Performance Management Training that Works

“The Zynga team is incredibly appreciative of the impactful learning solutions! Conducting a total of ten customized Performance Management Training sessions in just three days is an impressive accomplishment. Please accept our sincere thanks for the monumental facilitation effort you gave and for delivering “out of the box” to our UK and India teams.

We truly appreciated your partnership and ability to flex in the moment. It’s been delightful. Forwarding a round of applause your way from all of us.”
Corri Cooper | Director Learning & Development | Zynga

“I’ve been associated with LSA for the last 8 years and have found them to be an extremely professional, well managed full service training and consulting organization. The quality of the approach, resources and deliverables of their performance management training solutions are superior.

LSA is well prepared and have definitely aligned to our corporate culture and our business priorities.”
Duane Schroeder | Human Resource Manager | Alps

“Thank you so much. The performance conversation workshop was so meaningful, and I came away feeling very excited and more prepared than ever before about working on my performance review.”
Heidi Warren | Sales Manager | Nice CXone

Effective performance management training is essential for anyone responsible for supervising others. Guiding and improving team performance spans a spectrum — from informal, day-to-day feedback conversations to formal annual appraisals that influence raises, promotions, and career development. Unfortunately, a recent performance management study found that:

45% of HR executives rate managers as having difficulty differentiating between high and low performers.
Nearly 40% of line managers believe that they lack the training and skills needed to manage employee performance effectively.
60% of employees say their performance goals are not clearly aligned with business strategy.

It’s no surprise that employee relations issues are on the rise and that many employees feel “squeezed,” struggling to meet expectations with minimal guidance. The upside is that skilled managers can create a positive performance environment and clear communication system — one that not only drives superior results but also inspires discretionary effort and fosters loyalty from every team member.

Positive Performance Environments
When employees have clear goals, well-defined roles, and measurable success criteria — reinforced through thoughtful performance planning and constructive feedback — they are far more likely to commit fully to both individual and team success. Consistently fair, transparent, accurate, timely, and relevant performance management practices create a win-win, benefiting not only employees and managers but the organization as a whole.

Effective Communication Systems
Difficult performance conversations arise for many reasons — poor performance, weak interpersonal skills, missed promotions or raises, or any situation that sparks disappointment, confusion, or hurt feelings. Some managers avoid these conversations at all costs, while others lean in, equating delivering tough news with demonstrating “strength.”

Regardless of where you fall on this comfort spectrum, these conversations don’t have to be painful. In fact, they can become powerful developmental opportunities — for both the employee and the manager. Leveraging performance management training to build a high-performance culture aligned with your people, your values, and your business strategy is challenging — but highly rewarding.

Successful performance management requires managers to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships, tailor their approach to each individual, conduct respectful coaching conversations that deliver measurable results, and leverage both the strengths and intrinsic motivation of their team members.

Performance Management Training — Learning Objectives for Setting the Right Environment

Clarify and consistently communicate performance expectations aligned with business priorities.
Define and implement SMART objectives that measurably drive individual and team performance.
Elevate performance through structured, two-way feedback that reinforces accountability and growth.
Foster a culture of mutual respect supported by frequent, candid performance conversations.
Deliver accurate, actionable, and unbiased performance evaluations that improve decision-making.
Establish forward-focused performance targets that align daily work with strategic outcomes.
Strengthen performance coaching capabilities to increase both competence and commitment.
Diagnose and address motivational barriers that limit engagement and results.
Integrate performance discussions into individualized development plans to sustain long-term growth.

Performance Management Training — Learning Objectives for Ensuring Impactful Communication

Replace avoidance with capability by leading difficult conversations with clarity, tact, and confidence.
Apply practical tools to strengthen communication, alignment, and cross-functional collaboration.
Differentiate and appropriately balance inquiry and advocacy to improve dialogue quality.
Adapt communication approaches to diverse personalities, contexts, and high-stakes situations.
Build proficiency in delivering and receiving feedback that drives behavioral change.
Navigate emotionally charged or sensitive conversations with professionalism and composure.
Translate conversations into clear commitments through structured, forward-looking action plans.

Target Audience
People managers who are interested in improving the short- and long-term performance and engagement of their teams.

To speak with an LSA Expert to learn about the Performance Management Training, Goal Setting, and Difficult Performance Conversations program customization and delivery options for your company, please contact us.

Related Information

We engaged LSA to design and deliver a 6-month custom executive coaching program to help a core group of senior leaders to leverage previous investments in management training, to ensure the engagement and retention of key employees, and to push critical strategic initiatives forward.

Even with the high expectations of our senior people, LSA has completely exceeded our expectations. You can’t go wrong with LSA.

Ivan Fukumoto
Senior HR Manager - Staffing, Training, & Development

We turned to LSA to help us custom design and deliver a action leadership and management development curriculum to help drive performance across the company.

They have done an excellent job diagnosing the business situation, designing an approach that fits our unique culture, and delivering first class solutions. Thank you!

Sally Buchannan
VP Human Resources

LSA helped to meet the needs of my teams within a very narrow timeframe.

My team walked away with highly useful management development tools and practices.

Thank you for designing and delivering the right solution for our specific needs.

Sandeep Kumar
Director, Software Engineering, EPG

We partnered with LSA Global to help us invest in our people. LSA custom designed an impactful management curriculum to help upskill our key managers and leaders.

We consider LSA to be our trusted learning and development partner and a valued extension of our team as we rapidly scale. Thank you LSA!

Lisa Bruun
SVP Human Resources

Here’s a token of my appreciation for ALL your efforts. I’m offering my most sincere thanks, and it extends to all the folks who made our customized management development programs such a great success.

Susan Anderson
Workforce Planning Bureau

Thank you to LSA Global for their partnership and support in helping us to design and roll-out highly needed and valuable leadership and management development programs that fit our unique situation.

I personally have partnered with LSA Global at four of my previous companies. It continues to be a delight.

We look forward to partnering with them for a long time to develop our managers and leaders.

Suzanne Kinner
VP Human Resources

We partnered with LSA Global to help us invest in our people in the areas of performance coaching, diversity, and inclusion. They were very flexible in meeting our specific needs.

LSA exceeded my expectations from a speed, quality, and value standpoint. I would recommend LSA to anyone looking for a true business partner.

Anita Luckinbill
Director, Human Resources

I appreciate that each management development program is preceded by a thorough training needs assessment of the participants that informs a design to fit the specific parameters and needs of the group.

The highly interactive delivery is provided by recognized experts in their fields. On the spot coaching is provided during the program and each participant receives individual follow-up after the course.

Courses can be delivered in-person or virtually.

Given the nature of Cisco’s business and the way we operate, these remote workshops are a must for anyone who joins our company. Their work is eye opening. Great content and fantastic delivery.

Frank J. Kuypers
Business Development Manager

I am very impressed with the quality of work and talent. LSA did a great job of listening to my needs and providing the exact management training program expertise we needed to get the job done.

Don Pryor
Director, Business Planning & Analysis

I continue to be impressed by the depth and breadth of LSA’s expertise in leadership development, and management development.

What a smart and client-centric group of great people who really know how to help leaders attract, engage, develop and retain top talent in a practical and results-driven manner.

Thank you LSA!

Tracy Esposito
Director, HR Business Partner

LSA has become the gold standard for team building and management training programs at Genomic Health!

I have not found companies that come close to their level of customization, impact, expertise, and experience.

Emily Couey
Director of Human Resources

Harmonic has worked with LSA for over 8 years. We have found their partnership extremely beneficial.

We recently implemented customized Management Development Programs designed to support our company’s strategic initiative of hiring, building, and retaining key intellectual property and human talent. It has had the greatest impact.

I would recommend LSA to any company that’s looking for a trusted training and development partner to take their leaders and managers to the next level.

Janice Passarello
Director of Human Resources

For our go to training outsourcing partner, LSA provides exactly what we want and need – which is not an easy task.

As always, they design and deliver outstanding leadership development results and high quality management training programs that totally align with our unique business and talent strategies!

Elizabeth Siebert
Director, Organizational Excellence & Development

We turned to LSA to customize and deliver a leadership solution to meet our unique needs.

LSA delivered the exact top quality solution that we wanted. I’d recommend LSA Global to any company looking for a best-in-class management training and consulting partner that always focuses on what matters most to your people AND your business.

Kortney Riddle
HR Manager