Managing Performance – From KPIs to Effective Conversations

Set clear expectations. Spot the gaps early. Have better performance conversations.

Performance issues rarely start with a formal warning or performance improvement plan. More often, they begin much earlier, with unclear expectations, poorly defined KPIs, missed opportunities for feedback or conversations that managers put off because they are difficult or uncomfortable.

This practical session focuses on the front end of performance management. Participants will learn how to establish meaningful performance expectations, recognise when an employee is falling short and address concerns early through clear and constructive conversations. The session will also explore what happens after the conversation, including documentation, follow-up and recognising when an issue needs to move into a more formal performance management process.

Participants will learn:

• how to set clear and meaningful KPIs and performance expectations;
• the difference between a KPI and a broader performance expectation;
• common mistakes businesses make when setting and communicating expectations;
• how to identify a performance gap and explore what may be contributing to it;
• how to prepare for and structure an effective performance conversation;
• how to ask the right questions, listen to the employee’s explanation and communicate concerns clearly;
• how to balance empathy with accountability;
• what should be documented following a performance conversation;
• how to set clear expectations for improvement and follow-up; and
• when an issue may need to progress from informal management to a formal performance management process.

Nature of the content

The session will be practical and applied rather than theoretical, with a strong focus on giving managers tools and approaches they can use in the workplace.

Formal performance improvement plans, warnings and the more detailed legal aspects of performance management will be addressed at a high level, with the primary focus on setting expectations, identifying issues early and having effective performance conversations.

Learning Outcomes:

By the end of the session, attendees will be able to:

• distinguish between KPIs and broader performance expectations and understand when each should be used;
• develop clearer, more meaningful performance expectations that employees can understand and be held accountable to;
• identify when there is a genuine performance gap and consider what may be contributing to it;
• recognise why addressing performance concerns early can prevent issues from escalating;
• prepare for and structure an effective performance conversation;
• communicate performance concerns clearly while balancing empathy and accountability;
• ask effective questions and respond appropriately to an employee’s explanation;
• document performance conversations and establish clear expectations and timeframes for improvement; and
• recognise when informal performance management is no longer appropriate and a more formal process may be required.

Suited to:

Business owners, managers, team leaders, and supervisors who are responsible for setting expectations, managing employee performance or having performance-related conversations.

The session is suitable across industries and organisation sizes and will be particularly valuable for people leaders who want greater confidence and practical skills to address performance issues early, before they become more difficult to manage.

You will also be provided with: 

• Access to watch the Live Webinar 
• Opportunities to ask real time questions to the presenter/s
• Poll questions to test your knowledge 
• Access to On Demand recording, which can be viewed multiple times, for as long as required 
• Presenters contact details for follow up questions 
• CPD Quiz (for On Demand recordings)
• CPD Certificate 
• CPD Report – Logged automatically 
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Verbatim Transcript, with Searchability
• Supporting Documentation