Project Brief: Communicating Performance to Team Members Workshop

Project Title: Communicating Performance to Team Members: Mastering Difficult Conversations

Project Overview: This project involved the instructional design and development of an interactive workshop to equip managers at a large health media company with skills for effective and empathetic performance review conversations. The workshop addressed delivering feedback, especially when ratings don't align with employee expectations, and navigating sensitive compensation topics.

Target Audience: Managers at a large health media company, requiring practical strategies and a safe environment to practice challenging conversations, understand employee reactions, and maintain composure.

Learning Objectives: Upon completion of this workshop, participants were able to:

• Identify key steps for productive performance review conversations.

• Practice delivering performance feedback for various rating scenarios (e.g., "Inconsistently Meets Expectations" vs. "Exceeded Expectations").

• Utilize specific, blame-free communication techniques for accurate feedback.

• Anticipate and navigate diverse employee responses (e.g., shock, aggression, lack of confidence, indifference, skirting responsibility).

• Understand and clearly communicate compensation decisions.

Instructional Design Approach & Key Features:

This workshop leveraged a blended instructional approach for maximum engagement and learning transfer:

1. Scenario-Based Learning: Realistic scenarios and role-playing provided a safe environment for participants to practice difficult interactions and receive immediate feedback.

   • Example: A scenario where a manager delivers an "Inconsistently Meets Expectations" rating to a team member who feels they met expectations and is concerned about their compensation.

2. Interactive Participant Guide: A writable and interactive PDF Participant Guide was developed to encourage self-reflection and comprehension. This digital tool supported individual exercises and group activities, allowing participants to:

   • Self-reflect on upcoming performance conversations.

   • Plan their approach for each step of a performance conversation.

   • Complete a "Scavenger Hunt" activity while observing mock review deliveries, noting effective communication techniques.

   • Take notes during breakout discussions.

3. Gamification: The "Scavenger Hunt" activity introduced a gamified element, encouraging active observation and critical analysis of communication strategies during mock review deliveries.

4. Discussion and Collaboration: The workshop design heavily emphasized small and large group discussions, including poll activities, group discussions, and breakout role-play, to foster shared learning and peer feedback.

Project Outcomes: The workshop aimed to increase manager confidence and competence in delivering performance reviews, leading to more productive, transparent, and empathetic conversations. By providing practical tools and a supportive learning environment, managers were better equipped to foster high-performance expectations and strengthen manager-employee relationships.