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Xecutive Search HR; Our Associates...

We have always believed that specialism is our strength; we know that we cannot be good at everything. Therefore we have a small number of select relationships with Associates whom we know, who have complimentary skills to Xecutive Search HR and who set the same high standards that we do.

We are proud to have a long standing relationship with Alan Gaynor, and the team at APG Associates, who specialise in working with Banks, Investors and Companies to guide Acquisitions and Turnarounds and drive growth.

We are now delighted to tell you about a new relationship with The Wadenhoe Consultancy. Led by Ray Atkinson, they are focused on identifying and developing management and leadership talent for resource planning, growth and change.

Ray has been good enough to provide us with his (rather refreshing!) views on appraisals:

Appraisals – 'Enemy Of The People'?

In this busy, fast-changing business environment, how does HR help businesses to make Performance & Development Reviews (yes, we’ve changed the name from “appraisals”) less time-consuming and more effective?

Receiving all the New Year mailshots about up-coming Learning and Development exhibitions in 2012, including a great deal about Performance Management processes – online, off-line, down-the-line, virtual, web, real-time etc. etc. forces me once again to ask the question: Why, in spite of enormous investment in new Performance & Development Review (PDR) processes, are so many managers finding them time-consuming and ineffective?

Are PDRs really any better than they were 20 years ago? As in the case of comparing sporting stars with the heroes of previous generations, there are too many variables to provide a valid answer, but there is a lot of anecdotal evidence to show that, whilst much has improved, we still have a long way to go.

What have they contributed?

We know from our experience across all sectors that over the last 20 years there has been a massive growth in the amount of time and money invested in the development of ever-more complex PDR processes. So, if this has been effective, we should see it reflected in improved personal and business performance. This raises the question of whether formal PDRs deal sufficiently with the real behavioural needs of people in trying to address the ever-changing current and future challenges facing them.

Many organisations have developed a range of complex competencies and behaviours, which although well-intentioned, sometimes appear to be designed to create “tick-box” criteria, rather than engaging conversations. The process replaces the passion! Yet we know from our experience that most “performance” issues are rooted in factors like:

Unclear job expectations
Absence of standards
Lack of feedback
Lack of motivation to perform
Task interference
Skill & Knowledge requirements

Yes, we do need them!

To perform well, a person needs to understand the performance required of them and how this fits together to make the organisation’s overall performance. There is a need to focus on those behaviours that underpin organisational Values. Time should be set aside for a personal and career development discussion. All of these things are part of an effective PDR meeting - so we are not advocating that they should be abandoned. But there’s more! If you listen to management groups talking about PDRs they will often stress the importance of revisiting them on a regular basis. But how many do?

At a recent briefing meeting about Employee Engagement, we were asked whether engagement conversations needed to happen outside of formal performance management processes. We addressed this question directly with an unequivocal yes!! In our experience engagement conversations with line managers need to be brief and often. This makes them very different from formal PDR processes (even with the inclusion of mid-term reviews). However it is vital to have absolute alignment between both.

To help managers to have these conversations, we have developed a list of ten “prompts” for each of the key engagement areas shown here:

Commitment

Helping people to shape their own goals and believe that they can make a difference

Energy

Being consciously clear about what we are looking for and spotting people doing things right

Confidence

Giving people the courage to walk towards challenges and make decisions

Competence

Spending more time developing people and continuously exploring ways for them to utilise their full potential

These conversations don’t need to get bogged down with PDR forms and processes, they can be a natural part of day-to-day leadership.

The 40 prompts are published in “scorecard” format, to focus managers on the areas they are currently missing out on, and to provide simple progress measures.

HR must bridge the gap.

Many organisations are now at the point where their latest round of PDR’s has been completed. This is where HR can add real value to the business. They must go beyond collating responses, identifying development needs, completing succession plans and sending out reminders about interm reviews by supporting line managers in having “brief and often” engagement conversations.

We often talk about HR making a greater impact on the business – this is one vital way to do it!

Ray Atkinson, Managing Director, The Wadenhoe Consultancy Limited, Prama House,

267 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford, OX2 7HT

Tel: 01865-339558; Fax: 01865-339301

ray@wadenhoeconsultancy.com www.wadenhoeconsultancy.com