conflicts among partners go unresolved

– Poor performance is tolerated and not addressed and therefore persists

– Constructive feedback is not shared, so improvements are not made

– Respect is eroded with partners who are counting on their leaders to do the right things even when it is uncomfortable or difficult to do so

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There Is A Better Way!

• First, we’ll start by looking at ways to disengage from the emotional aspects of a difficult performance conversation through acknowledging your self-interest and hopeful interpretations

• Next, we’ll review a process for preparing for difficult performance conversations

• Finally, we’ll learn how to become more effective in delivering difficult performance feedback to our partners

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Start With Your Mindset

• The number one thing that will make a difference in your difficult performance conversations is your mindset – Your likelihood of success in the conversation is low if

you’re coming from anger, irritation or that your partner is “wrong” or inept, or other negative interpretations

– Your likelihood of the conversation going well is high if you center yourself around giving your partner a gift that will enhance their whole life -- doing what’s in their best interest

• Come from a place of care and concern for your partner

• Have your intention be to inspire them to succeed

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To Adopt the Necessary Mindset

• …You have to be willing to take (as much as) 100% responsibility for your role and “give up” making the other party wrong!

• … And instead look for ways to collaborate with your “conflict partner”

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NOT: “I’m right, you’re wrong” INSTEAD: “Let’s partner together”

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To Achieve Your Desired Outcome

• Self-honesty is required

• You have to acknowledge your self-interest and be willing to share it – Vulnerability and humanity are required

– There are few real “Mother Theresas”

• Your goal is to create an environment where your conflict partner can do the same – You cannot collaborate until all agendas are on

the table

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Distinguishing Self-Interest

• We all have self-interest which usually falls into one of the following categories:

– Looking good or avoiding looking bad

– Getting more time or taking less of our time

– Getting more money or taking less of our money

– Experiencing pleasure or some form of feeling good

• In effectively dealing with conflict, you have to openly share your self-interest and understand your conflict partner’s possible self-interest

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Interpretations Can Be Tricky!

• It is worth developing a number of potential ways to

view the situation before identifying your approach

to it

• We suggest you play an “interpretations game”

– You will see that there are many potential reasons or

causes for each issue and different ways to view it

– Use the interpretations game to “vent” your negative

feelings and see that there are other possible ways to view

each situation that are worth exploring

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Performance Example Self Interest

• Your partner responsible for the audit service line is off plan by $500K, putting significant pressure on profits

• Your self interest in this matter could include not wanting: – To make less money – To take the “heat” from the other partners – To reduce staff or do other difficult things to cut costs – To take the time to talk to the partner

• Your audit partner’s self interest could include: – Wanting credit for past accomplishments and to not be judged

merely on this year’s shortfall – Wanting the time for the economy to turn around – Not wanting to feel bad about letting the team down – Not wanting to make less money

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Performance Example Self Interest

• Your partner regularly disrupts partner meetings with blow ups, tirades or taking hurtful verbal jabs at others

• Your self interest in this matter could include: – Wanting to have more peace and less tension in meetings – Not wanting to engage in verbal debate or fight with your

partners – having fear of doing it poorly or getting mad yourself – Not wanting to talk to the partner about this – Not wanting your partners to think less of you because you aren’t

dealing with it

• Your partner’s selfish interest could include: – Not wanting to be “forced” to do anything in meetings so he

pushes back – Wanting to control situations and/ or not feel out of control – Fear that your group is heading in the wrong direction and

wanting to passionately push back

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Performance Example Interpretations

• You could be making your partner wrong for being “off plan” by thinking that he/she: – Is lazy – Doesn’t care about their work – Doesn’t care about the clients or the firm – Is trying to sabotage you and make you look bad

• Hopeful, or positive interpretations that will be more constructive are that it’s possible that your partner: – Is dealing with some unspoken personal matters – Was “forced” to commit to a plan they clearly expressed concerns

about – “Owns” too many areas within the firm and doesn’t have clarity

around which area has priority – Hasn’t communicated their roadblocks for fear of letting his partners

down

Which is the truth?

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Performance Example Interpretations • You could be making your partner wrong for going on tirades

and making jabs in meetings by thinking that he/she: – Is selfish and immature – Is hyper-controlling, bullying, dominating – Doesn’t fit the rest of the group – Doesn’t care about the feelings of others – Isn’t committed to your core values

• Hopeful, or positive interpretations that will be more constructive are that it’s possible that your partner: – Is willing to speak up when no one else will – Is so committed to the success of the firm and partners that he

becomes overly passionate trying to keep you on track – Is thick skinned and doesn’t realize how his tone, volume and word

choice affects the rest of you

Which is the truth? 43



Preparing For Difficult Performance Conversations

(Before The Meeting)

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Preparing For Difficult Conversations

• Commit to having the discussion

– Set the time and place for the discussion

– Avoid distractions and public places

– Give yourself enough time to prepare

• Start by defining the potential for conflict

– Examine the situation and consider solutions.

– This is essentially a “venting” place for you to

clear your wrong-making thoughts.

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Preparing For Difficult Conversations

• Prepare an outline of your view of the

situation

– Consider the root cause and examine your

interpretations

– Ask how you could be as much as 100%

responsible for the problem

– Consider the ramifications

– Examine possible solutions

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Conducting Difficult Performance Conversations

(During The Meeting)

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• Set up the conversation in a non-punishing,

collaborative way

• Be clear and specific

• Follow an “expectation, observation, inquiry,

stop” approach

– “Our audit group is $500K off plan. Why is this?”

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Verbally Discussing the Area For Improvement

• Share your expectation of performance

• Identify how the behavior or outcome differed

• Ask for the other party’s perspective on the situation – Be in “inquiry mode” – remember, you don’t already know

• Some possible questions you could ask after you have shared your expectations and observations

– What do you think is causing this “off plan” performance?

– Why do you think this is occurring (or has occurred)?

– How do you feel you about your performance in this area?

– What is your view of what has happened (or not happened)?

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Find Out

• Again, follow an “expectation, observation,

inquiry, stop” approach

– “As a core value, we expect partners to show

respect in all of their interactions. Your behavior

in partner meetings often appears disrespectful of

others – talking over them, raising your voice, or

making hurtful comments about others. Can you

help me understand what is driving that

behavior?”

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Then Stop and Listen!

• Listen to “cues and clues” from the other party as to

what in happening on their end

• You’re looking to for the “3 C’s”:

– Is off track performance caused by lack of communication

or unclear expectations?

– Or is it due to a lack of competency (skill, ability,

experience, talent)?

– Or, is there some sort of character concern (improper

intention or motive) that you’re uncomfortable with?

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Going Deeper On The Three C’s

• Communication failures are usually two-way and require both parties to “start over” and establish a new expectation and understanding of how they’ll behave, perform or interact going forward

• Competency issues can often be resolved with additional training, mentoring or experience – But sometimes, people lack the “gifts and talents” to do the work

assigned and must change their role or change the type of work

• Character questions are far more complicated to resolve and require an even greater depth of straight talk

Competency and character concepts shared by Stephen M.R. Covey in The Speed of Trust: The One Thing That Changes Everything 59



Character Concerns

• Sometimes we can’t get comfortable with the motives or intentions of the other party – This is the most difficult area in which to straight talk

• If you want to rebuild trust in this area, you’ll have to risk sharing your feelings – this requires vulnerability – “I am concerned that this shortfall is going to cost each of us money

and that the rest of the partner group will hold us both responsible. What caused this shortfall and what can you do differently to change the result going forward?”

– “I am concerned that your outbursts in meetings are straining your relationships with your partners and exhibit a lack of commitment to treat us with respect. What is really behind this and what can you do to change your behavior?”

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Optionally Share Impacts/Commitment

• Share your view of the impacts of the situation as it

sits today and state your commitment

– Provide concrete examples of the impacts and how those

impacts make you feel

• Share your commitment to the greater good and/or

other person and what you see is possible

– Ask for their commitment (or re-commitment)

– Remember, if you’re coming in support of your partner’s

success and that you’re on his/her team, you’ll succeed

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Examples

“When your commitments around the audit plan are met, we’ll all enjoy the opportunity to increase our personal earnings,

along with the ability to invest in programs and our people more freely, creating more opportunities for everyone.”

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“Showing respect and teamwork in your interactions creates a culture where the partners can collaborate in addressing our

challenges and problems, and confirms that we’re stronger when we all compete “externally” rather than “internally.”



Collaborating On Solutions and Next Steps

• Ask for help in developing a solution to getting

performance back on track

• Something like, “What do you think needs to occur

for you to hit the audit plan going forward?” and

“How do you envision bringing a more positive voice

to partner meetings in the future?”

– Stop and listen again!

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When You Run Into Roadblocks

• When the other party doesn’t appear engaged in the conversation or responds with “I don’t know,” consider: – Asking them to brainstorm or guess about it – Sharing that their perspective is the only way to

generate a collaborative solution – Offering time to contemplate their view of the

situation and generate possible solutions and then regroup

• Realize that you may need to have multiple conversations, especially when dealing with a long-standing issue

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Keep, Stop, Start

• Another wonderful straight talk method is called “keep, stop and start”

• It applies more to feedback that is invited or expected as in the case of mentoring meetings, performance appraisals or other structured feedback sessions

• Prior to the meeting, consider: – What do I most want my partner to keep doing? (things they’re doing well or

that are of great value)

– What do I think my partner should stop doing that they are doing now? (things that aren’t working or things they need to give up, delegate or relinquish)

– What do I think my partner should start doing that they are not yet doing? (things that will benefit them, their team or the firm if they take them on going forward – new roles, new behaviors)

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Conducting Difficult Performance Conversations

(After The Meeting)

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Document The Solution

• Regardless of which approach you use, agree on the

actions and follow up you’re both going to commit to

going forward

• Be specific about the decisions you agreed on and

document them in a written recap with any actions,

who owns them and by-when they’ll be complete

• Schedule and hold a follow-up meeting 2-4 weeks

after the initial feedback meeting to see how things

are progressing

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Ongoing Communication

• Use these strategies to create a firm culture of open and ongoing communication and feedback

• Teach all of your partners and firm leaders this approach and encourage ongoing performance conversations – it works downstream, upstream and sidestream, too

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ConvergenceCoaching, LLC All rights reserved. 62

Poll #4

• What one thing will you commit to do out of today’s webinar on effective performance feedback?

– Get serious about overcoming my feedback barriers

– Schedule a needed difficult performance discussion

– Document the next steps for a performance issue

– Solicit performance feedback for yourself

– Other



Thank You!

• Contact us at any time!

Jack G. Lee III, CPA

(414) 659-9822 [email protected]

http://www.linkedin.com/in/jackleecpa

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Resources and Tools

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ConvergenceCoaching Resources

• ConvergenceCoaching’s web site includes articles and tools on these topics

– www.convergencecoaching.com

• Visit our blog for posts on various business development and leadership topics:

– http://blog.convergencecoaching.com

• Visit our learning center for access to additional courses

– http://www.convergencelearning.com

• Visit us on Facebook: – http://www.facebook.com/convergencecoaching

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Transformational Leadership Program

• The TLP runs from September 16, 2015 to September 15, 2016, and class size is limited to 25 participants. Over the twelve-month period, they will experience:

– In-depth self-assessments

– Two in-person workshops

– Online, self-study and instructor-led web seminars

– Tailored one-on-one coaching sessions for them and their in-firm coach

– A difference making firm project of their choice

• The fee for your managers and newer partners to honestly identify their strengths and develop strategies and skills to drive performance improvements as they prepare to take on meaningful roles in leading and managing your firm is $5,250

66 70



Conflict Management Resources

• Conflict Management at – http://www.ctic.purdue.edu/KYW/Brochures/ManageConf

lict.html

• Conflict Resolution Network at – www.crnhq.org/windskill1.html

• Crucial Conversations by Patterson, Grenny, McMillan, Switzler, and Covey

• Management by Kathryn M. Bartol and David C. Martin (Irwin McGraw-Hill, 1998)

• Mediation Works Free Conflict Resources – http://www.mediationworks.com/free.htm

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Conflict Management Resources

• Ohio Commission on Dispute Resolution at – www.state.oh.us/cdr/schools/contentpages/styles.htm

• Primal Leadership by Daniel Goleman, Richard Boyatzis, & Annie McKee

• Straight Talk Your Way to Success – www.convergencelearning.com

• Ten Tips for Managing Conflict, Tension and Anger by Claire Albright – http://mentalhealth.about.com/cs/selfhelp/a/tentips.htm

• The Heart of a Leader by Ken Blanchard

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Driving Partner Performance and Accountability With Feedback … · 2015-07-06 · Driving Partner...

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Transcript of Driving Partner Performance and Accountability With Feedback … · 2015-07-06 · Driving Partner...