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Turn the Painful Mid-Year Review to a Tool That Leads Your Team to Out-Performance

Mid-year review should be the time for employees and managers to reflect on what has been accomplished so far and what needs to be done. But often, it is either a painful exercise or a tick-in-the-box. Combining elements of both goal-setting and feedback, we suggest these principles and processes for mid-year reviews, which will help you do justice to these conversations in future

Principle of DOORS:

Development Focus: Ensure the review centers on professional growth and skill enhancement, rather than just evaluating past performance.

Ownership of Goals: Emphasise the importance of taking responsibility for personal and team goals, fostering a sense of accountability.

Outperformance Intent: Encourage aiming beyond mere targets to achieve exceptional performance and drive the team forward.

Reflective Conversation: Promote open discussions that allow for introspection and constructive dialogue on past experiences and future directions.

Simplicity of Process: Keep the process straightforward to ensure clarity and effectiveness in setting and tracking goals.

Process to Follow — Plan, Prepare, Participate, Progress: To ensure an effective mid-year review, follow a structured process that emphasises thoughtful preparation, active participation, and ongoing progress. Here’s a detailed look at each step in this process.

PLAN

• Take one to two weeks’ notice to schedule.

• Ask to think about successes, roadblocks and support required.

• Revisit goals that were agreed upon.

PREPARE

• Review performance goals, comparing them with results.

• Identify critical incidents that stood out as outstanding or inadequate.

• Seek inputs from stakeholders for a holistic perspective.

PARTICIPATE

• Ask for verbal self-assessment. Share your insights with data.

• Reinforce successes and discuss causes and solutions to issues.

• Agree on changes required to goals or resources.

• Summarise success, issues, solutions and commitments.

PROGRESS

• Reflect on what else you could do to support your team member.

• Follow up on agreements on support and committed resources.

• Schedule follow-up calls or discussions to stay on track.

By incorporating these principles and following a structured process, mid-year reviews can be transformed into valuable opportunities for growth and improved performance.

Turn the painful mid-year review to a tool that leads your team to out-performance

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The competence of competency frameworks

Many HR professionals write off competency models as outdated, not amenable to scale and static to environmental change. Nothing is farther from the truth. This is only the case when you have frameworks with dense language that require comprehension and navigation on the part of already busy business managers.

BasilTree’s Best Practices offer a roadmap to help you identify, communicate and apply competencies to deliver meaningful business impact.

Identifying Competencies

The first step in leveraging competency models is identifying those that align with strategic objectives. This involves understanding business needs and gathering stakeholder insights to pinpoint high-performance behaviours and skills.

❑ Has the organisational context been considered, including external benchmarks?

❑ Have leaders given inputs on the impact of business goals on desired behaviours?

❑ Has a rigorous job analysis been conducted to develop the framework?

❑ Have high performers across levels been consulted on what they do differently?

❑ Have future requirements of the business been factored into the data collected?

Presenting Competencies

After identifying competencies, present them in clear, culturally relevant language. Ensure they are visually appealing and easy for employees to integrate into daily practices.

❑ Has it been broken into behaviours that people need to demonstrate on the job?

❑ Does it use language that uses the organisation’s culture?

❑ Do the competencies reflect the diverse realities of functions and levels?

❑ Does it use language that is lucid and easy to remember?

❑ Is it short and succinct with a strong visual appeal?

Applying Competencies

The real value of a competency model comes from its application across various HR processes. By embedding these competencies into daily practices, organisations can cultivate the behaviours that lead to success.

❑ Does HR Planning use competencies to know exactly where people’s talents lie?

❑ Do the selection processes ensure that you hire based on success behaviours?

❑ Do you individualise and structure training using competencies?

❑ Does the performance appraisal process link to desired behaviours?

❑ Is it used to identify successors based on success profiles of leadership roles?

Well-crafted competency models are powerful tools for driving organisational success. By focusing on clear, actionable competencies, HR professionals can create frameworks that are easily adopted by leaders, enhancing performance and guiding organisational growth.

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Empowering Mid-Year Appraisals: Mastering Constructive Feedback

In preparation for mid-year appraisals, it’s vital for managers to enhance their feedback skills. The way feedback is delivered can significantly impact an employee’s motivation and performance. Unfortunately, certain phrases from managers can inadvertently create tension or demotivation within a team. Here, we’ll explore common phrases managers use, potential pitfalls, and constructive ways to address them.

1.“Your work is very careless.”

When a manager critiques an employee’s work as “careless,” it can be disheartening and vague. Instead, managers can offer specific feedback on what aspects need improvement. For example, instead of saying, “Your work is very careless,” a manager might say, “There are regular mistakes in your work that we need to discuss. Here are some examples.” This provides clear instances of the issue and opens the door for a constructive discussion.

2.“You make too many mistakes.”

This statement can be discouraging if not paired with actionable steps for improvement. Managers can offer constructive feedback that highlights the potential for growth. For example, “I want to discuss what we can do to reduce the level of mistakes.” This phrasing acknowledges the issue and positions the manager as a partner in the employee’s development.

3.“You need to sort this problem out”

This statement can come across as harsh and directive, lacking any clear guidance. A more effective approach would be to say, “I want to discuss how I can support you in sorting this problem.” This emphasises collaboration and signals to the employee that their manager is there to help, rather than just point out shortcomings.

4“You should have taken more responsibility on that [task/activity].”

Blaming an employee without addressing underlying issues can lead to defensiveness. Instead, managers can look at encouraging accountability while fostering an open dialogue. For example, “Do you agree that you were the person responsible for that [task/activity]?” This question invites the employee to reflect on their role and take ownership of the task.

Remember, the words you use to give feedback matter. They are one of the most powerful ways of providing constructive, specific, and supportive feedback, encouraging growth and development. Use them carefully.

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Effective Verbal Communication: Essential Practices for Managers

When it comes to management, effective verbal communication is a cornerstone for fostering success. As managers, guiding your team towards clear, productive dialogue is extremely important. Effective communication isn’t just about talking—it’s about ensuring that every interaction is purposeful, clear, and contributes to the team’s objectives. Here are some actionable behaviours that can empower your communication arsenal and enhance your effectiveness as a manager.

Proposing

Drive the conversation forward within your team by initiating new ideas or suggestions.

Example – ‘Let’s set up a review of our financial accounting processes. I suggest that we reduce the number of tables by 15%.’

Testing Understanding

Always ensure that you establish whether the other person has understood what is being said. Being on the same page is crucial for avoiding any misunderstandings.

Example ‘Can I just check that we’re talking about the same thing?’ or ‘Can you explain your thoughts a bit more?’

Seeking Information

Seek facts, opinions or clarification from another person to make sure that all the information has correctly been communicated. By seeking information, you can fill in the gaps and make informed decisions.

Example – ‘Whom will you be delegating this to?’ or ‘Can you tell me where you are on this objective?’

Summarising

Summarises, or restates in a compact form, the contents of previous discussions or events.

Example – ‘OK, so we have agreed: (a) to take legal action; (b) to take it before May.

Supporting

Make a conscious and direct declaration of support for another person in their concepts and opinions. Expressing support shows that you value their contributions and are willing to stand behind their decisions.

Example – ‘Yes, I will go along with that’ or ‘Sounds OK by me.’

Disclosing

Openly share personal feelings, values, and experiences when appropriate. Disclosing personal insights or past experiences helps others see you as relatable and empathetic.

Example – ‘A few years ago, I experienced a similar problem which I found very distressing.’

Effective verbal communication is vital for successful management. By mastering these practices—you can lead your team with clarity and purpose, fostering a culture of open dialogue and mutual respect. This enhances day-to-day interactions and drives better outcomes.

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Growing Your Coaching Skills for Better Conversations

Successful coaches are engaged listeners who ask powerful questions, guiding employees to better understand their own thinking and behaviours. As a manager, enhancing your coaching skills is crucial for promoting growth and improving team dynamics. To achieve this, it’s essential to follow a set of guidelines that outline the broader principles of effective coaching and a checklist of specific, actionable steps.

Guidelines:

These guidelines provide the foundational approach to coaching, focusing on continuous practice, self-awareness, and feedback.

Practice, practice, practice! Deliver lots more appreciative feedback every day. There are many more opportunities to offer appreciative feedback.

Provide more constructive feedback to develop people and keep them on target. Don’t assume they know better, they might not. Convey the feedback in the spirit of, “You could be even more effective if…”.

Consult with a peer, friend, mentor etc. about a recent coaching conversation. Ask them how they would coach the employee. Ask for coaching tips!

Ask for feedback from your employees. This will help you become more aware of your coaching strengths and areas of growth. Asking your employees will also help to build a trusting and open relationship.

Be aware of how you are feeling when you are coaching. When you are on the lower end of the Mood Elevator, your thinking may not be as reliable. Or when the coachee is on the lower end, they may become defensive or they won’t hear you.

Checklist

This checklist offers specific steps to ensure your coaching sessions are effective and supportive.

Take time in the beginning to make the person feel safe.

Ask clear, open-ended questions.

Listen closely without interrupting.

Allow the individual to come to their own conclusions.

Provide appreciative and constructive feedback.

Encourage ownership and accountability and support action.

Be patient.

Demonstrate that you are interested in seeing them succeed and perform at a higher level.

Ask for feedback from them.

By following these guidelines and the checklist, you can enhance your coaching skills, leading to more meaningful and productive conversations that drive growth and success.

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Understand the essentials of the Development Centre process for optimal performance

A Development Centre (DC) is a structured group-based process designed to identify participants’ areas of strength and development. It serves a dual purpose: providing individuals with feedback on crucial behavioural competencies and offering organisations objective insights into their talent pool. The DC process is built on highly reliable and validated exercises, typically facilitated by external senior consultants or assessors.

The DC exercises are crafted to mirror real-life work scenarios, allowing participants to demonstrate their competencies in a controlled environment. Below are some of the typical exercises found in a DC:

Case-study Presentation: Participants analyse a business case, suggest actionable strategies, and present their rationale to a Business Leader.

Role Play: Participants engage in a challenging discussion with a discontented team member or an external stakeholder.

Group Exercise: Participants engage with each other as a group, to jointly identify a strategy for the problem statement.

In-basket Exercise: Participants must read, understand and respond to emails in a simulated inbox by analysing presented issues.

Behavioural Event Interview: Participants engage in a reflective conversation with an assessor, discussing their past work experiences

The assessors in a DC are trained to observe and evaluate specific behaviours that align with the organisation’s priorities. These behaviours typically fall into four key categories:

Strategy: Examples: Analytical Thinking, Business Acumen, Strategic Orientation. This category focuses on long-term thinking, data analysis, decision-making, and aligning strategies with external market scenarios.

People: Examples: Developing Teams, Nurturing Talent, Collaboration. Here, the emphasis is on interpersonal dynamics, showing empathy, and understanding the strengths and development needs of others.

Results: Examples: Result Orientation, Execution, Ownership. This area measures the ability to plan, organise, and achieve targets while taking accountability and resolving issues.

Change: Examples: Driving Change, Innovation, Digital Mindset. This category assesses the willingness to challenge the status quo, ensure continuous improvement, and bring innovative solutions to existing problems.

Understanding and effectively participating in a Development Centre can provide invaluable insights into one’s competencies and areas for growth. By honing these key behaviours, individuals can enhance their performance, and organisations can build a stronger, more capable talent pool.

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Enhance your hiring effectiveness with greater structure in the interview process

Across organisations, interviews are one of the most relied-upon tools in the hiring process. They are used for gauging a potential candidate’s suitability for a given role. However, this routine process can be made more impactful for the candidate and at the same time, more predictive and insightful for the organisation. This 5-step process of P.R.I.C.E – Prepare, Rapport, Inquire, Close, Evaluate; lays out the actions to be taken by hiring managers before, during and after the interview.

Prepare before the interview

• Be clear about the entire selection process for the candidate.

• Prepare interview questions as per the role requirements.

• Study the candidate’s CV to identify specific points of clarification.

• Arrange necessary infrastructure for better candidate experience.

Establish Rapport

• Welco me the candidate and begin the interview with introductions.

• State the purpose for the interview.

• Clarify the structure of the discussion.

Inquire through incisive questions

• Ask open-ended questions to elicit descriptive responses.

• Probe further, for more context on stated actions.

• Ensure neutrality in own speech and body language.

• Avoid close-ended, hypothetical or leading questions.

Close the interview

• Pause to address any questions that the candidate may want to ask.

• Clarify any next steps that the candidate should be aware of.

• End the interview by thanking the candidate for their time.

Evaluate the strengths of the findings

• Review your notes about the behaviours observed during the interview.

• Group the behaviours under the set of identified competencies.

• Use standardised scoring scales to rate observed behaviours.

• Document the evaluation, with qualitative comments, to justify ratings

Remember: Of PRICE, Preparation Before the Interview is key, as it sets up the stage for a meaningful conversation.

Rapport, Inquire, and Close help to create a positive experience and gain deep insights from the candidate.

And most importantly, Evaluate only after the interview.

Following these steps will aid in ensuring a smooth experience for candidates.

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Decoding the technical jargon used in psychometric assessments

Psychometric assessments are increasingly prevalent for employee selection and development. However, their use is fraught with technical jargon, which practitioners are often unfamiliar with. Here, we decode some of the most commonly used terms.

Reliability

Reliability of a psychometric instrument is about the precision of measurement, so if we take it repeatedly, it should give the same results. It is a prerequisite of a valid instrument – which means that a test cannot be valid if it is not first reliable, and it has different types.

Test-Retest Reliability – Assesses the consistency of test scores when the same test is administered to the same individuals on two or more occasions – i.e. ‘Are scores stable over multiple assessments over time?’

Parallel Form Reliability – Assesses the consistency of results between different versions of the same test, designed to measure the same construct – i.e. ‘Do different forms of the test measure the same ability?’

Internal Consistency – Assesses extent to which items within a test consistently measure the same construct – i.e. ‘Do different items of the test measure the same ability?’

Validity

Validity is the extent to which an instrument measures what it intends to measure. High validity is the single most important factor to consider when using an aptitude test or personality questionnaire. Instruments typically do and should report multiple forms of validity data.

Face Validity – Judges whether a test appears, on the surface, to measure what it aims to measure – i.e. ‘Does it feel right for what it is supposed to measure?’

Concurrent or Predictive Validity – Measures extent to which a test accurately predicts or correlates with performance on a related measure, either at the same time (concurrent validity) or in the future (predictive validity) – i.e. ‘Does it link to current or future performance?’

Content Validity – Ensures that a test assesses the relevant material or content it intends to measure – i.e. ‘Is the content of the instrument relevant for the job?’

Construct Validity – Evaluates whether an assessment measures the theoretical construct it claims to measure – i.e. ‘Does the instrument measure what it is supposed to measure?’

Norms

Norms can be compared to a guidebook that tells a person where they stand compared to others who took the test. A psychometric instrument should be supported by norms for a local, relevant, up-to-date comparison group.

A thorough understanding of these concepts is essential for conducting psychometric assessments with accuracy and integrity in any talent management process.

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Keep the promise of potential by avoiding these mistakes in your Hi-Po Programme

Maximising the impact of a high-potential programme can be a game-changer for the growth of an organisation. However, navigating the design and implementation successfully requires one to have a keen awareness of the potential pitfalls. For this, we explore the common mistakes to avoid:

Having an unclear and narrow definition of potential

Potential should mean that an individual demonstrates a combination of higher-order skills and desired leadership behaviours, in addition to meeting a threshold of performance.

Using the nine–box as the end in itself

The nine-box should only be used once the potential has been identified to map out development plans. Relying on this method for identifying high potential can undermine its purpose and effectiveness.

Making non-high potentials feel excluded

To maintain an overall level of morale and motivation, it is important to make the non-high potentials feel included. They should receive opportunities to work on their development areas, and clear feedback on where their careers stand in the organisation.

Being slow in investing in people after identifying potential

Once talent is identified, plan a clear development journey with allocated budgets and organisational support to facilitate growth. Make sure regular reviews and continuous improvement measures are in place to keep development on track.

Not covering all key groups across the organisation

The programme should be inclusive, covering all business units, functions, and demographic groups to not only ensure equal opportunity but also a diverse talent pool.

Making talent merely an annual activity

The programme needs to be a continuous business process and not an annual activity that is linked to the rewards or progression process. Continuous engagement with high-potential employees would help maintain momentum and align their growth with organisational goals.

Treating the talent data as numbers or isolated points

Talent data should be treated as strategic business data, as viewing it as isolated numbers can lead to missed opportunities for strategic talent development. Business managers should be trained to use data insights to select, develop, and engage talent within their units.

By avoiding these common mistakes, organisations can ensure their high–potential programmes are impactful and drive sustained growth.

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Arm yourself with best practices for conducting high-impact interviews

Most hiring managers have a general idea about how to conduct an interview. The exercise, however, can be made more streamlined by following these 20 best practices that we have identified for you to conduct effective interviews:

Create a Positive Candidate Experience

Establishing a positive and comfortable atmosphere is crucial for a successful interview, as it sets the tone for the entire conversation.

1. Frame questions that are linked to the organisational leadership framework and role requirements, in advance.

2. Welcome the candidate and establish rapport to put them at ease.

3. Explain the format of the interview (structure, process and outcomes).

4. Make the candidate aware of how the discussion is being recorded.

Elicit Useful Information

The quality of information gathered during an interview is key to making informed hiring decisions, and this relies on asking the right questions and listening effectively.

5. Ask open-ended questions (e.g. what, where, why, how) for descriptive responses.

6. Ask questions that draw behavioural evidence for specific criteria.

7. Listen and look attentive, allowing the candidate time to think and speak.

8. Demonstrate active listening, and not selective.

9. Probe deeper and clarify, to understand behaviours displayed.

10. Show positive body language (e.g. leaning forward, nodding, eye contact).

Follow a structured approach

A structured interview process ensures consistency, fairness, and thoroughness, helping interviewers stay focused and organised.

11. Maintain process control by redirecting the candidate if they go off-track.

12. Make detailed notes throughout the interview.

13. Avoid interruptions, such as phone calls or emails.

14. Give opportunity to the candidate to ask questions at the end.

15. Thank the candidate for their time.

16. Let the candidate know what to expect next and when.

Evaluate the Candidate

Post-interview evaluation is essential for objectively analysing the candidate’s responses and aligning them with the role’s requirements.

17. Read notes immediately after the interview to fill in any gaps.

18. Use a rating scale to assess the data elicited.

19. Use only the data for assessment and not any other factors.

20. Complete the ratings in terms of the criteria being assessed.

By following these best practices, you can conduct interviews that not only uncover the most suitable candidates but also enhance the overall hiring process, leading to better, more informed decisions.

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Use the CONSULT framework to become a consultative and strategic HR Business Partner

What does it mean to take a consultative approach to HR? And how do we grow and develop the skills we need to be effective consultants to the rest of the organisation? BasilTree’s CONSULT framework offers a simple and effective toolkit for HR professionals to function as strategic business partners. This framework can be used to assess where they are today, and take measures to develop meaningfully where there are gaps.

C – Credibility of Individual

Credibility for HR professionals, like any service provider, is built on consistently demonstrating competence and consideration. To maintain this credibility, HR professionals must prioritise substance over form, ensuring their actions and recommendations are grounded in solid knowledge and understanding.

O – Outcomes for Business:

Consulting orientation, whether in an internal role or external, is about deeply understanding the outcomes being sought by the client, i.e. the business. Absorbing and internalising these expectations helps group the tangible outcomes into customer, process, talent and financial metrics.

N – Needs of the User:

This involves HR differentiating between the outcomes for the larger business from the unique needs of specific users (typically, the line managers across functions and hierarchies) of the service being provided.

S – Solutions for the User:

Much like the identification of needs, the solutions are also to be designed for the unique users of the service, while keeping in mind the larger organisational goals. Solutions should be practical and adaptable, ranging from immediate fixes for now to long-term strategies.

U – Unravel Roadblocks:

Every Consultant knows that best solutions can fail if roadblocks, such as resistance to change, are not addressed. Tackling these obstacles deftly, which can be intellectual or emotional, is vital to seeing through the solution.

L – Learning Orientation:

A commitment to continuous learning and adaptation is vital for maintaining expertise and relevance. This enables HR professionals to offer innovative solutions and sustain their consultative edge. Stagnation in skills and experiences often undermines their effectiveness as experts.

T – Technology Focus:

In today’s digital age, consultative HR professionals need to leverage digital tools and platforms to implement solutions that are sustainable.

This structured approach ensures HR’s contributions are aligned with business objectives and tailored to meet specific user needs, leading to sustained and impactful results for the organisation.