Performance Guidelines Final

MSI Performance Plus Guidelines

Welcome to Performance Plus, MSI’s performance management framework MSI is committed to ensuring women across the world have access to high quality family planning and sexual and reproductive health services. Every team member plays an essential role in helping us meet our goals and deliver our strategic priorities. Performance Plus enables managers and team members to have positive discussions as part of performance reviews to ensure there is a clear link between organisational, team and individual KPIs and achievements. To be successful Performance Plus is going to need your full commitment. I hope you will read these guidelines and understand your role in making this a success.

Dana Hovig Chief Executive

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Performance Plus at MSI Contents

Introduction How to Use This Guide

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Section 1

Setting the Scene

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Section 2

Manager Role and Responsibilities in Performance Plus

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Section 3

Team Member Role and Responsibilities in Performance Plus

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Section 4

Form Completion

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Section 5

Good Practice Tips and Checklists

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Appendices

Appendix 1 Copy of Preparation checklist for Performance Plus Review Meetings

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Appendix 2 Copy of Performance Review form

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Appendix 3 Copy of Performance Review form for Managers

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Appendix 4 Copy of Personal Development Plan

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Appendix 5 Copy of Leadership Competencies

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Introduction – How to Use This Guide These guidelines are designed to help all MSI team members get the best from the Performance Plus framework and maximise its benefits. The guidelines are divided into 4 sections: •

Section 1 is mandatory reading for all team members and outlines the process, why it matters and what the benefits are for all concerned.

•

Section 2 applies to managers, supervisors and team leaders (i.e. anyone with responsibility for managing others) and outlines responsibilities under the framework.

•

Section 3 applies to all team members and explains how to get the best out of performance discussions.

•

Section 4 contains some information on how to complete the various performance review forms.

•

Section 5 contains good practice tips and checklists.

The various forms used within the performance review discussions are contained in the appendices.

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Section 1 – Setting the Scene This section of the guidelines is required reading for all MSI employees.

1.1 MSI’s Vision and Values Our Vision MSI’s vision is to be the biggest and best family planning organisation in the world, making a sustainable difference to millions of women globally. The biggest is about maximising our health impact and the difference we make by increasing MSI’s delivery of family planning and safe abortion services dramatically and acting as a catalyst for others to do better and do more in family planning and safe abortion. The best is about building MSI’s organisational strength and capacity by having the best people in our industry and by having world class systems that support and facilitate MSI’s growth. Sustainability comes about by strengthening MSI financially through diversifying and increasing MSI’s income streams and improving the financial solvency and sustainability of the MSI global partnership. Our Values MSI will realise its vision by adhering to a set of core values that shape and guide our behaviours in our dealings with others, be they team members, clients, investors, external agencies or the general public. The values that underpin our way of working are: • • • • • •

Pioneering Results orientated Sustainable People- centred Customer focused Mission driven

The Performance Plus framework is designed to align the endeavours of all employees in order to enable MSI to achieve its vision and deliver its strategic and operational goals and objectives in line with its values.

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The Performance Plus framework Under the Performance Plus framework managers will meet with team members in order to: • • • • • •

Communicate annual organisational KPIs. Clarify the contribution required by the team member towards achieving those organisational KPIs. Provide constructive feedback in order to help the team member to learn and improve their performance. Identify any training, development and support that may be required in order to help the individual be successful. Provide recognition and acknowledgment of successes. Discuss future career and development aspirations and agree a personal development plan.

The Performance Plus annual cycle is illustrated below and is designed to be fully integrated with organisational activities such as business planning.

Dec Jan Nov Feb Oct

Mar

Sep

Apr Aug May Jul Jun

The business planning cycle takes place during the last part of the year, with Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and business plans finalised by the end of January. From December until the end of February managers will schedule an Annual Review meeting with each of their team members to review their

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previous year’s performance and agree plans and objectives for the forthcoming year. Managers will then conduct a Mid Year Review meeting with team members between June and August to review progress, redefine goals and objectives if necessary, identify career goals and aspirations and agree a personal development plan. The Annual and Mid Year review meetings are mandatory. However managers and team members may wish to agree to meet more regularly throughout the course of the year to review progress, redefine priorities and provide coaching and support.

1.2 The Benefits of Performance Plus MSI’s Performance Plus framework will deliver substantial benefits for the organisation as a whole, as well as for managers and for team members. Organisational Benefits • • • • • •

Helps to establish MSI as the biggest and best family planning organisation in the world. Enables MSI to deliver greater sustainable impact to its clients. Helps demonstrate to donors/funders that MSI is an organisation worth investing in. Builds capability and capacity for MSI to achieve its mission and goals. Ensures that all team members are fully aligned and focussed on organisational priorities. Supports innovation and growth and the process of continuous improvement, change and learning.

Manager Benefits • • • • • •

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Helps create an environment whereby team members will be more successful. Provides clarity around accountability and what is expected of team members. Clarifies the manager’s role and what is expected of them by team members. Enables feedback designed to improve performance to be delivered and received in a non defensive manner. Clarifies the standards of behaviour that are expected of team members. Facilitates open and constructive conversations that will improve mutual understanding as to how both parties can best support each other.

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•

•

Provides better understanding of team member strengths and development needs and how best to deploy team members to make the most of their talents. Makes the task of ‘managing people’ less onerous and more fulfilling.

Team Member Benefits • • • • • • • • •

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Clarifies how team members can contribute to the success of MSI and make a real difference. Defines what is expected of team members and what they need to do to be successful in their role. Provides an opportunity to increase self awareness and learn how to be even more effective through regular constructive feedback. Defines priorities and helps team members understand where to focus their attention. Provides an opportunity to discuss aspirations and development needs and career. Helps foster more fulfilling relationships and constructive conversations between team members and their manager. Ensures that immediate training and development and support needs are addressed. Clarifies levels of autonomy and decision making freedom. Provides an opportunity for successes to be recognised and acknowledged.

Performance Plus Guidelines – Final – 2009

Section 2 – Manager Role and Responsibilities in Performance Plus This section of the guidelines applies to managers only. Managers need to familiarise themselves with the contents of this section before conducting any review meeting with team members.

2.1 The Manager’s Role The manager’s role within the Performance Plus framework is primarily to enable team members to be successful in their job. The manager does this by: • Ensuring that team members are kept up to date with organisational and team goals, objectives, priorities and performance. • Clarifying mutual expectations and providing regular constructive feedback. • Identifying and playing to team member strengths wherever possible. • Ensuring that appropriate training, support, information and tools are made available. • Providing appropriate levels of delegated authority and trusting team members to use their judgement. • Understanding what motivates team members and providing appropriate motivational stimulus. • Fostering trust based relationships and encouraging open and honest dialogue.

2.2 360 Feedback (Optional) In order to gain a rounded view on performance the manager may obtain feedback from individuals who have worked or interacted closely with the team member during the course of the previous year. The manager and team member should agree which individuals are best placed to provide feedback on the team member’s performance. A 360 form is available for use or the manager may just email the chosen individuals to ask for feedback on strengths, areas of development and any other feedback that may be relevant. The manager should ensure there is sufficient time before the annual or mid year review for 360 feedback to be obtained.

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2.3 Managers’ Responsibilities The Annual Review Meeting Purpose of meeting: • To provide feedback on past performance. • To agree a rating of performance. • To clarify future expected contribution. • To agree immediate training, development and support needs. Expected duration: approximately 1 - 1 ½ hours

Responsibilities

Good Practice Tips

Before the meeting

The better the quality of preparation, the more productive the meeting is likely to be.

Reflect on organisational and team priorities and performance.

Share information with all team members to ensure collective understanding.

Think about past performance of the team member since last review meeting – what has been achieved, what went well, what could have gone better.

Use the Pre Meeting Preparation Checklist to help structure thinking.

Gather evidence of past performance in order to enable feedback to be as specific as possible.

Identify people with whom the team member has worked/ interacted closely with and ask for examples of what the team member has done particularly well and any development needs that they have witnessed.

If 360 is to be used, nominate individuals to provide feedback.

Decide with the team member who is likely to give honest feedback and has had sufficient dealings with the team member in order to be able to comment authoritatively.

Review job description and identify any accountabilities that may require to be changed.

Only focus on where there are significant changes in accountabilities that are likely to affect the outputs/contribution expected of the team member.

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Notify team member of proposed time and location of meeting.

Give at least 2 weeks notice wherever possible so the team member has time to prepare. Encourage the team member to reflect on their own performance. Ask the team member to also think about the goals/objectives that they would wish to set for themselves for the coming year. Encourage the team member to use the Pre Meeting Preparation Checklist to prepare for the review. Most reviews will take between 1 - 1½ hours. Book a location which is private and where there is no likelihood of interruptions.

During the meeting

Create an environment that is conducive to open and honest discussion.

Welcome the team member and put them at their ease.

Recognise that not every person will view the forthcoming meeting in a positive light and may be apprehensive. Encourage active participation and two way dialogue. Demonstrate intent through body language and tone of voice.

Explain the purpose and structure of the meeting: I. Discussion on past performance. II. Agreeing performance rating. III. Agreeing objectives/future contribution. IV. Identifying training and support needs. V. Summarising.

New starters may not be familiar with the process and may have experienced a different approach in other organisations that they have worked for. Encourage 2-way discussion e.g. ask team member views first, before giving feedback. Aim to spend no more than 30% of time looking at past performance.

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I.

Feedback on past performance

Provide explicit praise and recognition for work well done/appropriate behaviours.

Start by establishing positive context for the meeting.

Explore what has been achieved the previous year, what has gone well/less well and reasons why.

Invite team member to assess own performance and discuss any differences in viewpoint.

Provide specific feedback and discuss and rate performance against each of the MSI behaviours. Use any 360 feedback (if appropriate) Note: for team members the MSI behaviours should be used; for managers the Leadership behaviours will apply

Invite team member to provide own assessment initially. Focus discussion on particular strengths and no more than 3 areas for development. If the team member is unfamiliar with the 360 process ensure that sufficient time is spent helping them to understand the feedback.

Discuss individual strengths and explore how these could be better utilised.

Paying attention to strengths does not mean ignoring areas for improvement but recognising and building on strengths is more motivational than simply addressing ‘weaknesses’.

II.

Agreeing performance rating

Review discussions and agree the performance rating.

III.

Agreeing objectives / future contribution

Summarise organisational and team priorities and plans.

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Ask the team member to propose a rating that they feel is fair. Recognise that the rating is a relatively crude summary of the discussions – don’t let this discussion set a negative note for the rest of the meeting. Where there is disagreement over the rating provide justifying evidence.

Ensure that the context within which the job operates and the discussion taking place, is

Performance Plus Guidelines – Final – 2009

Review any changes in job accountabilities.

established. Don’t spend time reviewing every aspect of the job description – focus only on those areas which the organisation needs to see changed or which would enable the team member to play to their strengths.

Agree individual objectives/outcomes.

Invite the team member to put forward their ideas initially. Don’t impose – seek to arrive at an outcome which the individual genuinely is committed to. Recognise that not all jobs will lend themselves to defined objectives – agree a set of outcomes that are meaningful for the role in question.

Identify specific behaviours that will be required in order to achieve these outcomes.

Focus on no more than 3 behaviours that might be critical.

IV.

Identifying training and support needs

Identify any specific training and development needs.

Don’t just focus on ‘hard’ skills – recognise that developing specific behaviours can significantly enhance an individual’s performance. Recognise that there are alternative approaches to development other than training.

Agree specific support required by the manager/others.

Ensure that expectations / requirements of the manager are explicitly discussed and agreed.

V.

Summarising

Agree when the next meeting should take place.

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Although there are only 2 mandatory meetings per annum in certain circumstances more frequent reviews may be appropriate, e.g. when the team member is new to the role, when the priorities/objectives are likely

Performance Plus Guidelines – Final – 2009

to change, where there are specific development or performance needs that need to be addressed, where the individual would welcome more regular review and feedback. After the meeting Complete the Performance Review form and send to the team member for comments and signature.

The form can be completed during the meeting but only if the act of completing it does not detract from the quality of the discussions.

Ensure that People & Development (P&D) are informed of any specific training/ development needs.

Consult People & Development to identify alternative approaches – don’t just rely on formal training courses.

Follow through on any commitments made to support the team member.

Recognise the importance of keeping to commitments and the effect it has on trust.

The Mid Year Review Meeting Purpose of Meeting: • To review performance for the year to date. • To revise expected outcomes/objectives if appropriate. • To agree career and personal development plans. Expected duration: approximately 1 hour The activities concerned with reviewing past performance, providing feedback and agreeing outcomes/objectives are similar to those carried out in the Annual Review meeting. The additional activities associated with the Mid Year Review are detailed below. However it is vital to ensure that the Mid Year Review meeting does not become a reprise of the Annual Review Meeting – the focus is primarily on personal development and growth and as such at least 50% of the time should be devoted to this.

Responsibilities

Good Practice Tips

Before the meeting Assess potential and collect evidence of particular strengths. 14

Recognise that all managers have a responsibility for

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developing and nurturing talent to enable MSI to be successful. Identify any potential vacancies/ secondment/project opportunities that might be suitable for development.

Development can take many forms and the better the understanding a manager has of opportunities and alternative development routes the better they will be able to advise the team member.

During the meeting Explore individual aspirations, career and personal development goals and understand why they matter to the team member.

Recognise that not everyone seeks career advancement.

Agree development plans and support required to implement them.

Personal development often requires support but the individual should assume prime responsibility for their own development. Seek guidance from People & Development about development options.

Complete the Personal Development Plan (PDP) form.

There is a collective responsibility to ensure that any development activities agreed during the meeting are followed through.

After the meeting Follow through on any commitments made to support the individual.

Recognise the importance of keeping to commitments and the effect it has on trust.

Communicate development needs to People &Development and other managers as appropriate.

Informing others about development aspirations of team members increases the likelihood of suitable development opportunities arising.

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People & Development consolidate PDP outputs to drive organisational training needs and delivery. Ongoing Informal Review Meetings In addition to the mandatory Annual and Mid Year review meetings, managers and team members may wish to schedule more regular review meetings. These meetings can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour depending on the purpose of the meeting and the issues to be discussed. It is recommended that Informal Review Meetings are considered in the following circumstances: •

• • •

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Where a particular ‘performance’ shortfall has been detected and a specific action plan agreed to address it. In these circumstances it is important to monitor progress regularly and provide feedback because, if performance fails to improve within the agreed timeframe, first stage disciplinary action may be required. Where the team member is new to the job and/or organisation and more regular support may be required. Where the objectives/outcomes that have been agreed with the team member may be subject to change and consequently short term refocusing of priorities and outcomes may be required. Where the team member welcomes regular reviews of progress and feedback on performance.

Performance Plus Guidelines – Final – 2009

Section 3 – Team Member Role and Responsibilities in Performance Management This section of the guidelines applies to team members only. Team members need to familiarise themselves with the contents of this section before any review meeting with their manager.

3.1 The Team Member’s Role The team member’s role within the Performance Plus framework is to prepare thoroughly, be open and receptive to feedback, accept accountability for their own performance and take ownership of their learning and development. The team member does this by: • • • • • • • •

Actively engaging in team discussions and keeping up to date on organisational and team priorities and performance. Reflecting honestly on their own performance and accepting feedback in a non-defensive manner. Identifying opportunities which play to their strengths. Proactively accessing appropriate training, support, information and tools wherever possible. Taking full accountability for their actions within levels of delegated authority. Demonstrating through their actions a commitment to MSI’s vision and values. Behaving in a manner that fosters trust and respect from others and which is aligned to MSI’s values and behaviours. Seeking to develop trust based relationships with their manager and engaging in open and honest dialogue.

3.2 Team Member Responsibilities The Annual Review Meeting Purpose of meeting: • To provide discussion on past performance. • To agree a rating of performance. • To clarify future expected contribution. • To agree immediate training, development and support needs. Expected duration: approximately 1 -1 ½ hours Responsibilities

Good Practice Tips

Before the meeting

The better the quality of preparation, the more productive

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the meeting is likely to be. Become familiar with organisational and team priorities and performance

Awareness of the organisational and team context of performance reviews helps strengthen the sense of ‘connectedness’.

Think about past performance since last review meeting – what has been achieved, what went well, what could have gone better.

Use the Pre Meeting Preparation Checklist to help structure thinking

Agree with manager who can be approached to give feedback on your performance.

Identify those people with whom you have worked/ interacted closely with over the previous year. Also think about ad hoc feedback received during the year, both positive and formative.

Review job description and identify any accountabilities that you believe have changed.

Only focus on where there are significant changes in accountabilities that are likely to affect the outputs/contribution expected of you.

Confirm attendance at Review Meeting.

Reflect on own performance and think about the goals/objectives that you would wish to set for yourself and to which you will feel committed.

During the meeting

Help to create an environment that is conducive to open and honest discussion.

Understand the purpose and structure of the meeting: I. Discussion on past performance II. Agreeing performance rating. III. Agreeing objectives / future contribution IV. Identifying training and support needs V. Summarising.

Be prepared to actively participate in the meeting. Demonstrate intent through body language, tone of voice and level of participation.

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I.

Feedback on past performance

Acknowledge explicit praise and recognition for work well done/ appropriate behaviours.

Accept praise graciously – don’t just dismiss it.

Discuss what has gone well/less well and reasons why.

Be prepared to discuss any differences in viewpoint. Accept feedback nondefensively. Ask questions for clarification. View feedback not as criticism but as an opportunity to learn and improve.

Discuss specific feedback and proposed ratings of performance against each of the MSI behaviours (or Leadership competencies for managers). Discuss strengths and explore ideas as to how these could be better utilised.

Be prepared to provide own assessment and discuss differences of views nondefensively.

II.

Agreeing performance rating

Review discussions and agree the performance rating.

III.

Don’t be modest about strengths and look for opportunities to leverage them.

Be prepared to propose a rating that you feel is fair. Be prepared to discuss any differences in opinion nondefensively.

Agreeing objectives / future contribution

Review any changes in job accountabilities

Don’t spend time on the minutia – only focus on those aspects that will make a real difference to your job and what is expected of you.

Agree individual objectives/outcomes.

Be prepared to put forward your ideas. Explain the rationale and why you feel committed to your

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proposed objectives/outcomes.

Discuss specific behaviours that will be required in order to achieve these outcomes. IV.

Try to identify no more than 3 behaviours that might be critical.

Identifying training and support needs

Discuss any specific training and development needs.

Don’t just focus on ‘hard’ skills – recognise that developing specific behaviours can significantly enhance your performance.

Identify and agree specific support required by manager / others

Ensure that expectations / requirements of your manager are explicitly discussed and agreed.

V.

Summarising

Agree when the next meeting should take place

Although there are only 2 mandatory meetings per annum in certain circumstances more frequent reviews may be appropriate, e.g. if you are new to the role, when the priorities/ objectives are likely to change, where there are specific development or performance needs that need to be addressed, where you would welcome more regular review and feedback.

After the meeting Review the Performance Review form sent to you by your manager, add comments, sign and return.

The form can be completed during the meeting but only if the act of completing it does not detract from the quality of the discussions.

Ensure that specific training/ development commitments are followed through on.

You and your manager have joint responsibility for ensuring that agreed training and development plans are actioned.

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Ensure that your manager follows through on any commitments made to support you The Mid Year Review Meeting

Be prepared to hold your manager accountable for their commitments

Purpose of Meeting: • To review performance for the year to date. • To revise expected outcomes/objectives if appropriate. • To agree career and personal development plans. Expected duration: approximately 1 hour The activities concerned with reviewing past performance, providing feedback and agreeing outcomes/objectives are similar to those carried out in the Annual Review meeting. The additional activities associated with the Mid Year review are detailed below. However the Mid Year Review meeting is not just a reprise of the Annual Review Meeting – the focus is on your personal development and growth and as such at least 50% of the time should be devoted to this. Responsibilities

Good Practice Tips

Before the meeting Reflect on personal development and career aspirations and on what is important to you in the way of personal growth of particular strengths.

Consider own motivations and desires in order to increase self awareness of what is important to you.

Identify any potential vacancies/ secondment/project opportunities that might be suitable for development.

Consider alternative roles/ projects etc that would be of interest to you.

During the meeting Discuss individual aspirations, career and personal development goals and explain why they matter to you.

Help your manager understand what is important to you.

Agree development plans and support required to implement them.

Personal development often requires support but you should assume prime responsibility for your own development Seek guidance from People &Development about development options.

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Complete the Personal Development Plan (PDP) form.

There is a collective responsibility to ensure all agreed development activities are followed through during the year.

After the meeting Ensure that specific training/ development commitments are followed through on.

You and your manager have joint responsibility for ensuring that agreed training and development plans are actioned.

Ensure that your manager follows through on any commitments made to support you.

Be prepared to hold your manager accountable.

Ongoing Informal Review Meetings In addition to the mandatory Annual and Mid Year review meetings managers and team members may wish to schedule more regular review meetings. These meetings can be as short as 15 minutes or as long as an hour depending on the purpose of the meeting and the issues to be discussed. It is recommended that Informal Review Meetings are considered in the following circumstances: •

• • •

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Where a particular ‘performance’ shortfall has been detected and a specific action plan agreed to address it. In these circumstances it is important to monitor progress regularly and provide feedback because, if performance fails to improve within the agreed timeframe, first stage disciplinary action may be required. Where the team member is new to the job and/or organisation and more regular support may be required. Where the objectives/outcomes that have been agreed with the team member may be subject to change and consequently short term refocusing of priorities and outcomes may be required. Where the team member welcomes regular reviews of progress and feedback on performance.

Performance Plus Guidelines – Final – 2009

Section 4 – Form Completion The forms used within the Performance Plus Framework should not be seen as a ‘straightjacket’ that inhibits discussion. On the contrary, they are intended to be used as a guide to help summarise performance review discussions and ensure that both parties are clear about what has been agreed and what they expect of each other. Guidelines for completing the forms are given below:

4.1 The Performance Review Form •

General information Complete details at the top of the form – names, dates, job titles etc. Make sure that the year to which the performance discussion applies is completed.

•

Objectives/Outcomes/Behaviours Enter the details of the specific contribution that has been agreed including success measures and timescales at the start of the year. When reviewing performance complete the assessment of achievement and capture any relevant comments. (note: two forms will thereof be used in the Annual Review – one to capture performance for the previous year and another to capture agreed objectives/outcomes/behaviours for the forthcoming year).

•

Behaviours Complete the assessment for each behaviour and capture any relevant comments.

•

Overall rating Record the agreed rating and capture any relevant comments.

•

Support Required by Manager and Other Support required Capture any specific agreements.

•

Changes to Objectives/Outcomes/Behaviours Record any changes agreed at the Mid Year Review

•

Rating Performance In rating the performance of an individual it is important that the rating scales are consistently interpreted and applied by different managers. Arriving at the appropriate rating for an individual is not a precise process or an arithmetic exercise and managers need to use a degree of common sense and judgement. These guidelines are intended to help ensure consistency. In addition, People & Development will periodically review ratings across the organisation and where they detect significant patterns of ratings that differ from the norm, or which do not correlate with departmental performance,

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they will bring it to the attention of the appropriate Director/senior manager who will investigate and, where necessary, work with managers to ‘recalibrate’ the ratings and hence, over time, ensure consistent interpretation.

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The Rating Scale

Performance Level

Description

Definition •

4

Exceptional

• •

3

Outstanding performance, consistently exceeds expectations, often by a significant margin Always demonstrates team member behaviours at the highest level, a great role model.

•

Very good performance; consistently achieves what is required and often exceeds expectations. Always demonstrates team member behaviours.

Commendable

2

Successful

• •

Good and reliable performance; achieves what is required and meets expectations. Regularly demonstrates team member behaviours.

1

Improvement Required

• •

Does not achieve what is required and fails to meet expectations. Demonstrates team member behaviours rarely or inconsistently

Overall Rating:

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•

Interpreting the Ratings Exceptional Very few people are likely to receive an ‘exceptional’ rating, particularly if KPIs and objectives have been set that are appropriately stretching. For someone to do so they need to have consistently delivered a level of performance throughout the year that was significantly in excess of what would normally be expected from someone in the job. It is likely that such achievements will be highly visible to others and have a significant impact on an aspect of MSI’s operations. In delivering this level of performance the individual would also be expected to have continuously demonstrated the required team member/leadership behaviours at the highest levels and would be seen as a role model for others in terms of exemplifying the values of the organisation/what effective leadership looks like. Any ‘exceptional’ rating needs to be supported by evidence of the ‘over achievements’ that have led to the rating being applied and the impact that they have had on organisational/ departmental performance. Commendable This level of performance requires that an individual has met all their KPIs and objectives and in some cases exceeded them. In doing so they will have demonstrated all the team member/leadership behaviours expected of them at all times. Whilst the level of overachievement may be less substantial than for those that receive an ‘exceptional’ rating, there still needs to be clear evidence that KPIs and objectives have in some cases been exceeded as a result of the individual’s own efforts and endeavours and not just by good fortune or as a result of the work of others. Successful Individuals will have broadly achieved what is expected of them with no major shortfalls against any KPI or objective. Where there have been shortfalls judgement will need to be exercised as to the degree that is acceptable and in making these judgements, factors such as the experience of the individual, the extent to which external factors outside of their control influenced events, the degree of challenge that was inherent in the KPI/objective and the business risk/impact of the shortfall, will need to be taken into account. In terms of behaviours, the individual will have regularly demonstrated the team member/leadership behaviours required, but there may be instances where certain behaviours have not been demonstrated as fully or as regularly as ideally required. Again a degree of judgement is called for and where there has been a shortfall in behaviour it should have been relatively minor with little enduring adverse impact on colleagues, clients or other parties or on team or organisational performance.

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It therefore follows that despite the fact that an individual receives a ‘successful’ rating they may have specific training, development or improvement actions agreed to address shortfalls in performance and/or behaviour but these actions are unlikely to be significant as any shortfalls in performance should be capable of being readily addressed. Improvement Required This rating is reserved for those individuals whose performance and/or behaviour has fallen short of acceptable standards during the year, to the extent that specific performance improvement actions have been agreed with the individual. Note on ‘unsatisfactory performance’ If an individual has consistently failed to meet their KPIs/objectives and/or expected behaviours during the course of the year then their manager should have raised the matter with them and put in place a performance improvement plan which details the improvements required, the timescales for them to be delivered, the training and support that will be provided, how frequently performance improvement will be monitored and the consequences if performance does not improve within the agreed timeframe. In order for such action to be triggered an individual would have failed by a significant margin to deliver the KPIs/objectives that were expected of them and there would be no/few mitigating circumstances that would explain/justify the shortfall in performance. Equally, such action would be triggered if an individual has failed to demonstrate the required behaviours (even if they are achieving their KPIs/objectives) and their failure to do so has had a serious impact on others or on the performance or reputation of MSI. If an individual is the subject of such a plan and the desired improvements are not forthcoming then it may not be appropriate for them to engage in the performance review process as it is highly likely that formal disciplinary action will be the next step.

4.2 The Personal Development Plan •

Development Required for Current Role Capture any specific training/ development needs agreed at the Annual Review meeting.

•

Future Growth and Career Development Capture any specific training/ development needs agreed at the Mid Year Review meeting.

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Section 5 – Good Practice Tips and Checklists This section contains a number of tips and checklists that some managers and team members might find helpful in planning for, and conducting Performance Review meetings.

5.1 MSI Behaviours MSI’s core values are: Pioneering

ResultsOrientated

Sustainable

PeopleCentred

CustomerFocused

Mission Driven

They reflect the culture of MSI and help define the sort of organisations that MSI aspires to be. The values are lived in practice through the demonstration of the MSI Behaviours which define the behaviours expected of all employees, in all circumstances. Successful performance in MSI is therefore not simply defined in terms of ‘what’ people achieve, but equally is about ‘how’ people go about their jobs and the impact that they have on others and hence the Behaviours form a critical component of any Performance review and assessment of performance. There are 13 behaviours and they are defined below: •

Initiative Thinking ahead and taking action to make the most of opportunities by finding the optimum solution.

•

Innovative Thinking creatively and outside of the box so that ideas generated create a positive outcome.

•

Effective Communication Communicating through active listening and good questioning techniques, using appropriate body language, ensuring information is clear and concise.

•

Responsive Being responsive to changing priorities and demands.

•

Working Efficiently Planning, prioritising and organising work to ensure work is accurate and deadlines are met.

•

Sharing Information

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Sharing information and knowledge whilst maintaining confidentiality. •

Focus on Learning Taking responsibility for keeping knowledge and skills updated and for seeking opportunities to develop further.

•

Commitment Awareness and understanding of goals, vision and values and how your role impacts on this and going the extra mile to meet role requirements.

•

Driven Drive and determination to deliver results.

•

Accountable Taking responsibility for appropriate decisions that you make, and the actions and behaviour you demonstrate.

•

Embracing change Openness to embracing change within the organisation and being able to adjust plans/activities accordingly.

•

Motivated Motivation towards achieving quality results to maximise potential.

•

Team Player Working as part of a team by being supportive, flexible and showing respect for each other.

5.2 Clarifying Individual Contribution The precise nature of the contribution expected from all team members will vary according to the role. For some roles the contribution or required outcomes can be defined in terms of specific objectives, whilst for other jobs it would be extremely difficult to establish precise objectives, e.g. where the nature of the job is more ‘transactional’ and where the focus is primarily on short term deliverables. Similarly, whilst behaviours are a vital component of successful performance in all roles within MSI, they might be even more critical in certain roles where ‘successful performance’ can almost exclusively be defined in terms of the behaviours that a team member demonstrates. It is therefore important when thinking about expected outcomes/contribution to consider the nature of the role and define an appropriate set of performance measures.

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5.3 Setting Objectives The purpose of goals and objectives is to ensure that there is alignment between organisational, team and individual performance expectations.

MSI’s GOAL

TEAM/FUNCTIONAL GOALS

INDIVIDUAL GOALS

The acronym ‘SMART’ is typically used as a framework to define goals and objectives:

Specific

The objective needs to clearly define what is to be achieved

Measurable

Identify how the results will be measured – measures can be either qualitative or quantitative but must be unambiguous

Achievable

The objective needs to be achievable and realistically attainable given the resources available and the capability of the team member The objective needs to be relevant to the job in question and within the team member’s ability to deliver

Relevant

Time bound

Clear dates / milestones need to be agreed for when the objective need to be achieved

In addition however, in order to maximise the chances of an objective being met the following conditions need to exist:

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•

The team member needs to be committed to the objective

•

The objective must contain an appropriate amount of challenge – too little and the team member may be insufficiently motivated; too much and they may become overwhelmed by what they are expected to achieve

•

Regular constructive feedback needs to be provided in order to enable the team member to track progress and adjust their performance

5.4 Providing Feedback Providing regular constructive feedback and recognition is an important aspect of managing performance and fostering individual learning. The following ‘BOCA’ model allows feedback to be provided in a constructive manner: • • • •

Behaviour – ‘when you did…..’ Outcome – ‘I/team felt………..’ Consequences – ‘and as a result……’ Action – what could the team member do differently? How can they build on that in the future?

In deploying the model and giving feedback the following tips should be observed: 1. Begin by focussing on the positives – point out specific aspects of the team member’s behaviour that have been particularly helpful and/or actions that they have taken that have helped the organisation and/or clients. 2. State clearly the areas of performance about which you have a concern: ‘However I have a concern about …..’. An alternative is to ask the team member about their view of where performance could be improved. The key point is to focus in on specifics and avoid generalities. 3. Describe the behaviour which is causing the problem: ‘I have noticed that…’ or ‘It has been brought to my attention that ….’ Have evidence available to back up your assertion – never rely on hearsay. Remember to focus feedback on a team member’s behaviour – never on aspects of their personality. 4. Explain the consequences of the behaviour: ‘The effect of …. has been that ….’ It is important that the team member understands why the behaviour is important and the organisational impact of their actions. 5. If the behaviour in question has had a direct impact on the manager, then explain how that made you feel: ‘When you did / didn’t do …… it made me feel’. It is

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important that the team member understands the impact of their behaviour on others but it needs to be done in an unemotional way. 6. Ask for the team member’s view: ‘That is how I see it – what’s your view of the situation?’ Allow them space to explain their point of view – they may get defensive, that’s ok, just listen. 7. Once the team member has had an opportunity to explain their point of view, ask them how they might behave differently in the future and how that changed behaviour might lead to a different (better) outcome. Help the team member to understand how the changed behaviour will make them more effective/successful in their job i.e. what is the benefit to the team member as well as to the organisation. 8. Discuss any concerns/issues that the team member may have about changing their behaviour, what obstacles they think they may encounter and how you could help them. Ask what support the person needs from you, to achieve the desired change. Confirm the exact nature of the support you will provide and ensure you deliver on it. 9. Ask the team member to state specifically what they will do to change: ‘In your own words, what will you do differently as a result of this discussion? What will the outcome look like if you are successful in making these changes?’ It is important that the team member takes ownership for the change and that they establish the standards against which future behaviour will be judged. 10. Agree the actions that you will take to monitor and review the situation and the timescales involved. Summarise the discussion and specifically the actions that have been agreed by both parties. End on a high note by reiterating the positives.

5.5 Coaching Coaching is an important technique to help managers develop and improve the performance of their team members. Coaching is not about solving problems for the team member or telling them the solution; it is about helping them to explore the issue they are facing, evaluating alternatives, defining their own plan of action and supporting them in its delivery. A simple coaching framework (the GROW model) is shown below:

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GROW Model WHAT NEXT • Commit to action • Identify possible obstacles • Make steps specific and define thinking • Agree support

GOALS • Agree topic for discussion • Agree specific objective of session • Set long term aim

OPTIONS • Cover the full range of options • Invite suggestions • Offer suggestions carefully • Ensure choices are made

REALITY • Self assessment • Offer specific feedback • Check assumptions • Discard Baggage • Challenge

Some suggested questions to use in a coaching discussion are given below: Effective Goal Questions • • • • • • • •

What is the aim of the discussion? What do you want to achieve? By when? What would you like to happen that isn’t happening now? What would success look like? How will you measure it? How important is this to you? How far do you want to get in this session? Can we do all that in the time available?

Effective Reality Questions • • • • • • • • • 33

What is happening now (what, where, when) How do you know that is accurate? Who is involved? When it is good, what is different? What have you done so far? What results did this produce? Who else is relevant? What is their perspective? What is stopping you moving forward? What obstacles are in the way?

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• • •

How much control over it do you have? What is helping you move forward? What resources will you need? Where from?

Effective Option Questions • • • • • • • • • •

How could you change the situation? What options do you have? Which of those are of interest to you? What other alternatives might there be? Who can help you? What else could you do? What would you do if you had more time, a new team, if you were the boss etc? What are the advantages and disadvantages of these options? Which of these solutions feels the best to you? How can I or others help?

Effective ‘What Next’ Questions • • • • • • • • • •

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What are your next steps going to be? Will this achieve your goal? When are you going to do this? What might get in the way? How will you deal with them? How will you get the support you need? How are you going to measure success? How committed are you to this action on a 1-10 scale? What prevents this from being a 10? What do you need from me

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Appendix 1 – Preparation Checklist for Performance Plus Review Meetings In order to ensure that managers and team members make the most of their performance review discussions it is recommended that both parties spend some time reflecting on a number of key questions prior to the meeting. The more thorough the preparation undertaken beforehand, the more productive the meeting is likely to be. The following checklist is not intended to be exhaustive but covers the main areas that merit careful reflection. Note: Writing down the answers to these questions often helps focus thinking and provides an aide memoire for the discussions.

Considering Past Performance 1. Consider the specific outcomes / objectives that were agreed for the previous year: a. How would you rate the level of achievement of each? b. Where an objective / outcome was not fully realised, what were the reasons? 2. Consider the MSI Behaviours: a. How would you rate the extent to which these have been demonstrated in the past year b. Where a behaviour has not been fully demonstrated, consider specific instances where there was a shortfall? 3. Consider overall performance in the past year: a. What have the main achievements been / what has gone particularly well? b. What could have gone better? c. What has been particularly stimulating / motivational? d. What has been particularly challenging / difficult? e. What skills / abilities have been developed in the past year? f. How would you rate overall performance over the year, taking everything into account? 4. Team member: What specific constructive feedback would you like to give to your manager about their management practices and the support they provided and in particular what would you like them to: a. Stop doing? b. Continue doing? c. Start doing?

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5. Manager: How would you rate the quality and level of support that you have provided to the team member? Looking to the Future 1. What are the specific outcomes / objectives that need to be achieved in the forthcoming year: a. How realistic / achievable are they? b. How will successful achievement be measured? 2. What skills / abilities are not being fully utilised / could be better deployed? 3. What skills / abilities need to be developed? 4. Are there any specific work areas /projects that it would be beneficial to get involved in? 5. What changes are needed (if any) to the job description – are there items that are no longer relevant / others that need to be included? 6. What a. b. c.

specific support is needed over the forthcoming year: From the manager? From team colleagues? From other departments?

Personal Growth and Career Development These questions should be reflected on prior to the Mid Year Review Meeting. Consider particular aspirations and desires regarding personal growth and career development: 1. How realistic are these given individual capability and organisational opportunity? 2. What opportunities would fulfil these needs? 3. What needs to happen to make these a reality? a. What support is required? b. What specific skills /ability gaps need to be addressed?

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Appendix 2 – Performance Review Form Name: Job Title: Name of Reviewing Manager: Job Title: Date of Review Meeting:

Year to which review applies:

Part 1: Performance Expectations

Individual KPIs/Objectives KPI/Objective

Success Measures

Timescal e

Achieved

Partially Achieved

Not achieved

Other Achievements in Year:

Manager comments: Team member comments:

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Behaviours Behaviour

Definition

Initiative

Thinking ahead and taking action to make the most of opportunities by finding the optimum solution.

Innovative

Thinking creatively and outside of the box so that ideas generated create a positive outcome.

Effective Communication

Communicating through active listening and good questioning techniques, using appropriate body language, ensuring information is clear and concise.

Responsive

Being responsive to changing priorities and demands.

Working Efficiently

Planning, prioritising and organising work, to ensure work is accurate and deadlines are met.

Sharing Information

Sharing information and knowledge whilst maintaining confidentiality.

Focus on Learning

Taking responsibility for keeping knowledge and skills up to date and for seeking opportunities to develop further.

Commitment

Awareness and understanding of goals, vision and values and how your role impacts on this and going the extra mile to meet role requirements.

Driven

Drive and determination to deliver results.

Accountable

Taking responsibility for appropriate decisions that you make, and the actions and behaviour you demonstrate.

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Agreed actions for year ahead

Consistently demonstrated

Occasionally demonstrated

Not demonstrated

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Embracing change

Openness to embracing change within the organisation and being able to adjust plans/activities accordingly.

Motivated

Motivation towards achieving quality results to maximise potential.

Team Player

Working as part of a team by being supportive, flexible and showing respect for each other.

Manager comments:

Team member comments:

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Overall Rating Performance Level

Description

4

Exceptional

3

Definition •

Outstanding performance, consistently exceeds expectations, often by a significant margin

•

Always demonstrates team member behaviours at the highest level, a great role model.

•

Very good performance; consistently achieves what is required and often exceeds expectations.

•

Always demonstrates team member behaviours.

Commendable

2

Successful

1

Improvement Required

•

Good and reliable performance; achieves what is required and meets expectations.

•

Regularly demonstrates team member behaviours.

•

Does not achieve what is required and fails to meet expectations.

•

Demonstrates team member behaviours rarely or inconsistently

Overall Rating:

Managers comments: Team member comments:

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Part 2: Support Required Support Required from Manager:

Other Support Required:

Manager signature

Team member signature

Date

Date

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Appendix 3 – Performance Review Form for Managers Name: Job Title: Name of Reviewing Manager: Job Title: Date of Review Meeting:

Year to which review applies:

Part 1: Performance Expectations

Individual KPIs/Objectives KPI/Objective

Success Measures

Timescale

Achieved

Partially Achieved

Not achieved

Other Achievements in Year:

Manager comments: Team member comments:

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Behaviours Behaviour

Definition

Agreed actions for year ahead

Consistently demonstrated

Occasionally demonstrated

Not demonstrated

Leading Self Coping with Pressure & Adversity Seeking opportunities to learn

Capable in high pressure situations; resilient, optimistic; communicates confidence during difficult times. Reflects on and learns from experiences; values other people’s perspectives and input and recognises limits of own points of view.

Self awareness

Capitalises on own strengths and compensates for own weaknesses.

Communicates effectively

Is a compelling, credible and inspirational presenter; effective writer, willing and patient listener and is open to feedback. Develops, maintains and uses professional relationships including mentoring, coaching and feedback to manage own career. Acts in accordance with stated values; follows through on promises; uses ethical considerations to guide decisions and actions; honest and values openness and trust.

Career Management

Credibility and Ethics

Leading Others Demonstrates leadership Valuing diversity and difference

Confronting poor performance

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Is able to set direction, motivate, coach, gain and maintain commitment; provides a good role model for employees. Demonstrates a respect for varying backgrounds and perspectives; values differences. Acts decisively and with fairness when dealing with performance issues.

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Leading the Organisation Change management Risk taking and innovation

Uses effective strategies to facilitate organisational change initiatives and overcome resistance to change. Seizes new opportunities; always looking to innovate and move the organisation forward.

Vision

Understands, communicates and stays focused on organisation’s vision.

Strategic planning

Translate vision into realistic business strategies; plans for the future. Aligns resources to accomplish key objectives; assigns clear responsibility, authority and accountability. Knows the organisation and excels at his/her professional function.

Results orientation

Organisational knowledge Customer focused

Understands customer needs and exceeds their expectations.

Decision making

Skilled at analysing problems and making clear decisions.

Manager comments:

Team member comments:

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Overall Rating Performance Level

Description

4

Exceptional

3

Commendable

2

Successful

1

Improvement Required

Definition •

Outstanding performance, consistently exceeds expectations, often by a significant margin

•

Always demonstrates team member behaviours at the highest level, a great role model.

•

Very good performance; consistently achieves what is required and often exceeds expectations.

•

Always demonstrates team member behaviours.

•

Good and reliable performance; achieves what is required and meets expectations.

•

Regularly demonstrates team member behaviours.

•

Does not achieve what is required and fails to meet expectations.

•

Demonstrates team member behaviours rarely or inconsistently

Overall Rating:

Managers comments: Team member comments:

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Part 2: Support Required Support Required from Manager:

Other Support Required:

Manager signature

Team member signature

Date

Date

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Appendix 4 – Personal Development Plan Development Required for Current Role Development Goal

Success Measure

Timescale

Support required

Own actions

Future Growth and Career Development Development Goal

Success Measure

Timescale

Support required

Own actions

Manager’s comments Signature: Date: Team member comments Signature: Date:

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Appendix 5 – MSI Leadership Competencies Competency Area Leading Self

Descriptor

Behaviours

Coping with Pressure & Adversity

Capable in high pressure situations; resilient, optimistic; communicates confidence during difficult times.

Seeking opportunities to learn

Reflects on and learns from experiences; values other people’s perspectives and input and recognises limits of own points of view.

Self awareness

Capitalises on own strengths and compensates for own weaknesses.

Communicates effectively

Is a compelling, credible and inspirational presenter; effective writer, willing and patient listener and is open to feedback.

Capable, cool in high pressure situations. Can deal well with setbacks; resilient; bounces back from failure. Is willing to admit ignorance. Is optimistic; takes the attitude that most problems can be solved. Doesn’t hide mistakes. Strikes a reasonable balance between work and private life. Takes advantage of opportunity to do new things. Treats all situations as an opportunity to learn something. Seeks experiences that will change his/her perspective. Reflects on and learns from experience – both own and others. Learns from mistakes. Is open to others’ perspectives. Takes into account people’s views when trying to affect a change. Knows him/herself well – compensates for own weaknesses and capitalises on own strengths. Responds well to situations that require him/her to stretch and grow. Take good care of self; uses constructive outlets for tension and frustrations. Seeks candid feedback on his/her performance and changes behaviour in response to feedback. Able to represent the organisation in a compelling and credible manner to different audiences. Writes well and appropriately targets the audience. Is an effective negotiator in a variety of settings. Listens carefully to other’s ideas and suggestions. Makes people feel they are truly heard. Shows a willingness to listen and be demonstrably open to input.

Career Management

Develops, maintains and uses professional relationships including mentoring, coaching and feedback to manage own career.

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Controls his/her own career; does not sit and wait for the organisation to plan a course to follow. Actively seeks others to provide coaching. Actively cultivates a good relationship with superior and peers. Uses mentoring relationships effectively.

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Credibility and Ethics

Acts in accordance with stated values; follows through on promises; uses ethical considerations to guide decisions and actions; honest and values openness and trust.

Uses networking to manage own career. Actively seeks opportunities to develop professional relationships with others. Through words and deeds encourages honesty throughout the organisation. Speaks candidly about tough issues facing the organisation. Tells the truth, not just what people want to hear. Can be trusted to maintain confidentiality. Places ethical behaviour about personal gain. Follows through on promises. Values honesty, integrity, openness and trust. Actively demonstrates the core values of the organisation.

Leading Others Demonstrates leadership

Is able to set direction, motivate, coach, gain and maintain commitment; provides a good role model for employees.

Valuing diversity and difference

Demonstrates a respect for varying backgrounds and perspectives; values differences.

Confronting poor performance

Acts decisively and with fairness when dealing with performance issues.

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Is a team builder, brings people together successfully around tasks. Is a good coach, counsellor, mentor; patient with people as they learn. Brings out the best in people. Is inspirational; helps people see the importance of what they are doing. Delegates effectively. Publicly recognises others performance or contribution. Communicates confidence and steadiness during difficult times. Leads by example – ‘walks the talk’. Is visionary; able to excite their team to work hard. Attracts and retains talented people. Gives team members the opportunity to grow. Provides tangible rewards for significant achievement. When working with people from other cultures, works hard to understand their perspectives. Is quick to change his/her behaviour to fit with a new environment. Understands and respects cultural, religious, gender and racial differences. Treats people of all backgrounds fairly. Leverages the unique talents and view points of others. Acts decisively when faced with tough decisions such as closing under performing units. Moves quickly to confront performance issues. Appropriately documents performance problems, and in the case of

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employee problems, follows expected organisational procedures. Clearly links performance to reward.

Leading the Organisation Change management

Uses effective strategies to facilitate organisational change initiatives and overcome resistance to change.

Risk taking and innovation

Seizes new opportunities; always looking to innovate and move the organisation forward.

Vision

Understands, communicates and stays focused on organisation’s vision.

Strategic planning

Translate vision into realistic business strategies; plans for the future.

Results orientation

Aligns resources to accomplish key objectives; assigns clear responsibility, authority and accountability.

Organisational knowledge

Knows the organisation and excels at his/her professional function.

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Leads change by example. Takes into account peoples’ concerns during change. Effectively involves key people in the design and implementation of change. Effectively manages resistance to organisational change. Is straightforward with individuals about consequences of an expected action or decision. Is entrepreneurial; seizes new opportunities. Challenges the status quo; always looking to improve organisational performance. Introduces needed change even in the face of opposition. Consistently generates new ideas or builds on ideas generated by others. Looks for and encourages learning from outside the organisation. Not afraid to take calculated risks. Adaptable and open to new ideas and can think ‘outside the box’. Is clear about the organisation’s direction for the future. Clearly communicates the organisation’s vision to team members to gain engagement and commitment. Stays focused on the organisation’s vision in terms of planning tomorrow’s activities. Translates the organisation’s vision into clear plans and desired results. Develops plans that balance long-term goals with immediate needs. Regular updates plans to reflect changing circumstances. Articulates, and engages team members with, short and long term plans. Assigns/delegates clear responsibility, authority and accountability for important objectives. Clearly conveys objectives, deadlines and expectations. Holds self accountable for meeting commitments. Aligns organisational resources to accomplish key objectives. Acts with a sense of urgency. Understands the organisation and how it works; its mission, goals and values.

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Customer focused

Understands customer needs and exceeds their expectations.

Decision making

Skilled at analysing problems and making clear decisions.

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Understands and complies with financial management responsibilities. Has a solid understanding of our products and services. Understands the perspectives of different functional areas. Has a firm grasp of external conditions affecting the organisation. Stays informed about major competitors and partners. Shows mastery of job content; excels as his/her function or professional speciality and knows when and how to call on the specialised expertise of others. Builds effective working relationships with key external stakeholders, including suppliers, customers, government, donors. Listens carefully to customer needs and aims to meet and exceed expectations. Treats customers with dignity and respect. Builds effective working relationships with internal customers. Gathers information necessary to make decisions rapidly. Understands the issues quickly. Shows good judgement in decision making. Thinks through problems clearly and logically. Decisive; doesn’t procrastinate on decisions. Implements decisions; follows through; an expediter. Develops solutions that effectively address underlying problems. Gives appropriate weight to the concerns of key stakeholders. Doesn’t hold up other areas or key decisions.

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