1. U.S. General Services Administration
Federal Acquisition Service
U.S. General Services Administration. Federal Acquisition Service.
Delivering Feedback
And Coaching for Success
Partnership for Public Service
May 2012

2. Delivering Feedback
and Coaching for
Success
GSA Expo 2012

3. Partnership for Public Service
The Partnership for Public Service works to revitalize our
federal government by inspiring a new generation to serve
and by transforming the way government works
Securing the Right Talent
• Call to Serve and Annenberg Speakers Bureau
Engaging Employees to Deliver Results
• Best Places to Work in the Federal Government
Developing and Energizing Leaders
• Center for Government Leadership
Fueling Innovation
• Service to America Medals (Sammies)

4. Center for Government Leadership
Preparing federal leaders to solve national challenges by
driving innovation, inspiring employees and
delivering results
Alumni Network

5. Benefits of Coaching for Performance
 Opportunity to make necessary changes or
maintain good behavior
 Helps each employee develop an accurate
self-image
 Facilitates mutual problem-solving
 Supports a culture of learning and growth
 Retains employees

6. Management Made Easy

7. Discussion
 Turn to a neighbor and take a few minutes each to
discuss:
What challenges do you face in providing feedback to
employees and dealing with performance problems?

8. Managing for Performance

9. Managing for Performance

10. A Tool: SMART Goals
 Specific
 Measurable
 Action-oriented
 Realistic
 Time-bound

11. Set Employees Up for Success
1. Assess the individual’s ability to perform a given
task based on experience and motivation
2. Reach agreement with the employee on the level of
support they need. For example:
1. Inexperienced employees may need you to: 1) teach
them what to do, 2) let them try it out, and 3) have you
closely monitor their performance and provide feedback
2. Experienced employees may need you to simply serve as
a resource for thinking through problems or removing
barriers
3. Provide support and remove barriers to success

12. Managing for Performance

13. Provide Regular Feedback
 Feedback should be formal and informal
 Begin with an open-ended, problem-solving
approach
 Set aside enough time for an open dialogue
 Do not allow the performance appraisal form to
dictate the conversation
“Managing Performance,” by Linda Hill and John Gabarro, Harvard Business School Note

14. 10 Guidelines for Providing
Effective Feedback
1. Make it relevant
2. Focus on the future
3. Be honest and straightforward
4. Make it timely
5. Be specific
6. Focus on behavior, not personality
7. Keep it limited
8. Be sure it's actionable
9. Explain the impact
10. End on a positive note

15. A Tool: One-on-Ones
 Short – 15 to 30 minutes
 Frequent – at least once every two weeks
 Focused on what the individual wants to
talk about
 Scheduled in advance
 A top priority – if a meeting is postponed,
it needs to be rescheduled promptly
© 2001 The Ken Blanchard Companies. All rights reserved.

16. Don’t Forget About Upward Feedback
 What is one thing you want me to continue doing?
 What is one thing that I can do to help your
productivity? Your professional growth?
 If you could get me to stop doing one thing, what
would it be (i.e., it diminishes your productivity,
morale)?
 If you could get me to start doing one thing, what
would it be (i.e., it would increase your productivity,
morale)?
 What else can I do to be a better colleague/
supervisor?

17. Managing for Performance

18. Assessing Performance
 Take uninterrupted time to evaluate performance
 Test your assumptions and biases
 Ensure that you recognize the employee’s
strengths
 Differentiate between your own actions and those
of your employees
“Managing Performance,” by Linda Hill and John Gabarro, Harvard Business School Note

19. Coaching for Improvement
 Be specific
 Take advantage of critical incidents
 Establish a development plan with benchmarks and
timetables
 Identify resources for assistance
 Adapt your coaching style to the individual
 Agree to next steps (set SMART Goals)
“Managing Performance,” by Linda Hill and John Gabarro, Harvard Business School Note

20. Managing Poor Performance
1. Do your homework – explore what is going on
2. If necessary, renegotiate goals or redirect
3. Spend more time observing and monitoring
performance and giving feedback
4. Describe the consequences of continued low
performance, if necessary

21. Busting Myths
 It is hard to fire someone for poor performance
 Firing someone takes too much documentation
 Performance actions can only occur during the
annual review process
 Poor performers who have been “carried” can
never be fired for performance

22. Barriers to Dealing with Performance Problems
 Grievances/EEO complaints
 Complicated process
 Burdensome documentation
 Problem will go away if you ignore it
 Lack of support from senior leadership

23. Managing for Performance

24. Thinking about the Long Run
 Create a safe space for employees to share
their long-term goals even if they don’t involve
your organization
 Draw links between the skills your employees
are developing and the skills needed to reach
their goals
 Find unique developmental opportunities that
will help your employees work towards their
goals

25. Coaching Simulation Exercise
 In groups of three, take turns delivering and
receiving feedback:
• Discuss as a group how you would approach each
discussion as a manager (5 minutes)
• Assign one person to each of the following roles:
Manager, employee, observer
• The manager and employee should engage in a
feedback discussion; the observer should take notes (5
minutes)
• The observer provides feedback to the manager and
employee on their style and approach (5 minutes)
• Rotate and repeat the process with the next case

26. Case 1: Coaching Simulation Exercise
Michael (Manager): You are meeting with Dwight – a GS-12 who has
been with the Department for about six years and understands how to
get things done – to review his performance on a recent project.
Dwight is a great researcher and works tirelessly. However, his analysis
and reporting are often far too detailed, requiring a lot of editing.
You ask to meet with Dwight to provide him with positive feedback and
guidance about the appropriate level of detail for analyses.
Dwight (Employee): You were frustrated by Michael’s constant edits to
your analysis. You wish that Michael had more clearly explained what
he was expecting up front, as well as why he made the edits that he
did.

27. Case 2: Coaching Simulation Exercise
Michael (Manager): You are meeting with Pam – a rising GS-9 – to
review her performance on a recent project and discuss her career
goals.
Pam’s performance on your most recent project was exceptional. She
was a great team player, her work was always on time and spot on,
and she delivered a great presentation to the leadership team.
Given her marketability, management is concerned that she may be at
risk of leaving the Department sometime soon and you think that Pam
would benefit from some career path guidance.
Pam (Employee): You enjoyed working on this recent project but you
are growing impatient with your position in the Department. Many of
your friends have already gone on to bigger and better roles within their
private sector organizations. You are seriously considering leaving and
want to discuss opportunities for advancement.

28. Case 3: Coaching Simulation Exercise
Michael (Manager): You are meeting with Jim – an experienced but
overextended, GS-13– to review his performance on a recent project.
Jim nearly dropped the ball on his assignment. He ended up producing
an outstanding report, but he finished the report after the team’s
agreed-upon deadline. As a result, the rest of the team had to work
over the weekend to complete fact-checks and proofread the report.
You want to talk to Jim about his time management to prevent this from
happening in the future.
Jim (Employee): Throughout the project, you were frustrated that the
team did not provide information more regularly, which delayed your
writing, but you tried not to complain. You also want to let Michael know
that this type of work underutilizes your skills and that you would like
more challenging assignments.

29. Action Planning
 What are one to three actions that you will take
upon returning to work?
 What support will you need to accomplish these
tasks?

30. Stay Engaged!
 Center for Government Leadership:
• Annenberg Leadership Seminars
• Excellence in Government Fellows program
• Fed Coach
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ask-the-fedcoach
 Daily Pipeline
 Annenberg Speakers Bureau
 Service to America Medals

31. Stay Engaged!
 Tom Fox
tfox@ourpublicservice.org
 Laura Howes
lhowes@ourpublicservice.org
 Catie Hargrove
chargrove@ourpublicservice.org

32. ourpublicservice.org