We are in an exciting time for coaching and development. Gone are the days where you get feedback once a year in an annual performance review because many businesses are now opting for lightweight, engaging, and effective coaching and development tools like Limeade Listening Coach.
But it is not always easy to change decades-old management processes, so read on for a few best practices to help you as an employee transition to real-time, feedback-based coaching and development practices.
1. Make sure your 1-on-1 is scheduled with your Manager
A great manager-employee relationship is built through amazing conversations. Limeade Listening 1-on-1 helps you prepare for those conversations. If you do not see a 1-on-1 scheduled with your manager in Coach, you will want to reach out to them to set up a 1-on-1 with you. Once they have scheduled your 1-on-1, you will receive a structured update, delivered to your inbox, 48 hours prior to your 1-on-1.
This is your opportunity to ensure that both you and your manager are prepared for your 1-on-1 together. It is a time for you to reflect on what you are proud of, the challenges you face where you could use a little help, and the people around you that are also completing amazing feats that your manager should know about.
2. Write great goals
The best way to grow your career is to start one goal at a time. By having clear goals, you and your manager will be set up for better conversations in your 1-on-1’s.
The best goals are SMART. They are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. They clarify objectives so there are no questions about what success looks like.
Goals should be written SMART as often as possible so there is no ambiguity. As an employee, you are likely to have a few team goals from your leaders. These goals are designed to ensure the success of the company, but you also should have some personal goals to track progress towards your own career objectives. Personal goals can be anything from developing a skill to completing a project. Make sure your personal goals are also SMART and work with your direct manager to set these objectives.
Goals become more powerful when aligned with company goals. When you create a goal, you should see options to tag a company goal to your personal goal. If you do not see company goals available, contact your Limeade Listening administrator to get yours added today.
SMART goal example
Increase sales: This goal is not:
Specific (Increase sales by how much?)
Measurable (Is success considered any sort of increase or is there a specific target you want to hit?)
Achievable (Can you increase sales? What will you do to get there?)
Time-bound (When should I see results?)
The user is left with a lot of questions surrounding this goal.
Increase sales of Products X, Y, and Z by 12% by the end of Q3 2023: This goal is:
Specific (products X, Y, and Z)
Measurable (12%)
Achievable (I will trust this target is within the employee's skillset)
Relevant (this is most certainly applicable to employees in a sales role)
Time-bound (end of Q3 2023)
3. Set aside 8-10 minutes per evaluation cycle
Timeboxing is a term used in agile software development which means putting strict time boundaries around an activity. When the time limit is up, you finish working whether you are done or not. When you set a time box, you are more motivated to finish tasks efficiently because you know you are working against a clock.
When using Limeade Listening Coach, only allow yourself 8-10 minutes each cycle to prepare for your 1-on-1. This limitation will motivate you to work quickly and efficiently to document your work and build out your performance portfolio without wasting too much time of your day
4. Get feedback
Another great way to continually improve is through qualitative feedback provided by people you work with. Use Coach's 360 Feedback tool to request feedback from colleagues, cross-functional partners, clients, and external parties to get their thoughts on how you can improve.
5. Take notes!
Before, during or after your 1-on-1’s you have the ability to take notes. You can add in shared notes your manager will see memorializing your meeting or you can add in private notes for your eyes only. The great thing about Coach is your manager can also do the same, thus ensuring you both are on the same page at all times. When it comes to review time, Coach aims to ensure there are no surprises.
