If a progress meeting is to have a constructive outcome, communication needs to be open, honest and unambiguous.
You should:
- Stick to facts and avoid expressing personal opinions, unless these are constructive and can be backed up by facts
- Be specific when identifying any shortfalls in performance
- Avoid generalisations such as “you never meet your deadlines” or “you’re doing OK”
- Ask open question
- Listen actively to what the employee has to say and take it on board
- Ensure that the tone used is friendly rather than accusatory
- Use positive words such as “improvement” and “achievement”, rather than negative words such as “failure” or “weakness”
- Check for understanding, for example by asking the employee to summarise their understanding of what has been discussed.
