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This is the second in a two-part series on performance appraisals.
In the first, we considered giving feedback.
In this episode, we'll discuss setting goals.
The American poet Carl Sandburg once said, Nothing happens unless first we dream.
To this we can add the words of time management expert Diana Scharf Hunt Goals are dreams with deadlines.
To reach our dreams, it's necessary to set goals.
Without goals, there is no change, no development, no success.
This is just as true for an individual as it is for an organization.
That's why, along with feedback, goal setting is a very important part of the appraisal process.
So in this follow-up episode on job appraisals, we'll be focusing on strategies and expressions for setting goals during the appraisal interview.
Much of the language we'll be learning in this episode is also useful in any meeting where we need to discuss and set targets.
Wendy and Derek Wendy's manager, have already discussed her progress and set goals for the areas of customer satisfaction and job training.
As the listening continues, they turn to talking about two important productivity measurements.
As you listen...
Pay attention to the language that Derek uses to structure the conversation and to negotiate and agree on goals with Wendy.
Try to answer the following questions.
The answers will be posted in a few days at www.businessenglishpod.com.
First, what are the two important productivity measurements that Derek discusses with Wendy?
Second, How does Derek feel about Wendy making one-off?
That is, special solutions for each customer.
And finally, what does Derek advise Wendy to tell a customer who has not booked enough bandwidth?
Great.
We've agreed on your training plan.
Let's just talk about your productivity goals, and then we can wrap it up.
Alright.
Starting with meetings per day, I think we can bump it up to 12.
I know I can do 14.
Yeah, but there's no need to rush into it.
Alright, so 12 meetings a day.
Great.
That's that.
Okay, now the average time per meeting.
Currently you're at 33 minutes per meeting.
That must feel like a lot of work.
Sure.
I really like to go the extra mile for my customers.
But that's not always a good thing.
Really?
Yeah.
Well, I'd much rather see you be steady and consistent.
Like the other day, your team leader said you rigged up a special system.
Yes.
The customer hadn't booked enough bandwidth, so I jerry-rigged it.
Hmm.
I can tell you're already really good with the equipment, which is great.
Yeah.
But we just can't be doing one-off solutions like that all the time.
The customer learns to expect it, and efficiency goes down.
Yes, I guess so.
We end up spending too much time on the calls and it's hard on you too.
So I should just say sorry?
Yeah.
Be polite.
Be firm.
Then give them the option to rebook and hold the meeting later.
Or hold it now with reduced bandwidth.
Then move on to the next call.
Okay.
So overall, I'd like to see a reduction from your current average of 33 minutes per call to just 15 minutes per call.
Fifteen minutes?
Wow, that's fast.
Yes, but I know you can do it.
Okay, I'll do my best.
Great.
With stats like this, you're going to be a star performer.
Your team leader already thinks highly of you and I'm confident you're going to be a key member of the team.
Thank you.
Good.
Now let's schedule the next review.
While setting goals, Derek uses positive language to maintain a good atmosphere.
Meanwhile, he continues to skillfully deliver his feedback to Wendy.
Let's take a closer look at the strategies and expressions he uses.
First, did you notice how Derek is careful to maintain a clear structure in the conversation?
Great.
We've agreed on your training plan.
Let's just talk about your productivity goals, and then we can wrap it up.
All right.
Here, Derek is using the type of signposting language that we studied for presentations in BEP 102.
He is always careful to make it clear to Wendy and to himself what they've already talked about and what they're going to talk about next.
Maintaining a clear structure is important to a successful appraisal.
Now, what is the first productivity goal they deal with?
Starting with meetings per day, I think we can bump it up to 12.
I know I can do 14.
Yeah, but there's no need to rush into it.
All right, so 12 meetings a day.
Here, Derek and Wendy are negotiating the goal.
Derek uses idiomatic language to negotiate the goal both upwards.
I think we can bump it up to 12. and downwards.
I know I can do 14.
Yeah, but there's no need to rush into it.
Let's study more examples of language you can use to negotiate the goal upwards and downwards.
Starting with upwards.
I think it's time to ramp it up a little bit.
This is an area where we can boost our efforts.
It's time to take it to the next level.
I think we can raise the bar on this one.
The last expression to raise the bar comes from the track and field sporting activity, the high jump.
This is the event in which you try to jump over a raised bar.
In the business context, to raise the bar means to set a higher goal.
How about expressions for negotiating the goal downwards?
I'd say let's just ease into this.
Remember the old saying, slow and steady wins the race.
I think we should take it one step at a time.
All of the expressions we just studied are great informal idiomatic expressions for negotiating the goal upwards and downwards.
Informal idiomatic language sounds friendly and helps keep the atmosphere non-confrontational.
That is, helps keep the meeting from becoming a battle or a fight.
To end the first topic, Derek uses another signpost.
Great.
That's that.
We can say, that's that, when a topic is finished or decided.
Now, what is the second productivity goal that Derek wants to talk about?
Okay, now the average time per meeting.
Currently you're at 33 minutes per meeting.
That must feel like a lot of work.
Sure, I really like to go the extra mile for my customers.
But that's not always a good thing.
Really?
Well, I'd much rather see you be steady and consistent.
Wendy is obviously enthusiastic about her work, but from the business point of view this enthusiasm causes her efficiency to go down, which means the company loses money.
So Derek wants Wendy to spend less time on each meeting in order to increase her all-around productivity.
Derek's challenge is to communicate this idea to Wendy without demotivating her, that is, without damaging her motivation or morale.
The first step for Derek is to introduce the idea by hinting at it.
Currently you're at 33 minutes per meeting.
That must feel like a lot of work.
Actually, as is often the case, what is good for the employee is also good for the company.
Derek focuses on the benefit to Wendy of changing her behavior, which is she can make her work easier.
Next, he states his idea more directly by using a form of diplomatic criticism.
When Wendy says she likes to go the extra mile, that is, put in extra effort for her customers, Derek says But that's not always a good thing.
In this sentence, but and not always act as softeners, just like those we've studied in other episodes on diplomatic language, such as BEP 24 and BEP 70.
What are some other ways to introduce diplomatic criticism?
Actually, though, there may be one or two problems with that approach.
To be honest, there's another side to this as well.
Another great way to handle diplomatic criticism is to use the although structure, which we've studied as a method for diplomatic disagreement in BEP 29.
We can put our criticism in the although part of a sentence, then put a positive comment to act as a softener in the main part of the sentence.
Although you need to pay more attention to details, I can tell you're really enthusiastic about your work.
That's good.
Back in the dialogue, Derek is very careful to give a specific example of what he means.
As we discussed last time, base your feedback on real examples.
Like the other day, your team leader said you rigged up a special system.
Yes.
The customer hadn't booked enough bandwidth, so I jury-rigged it.
Hmm.
I can tell you're already really good with the equipment, which is great.
Yeah.
The expression rigged up and jury-rigged refer to improvising something, that is, making something up, creating an original or innovative solution.
Derek emphasizes the positive aspect of this, which is that Wendy obviously is already good with the equipment.
That is, her technical skill level is high.
But how does the dialogue continue?
But we just can't be doing one-off solutions like that all the time.
The customer learns to expect it, and efficiency goes down.
Yes, I guess so.
We end up spending too much time on the calls, and it's hard on you, too.
Again, Derek is placing the emphasis on the benefit to Wendy of changing her behavior.
In addition to letting her know the business case for spending less time on meetings, he has underlined that doing so will also be easier for her.
What's next?
So, I should just say sorry?
Yeah, be polite, be firm.
Then give them the option to rebook and hold the meeting later, or hold it now with reduced bandwidth.
Then move on to the next call.
Okay.
To be firm means to be strong, not to easily change your mind.
Derek is taking this opportunity to train Wendy, reminding her of the principle of always giving the customer more than one option.
How does the dialogue continue?
So overall, I'd like to see a reduction from your current average of 33 minutes per call to just 15 minutes per call.
15 minutes?
Wow, that's fast.
In this segment, Derek clearly states his goal for Wendy.
Sometimes, as a boss, you don't need to be negotiating the target.
You just need to state it.
What are some other ways to state your expectations?
I expect you to get 20 more orders by the end of the year.
What I need from you is a commitment to increase your sales by 10%.
It's very important that you work hard to achieve this goal.
Can you make sure you remember to punch out your time card every day?
Let's try to improve your customer satisfaction rating to 95%.
I want you to reduce the number of failed meetings to one per month.
After stating a clear goal for Wendy, Derek follows up showing confidence in her ability to achieve it.
Yes, but I know you can do it.
Okay, I'll do my best.
Can you think of more expressions to show your confidence?
I know you'll succeed.
I have a lot of faith in you.
I'm confident that you'll impress us.
You're gonna do great.
You've got what it takes to succeed.
How does the dialogue end?
To finish up the performance appraisal, Derek ends with more confidence-building language to boost or raise Wendy's morale.
Great.
With stats like this, you're going to be a star performer.
Your team leader already thinks highly of you and I'm confident you're going to be a key member of the team.
Stats is short for statistics by which Derek is referring to Wendy's KPIs or key performance indicators.
He's sure that when she reaches her goals for the next appraisal, she's going to be counted among the team's star or best performers.
As we've seen throughout this episode, it's not enough simply to set goals.
We also have to manage the employee's expectations and emotions.
Derek is showing us that, in addition to giving feedback and setting goals, a third very important goal of the performance appraisal is to create and nourish in your employees a positive attitude toward their work.
When we finish the appraisal, it's important to schedule the next meeting.
Thank you.
Good.
Now let's schedule the next review.
Now it's your turn to talk.
We're going to practice stating expectations to an employee.
Imagine you are a manager at ConStar.
You're holding a series of performance appraisal interviews.
You'll be hearing several cues.
Each cue tells you the name of an employee and your goal for him or her.
Based on each cue, create a couple of sentences in which you set the employee's target.
For example, if you hear, Sandra, increase meetings per day 30%.
First, you might use an expression to negotiate the goal up.
Like Sandra, I'd like to raise the bar.
Then, you need to state your expectations.
For example, by saying, I expect you to increase meetings per day by 30% in the next six months.
In other cues, you may also need to use expressions for negotiating the goal down.
For example, ease into it and take it one step at a time.
Are you ready?
Let's give it a try.
George.
Increase customer satisfaction rating from 78 to 90 max.
Reduce meetings per day from 17 to 14 cindy.
Reduce the number of failed meetings to one per month Nora.
Increase time per meeting from 7 minutes to 15 minutes.
How did you do?
Let's listen to some examples.
Remember, though, that there are many different possible answers for each question.
George, increase customer satisfaction rating from 78 to 90%.
Answer.
George, it's time to ramp it up a little.
I want you to improve your customer satisfaction rating from 78 to 90%.
Max, reduce meetings per day from 17 to 14.
Answer.
Max, I think we should take it one step at a time.
Can you reduce your number of meetings per day from 17 to 14?
Cindy, reduce the number of failed meetings to one per month.
Answer.
Cindy, I'd like to raise the bar.
Let's reduce your total number of failed meetings to just one per month.
Nora.
Increase time per meeting from 7 minutes to 15 minutes.
Answer.
Nora, remember the old expression, slow and steady wins the race?
What I need from you is to increase time per meeting from 7 minutes to 15 minutes.
It's good to go back and do the practice again.
This time, substitute different language to build fluency.
That concludes setting goals in a performance appraisal.
In this episode, we've studied language for negotiating targets, criticizing diplomatically, stating your expectations clearly and boosting morale by showing confidence.
We've seen how an important part of the appraisal process, in addition to giving feedback and setting targets, is to foster in employees a positive attitude towards their work.
Be sure to check out the study notes for this and other episodes, which you can access at wwwbusinessenglishpodcom.
There, you'll find a complete transcript, vocabulary explanations, and language practice.
In addition, take advantage of our online learning center, which has many more great language exercises.
That's all at www.businessenglishpod.com.
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