THE QUARTERLY CONVERSATION

BY GINO WICKMAN (link)

Are you having quarterly conversations with all of your direct reports? One of the most powerful things you can do is to stay on the same page with your people and help to make little course corrections along the way. Above and beyond your regular weekly meetings, day-to-day interactions and annual performance reviews, I recommend you follow this practice.

It is not a performance review. It should not be tied to any compensation or raise. The idea is to get together, ideally outside of the office, to have a one-hour conversation about what’s working and what’s not. Just simply start the conversation by asking the question “What is working and what’s not?” You both share your answers, it is a two-way discussion.

As a result of the feedback, you will make great course corrections and your relationship will keep getting better and better. As for location, get out of the office and have lunch, go to the bar, have dinner or go to a coffee shop where you can let your hair down and just simply have a conversation. Think of your direct reports, schedule one right now, and try it.

Additional Materials:

• Get it. Want it. Capacity. GWC Video
• GWC Worksheet
• People Analyzer and Quarterly Conversation excerpt: What the Heck is EOS?

Steps for People Analyzer:

1. Have them and you fill out a People Analyzer rating yourself and them on Core Values (+, +/-, -) based on the behaviors they exhibit; and GWC (Y, N) based on the roles and responsibilities they have on A/C. If they have multiple seats, you have to rate them on each seat separately.
2. The manager should think about 1-3 different stories / specific times on why they rated them those ways, that way, if there is a gap in rating, the manager can share different stories that can corroborate the rating (1 story is an exception, 2 are coincidence, 3 is a pattern).
3. The objective of the Quarterly Conversation is Alignment. So in an informal setting, and on a quarterly basis, each manager should meet with their LMAs to make sure expectations are set correctly and there is alignment of behaviors (values), responsibilities (GWC) and results (rocks / metrics).
4. You can go over Scorecard and Rock performance as well.
5. If the person falls below the bar (+ + + +/- +/-, Y, Y, Y), then a plan should be set for them to improve those things identified in order to get to the bar. This can also count as a verbal warning. After the agreed upon time (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months), you have another conversation to make sure they improved. If they haven't, that serves as written warning, and a last performance plan is set.... and after an agreed upon time, a third conversation happens and we apply the 3 strike rule if they don't improve... so they are out.