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

Performance Management Training is crucial for anyone supervising the work of others. Managing and improving the performance of others can range from a casual conversation to an annual performance appraisal process that impacts raises and promotions.

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.

It is no wonder that employee relation issues continue to rise and that employees report feeling “squeezed” to get things done with little to no guidance.

The good news is that good managers can establish a positive performance environment and communication system that drives superior performance, discretionary effort, and loyalty from each employee.

Positive Performance Environments
Clear goals, roles, and success metrics combined with meaningful performance planning sessions and constructive performance feedback can foster a true commitment to individual and team success within each employee.

Consistent, fair, transparent, accurate, timely, relevant, and useful performance management practices benefit the employee, the manager, and the entire organization.

Effective Communication Systems
Difficult performance conversations can stem from a variety of reasons: poor performance, deficient interpersonal skills, not getting a promotion or raise, or any other situation that caused disappointment, confusion, or hurt feelings. For some managers, these interactions are uncomfortable and to be avoided at all costs.

Other managers enjoy delivering bad news, believing that difficult conversations show everyone how “tough” they are. No matter where you fall on the continuum of comfort for having difficult conversations, it need not be painful.

It can, in fact, be an excellent developmental opportunity for both the individual and you.

Using performance management training to create a high performance culture that works for your people, your culture, and your business strategy is not easy.

To overcome the inherent challenges, many are looking to technology to manage and improve performance. While the promise of automation is alluring and can definitely play a role, we believe the foundation of effective performance is clarity, transparency, and human interaction.

And typically, the interaction with the most leverage occurs with frontline supervisors and middle managers.

To manage performance successfully, these managers must have the ability to build strong, mutually beneficial relationships with their people, use management strategies unique to each individual, have respectful coaching conversations that produce quantifiable results, and develop and use their people’s strengths and internal motivation.

Performance Management Training Learning Objectives: The Environment

Communicate clear expectations
Set SMART objectives that drive performance
Increase employee performance through effective two-way feedback
Create an environment of mutual respect with regular performance feedback
Write and give useful and accurate performance evaluations
Identify targets that enable team members to be forward-focused in reaching their goals
Develop performance coaching skills required to improve job performance and commitment
Identify and resolve motivational problems
Integrate the performance sessions into the employee’s individual development plan

Performance Management Training Learning Objectives: Communication Systems

Stop avoiding difficult conversations by learning to conduct challenging conversations with tact and confidence
Acquire tools to improve communication and collaboration
Explore the distinctions between inquiry and advocacy
Practice adapting communication styles to special circumstances and situations
Hone new skills for giving and receiving feedback
Manage uncomfortable conversations that stem from personal challenges
Develop on-going 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

LSA custom designed a Management Development program that is absolutely “on target” for our technical managers .

Their facilitator has done a superb job delivering the material in a way that is fast paced, highly interactive, and fun. She presents practical solutions to the critical people situations that our managers face every day.

I regard LSA as an excellent partner that understands our business needs and an important virtual member of our HR department.

Judith Onton
Vice President Human Resources

LSA custom designed a key management development solution for our Client Partner Teams on both coasts that aligned with our business priorities and organizational culture.

I’d recommend LSA to any company looking for a first class training and consulting partner that truly makes a behavior and performance impact.

Laurie Torres
Chief People Officer

In my years working with LSA, it seems like I’ve had proven and thoughtful experts at my fingertips to help me identify and deliver the right solutions to satisfy our unique needs.

The entire LSA team has become a trusted friend of Actel — ensuring we provide state-of-the-art coaching, leadership development, and management training programs to meet our complex and ever-changing business and people needs.

Linda Mitchell
Training Manager

We have been able to utilize LSA’s extensive expertise to leverage our investment in employee development.

The result has been the cost effective and highly effective delivery of high quality management training programs.

Thank you!

Steve Feller
Vice President, Human Resources

I had been working with LSA for many years across a few different companies.

Currently, I’m with a company who hadn’t done much new manager training. LSA designed and delivered exactly what we needed at this stage in our life cycle.

Our managers are excited, talking in the halls about the great experience, and applying what they learned.

LSA makes things easy and practical for us. Thank you!

Phyllis Moracco
HR Director

I’ve partnered with LSA Global at two companies now, and I consider them a valuable and trusted partner. They always design and deliver just the right solution and have wonderful facilitators that match your company’s unique culture and style of management. I would highly recommend LSA for high quality learning solutions with true experts who have your best interests at heart.

Maya Paul
HR Director

LSA has been a tremendous asset at my current company and my past company.

As an HR leader, I am always looking for ways to find external resources that can provide impactful leadership and management development expertise. LSA consistently does that for me.

The tools and practices are crisp, business relevant, and easy to apply on the job.

Ken Boehm
VP of 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

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

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

Our relationship with LSA is extremely valuable.

We worked closely with LSA to customize critical Management Training Programs to meet our unique business needs.

I’d recommend LSA to any company looking for first class and high quality leadership and management training assessment, design, delivery, and follow-through.

Ken Boehm
Vice President of Human Resources

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

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

LSA understands our business, has deep expertise in content areas, and customizes their approach to deliver great results.

The facilitator was extremely knowledgeable about working virtually across cultures. The passion, practices, and tools made the session interesting, fun, and highly valuable.

I highly recommend LSA Global to any company that has global partners or offices.

Glenn McGillivray
Human Resources Business Partner

A key to performance improvement is cultivating the proper type of motivation.

Since the performance management training, I have been much more focused on identifying and discussing how our actions in Engineering create value to IGT’s success.

The feedback has been very positive, the group appears to be more accountable for their actions, and victim loop reactions are less frequent. Thank you!

Stewart Thoeni
Mechanical, HW Engineering Director