Course Objective & Scope
Once-a-year check-the-box performance appraisals neither change behaviour nor develop talent. This course turns performance and development conversations into a continuous leadership discipline: timely feedback using SBI (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) and Radical Candor, eliminating rating biases (recency, halo, leniency), handling underperformance conversations fairly and directly, and building individual development plans with the GROW coaching model.
Participants practise challenging scenarios through live role-plays and leave with a review preparation checklist and development plan template for their teams.
Who Should Attend?
- Managers and team leads responsible for performance reviews and ongoing feedback
- Newly promoted people managers and technical leads
- HR business partners (HRBPs) and talent management specialists
- No technical prerequisites
Key Takeaways
- Deliver clear feedback focused on observable behaviour and impact (SBI) rather than personality labels
- Conduct evidence-based evaluations free from recency, halo and central-tendency biases
- Address underperformance early with unambiguous expectations and structured follow-up plans
- Balance backward-looking performance evaluation with forward-looking career development
- Co-create stretch development goals that retain and challenge high performers
Curriculum
From Annual Appraisals to Continuous Performance Dialogue
- The 'no surprises' rule in performance reviews and manager preparation
- Overcoming rating biases: recency, halo/horns and leniency inflation
Direct and Constructive Feedback: SBI and Radical Candor
- Caring personally while challenging directly (Radical Candor vs Ruinous Empathy)
- Structuring SBI (Situation-Behaviour-Impact) and forward-looking feedforward
Addressing Underperformance and Defensive Reactions (Role-Play)
- Distinguishing skill gaps, motivation drops and systemic blockers
- Live simulations: keeping conversations on track through denial, blame or emotional pushback
Development and Career Conversations with the GROW Model
- Structuring evaluation conversations separately from coaching-led growth conversations
- Designing 70-20-10 Individual Development Plans (IDPs) for evolving skill needs
Live Rehearsal and Manager Preparation Toolkit
- Rehearsing conversations for diverse profiles (top performer, plateaued senior, underperformer)
- Building a calibration and conversation preparation checklist
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