Boss to Coach Conversation 5 of 5 Progress Review
Week 2 – Reviewing the WHATs

Don’t be ready. Stay ready with the 4,3,2,1

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Lesson 5 Don’t be ready. Stay ready with the 4,3,2,1

Often, with a Progress Review two things will happen

  • Employees will come into a review with a laundry list of everything they have done.  How do we prepare something meaningful, focused and provides clarity?  A concept to consider in the conversation is that people only remember three things.  For more see the video on the Rule of 3.  So how do you get pointier where you focus the conversation?

  • The manager will do all the prep work to review their performance.  The danger is this is the manager’s perception of performance, often assumptions will be made, and the outcome dismissed because it is not their review.  How do we ensure the review is owned by your team?  This is your team’s Progress Review.  Their job is to lead the discussion.  Your role is to coach to set them up for success. 

Don’t be ready, stay ready with this simple structure

On Page 10 of your Black Workbook is a simple structure to help both yourself and your team prepare.  Developed by Ryan Avery a globally award-winning public speaker, he encourages us to be better story tellers and always be ready with something to say that adds value in the first 60 seconds of meeting someone.  The structure is

  • 4 Stories 2 x professional. 2 x personal. 1 x success, 1 x failure. 

  • 3 Facts that we all should know about this organisation.

  • 2 Quotes/Sayings that are regularly said in e-mails, the hallways, and meetings.

  • 1 Question that you can take to any conversation.  One of my favourites questions to ask is, “What advice do you have?”  Here’s the article for the thinking behind this approach.

Activity Let’s start with stories.  On Page 11 of your Black Workbook answer the four questions under the heading Better Work Stories.

  1. Write a sentence about a work highlight

  2. What is a strength that helped you? To help refer to the My Signature Themes Motivations Guide on Page 7 of your White Workbook and the row I Love.

  3. Write a second sentence where you have got stuck? To help refer to the My Signature Themes Motivations Guide on Page 7 of your White Workbook and the row I Need. 

  4. What is a strength that could help you?  Refer to the row I Will (Doing)

Activity on Page 10 of your Black Workbook under the heading Don’t Be Ready Stay Ready

Thinking about both your role and where you work, note on the page the answers as follows.  If you are stumped, take this list into your next week of meetings and make notes as you go.

  • 3 x Facts you should know

  • 2 x Quotes/Sayings that are regularly said in e-mails, the hallways, and meetings

  • A question you can take into the conversation.  Note it is always better to start your question with a “How” or “What” versus a “Why”

Optional Activity Seek feedback from others before your review and get your team to do the same.  Have several 1-1 connections from your manager, peers, mentor, and direct reports asking the following questions

  1. What are my strengths?

  2. Where do you see my strengths in action (where are they having an impact)?

  3. What are my weaknesses? One of the best ways to understand your strengths is to understand your weaknesses

  4. What does everybody know about me?

  5. When people in our organisation describe me to others, what do they say? Points to your impact

  6. What’s missing in my leadership that would make a difference?

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