Facilitator Speaker Notes — Performance Feedback & Coaching

Set the stage. Open the "Performance Feedback & Coaching" session by introducing this slide — "Phase 3 — Feedback as a Continuous Conversation". Briefly explain why this topic matters to the managers in the room and what they'll be able to do differently by the end of the deck. Invite people to keep a notepad handy for questions.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. The Annual Review Trap. If you are documenting a performance issue in December, you should have addressed it in July. End-of-year surprises break trust and create legal risk. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the annual review trap" from their own team before moving on.

2. Regular 1. 1s Are Non-Negotiable: Weekly or bi-weekly check-ins create a feedback culture — small corrections prevent large derailments Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "regular 1" from their own team before moving on.

3. Feedback Is a Gift. Specific, timely, behavior-based feedback builds trust and accelerates growth. Vague feedback erodes both. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "feedback is a gift" from their own team before moving on.

4. The SBI Model in Performance Context. "On [specific date], I observed [specific behavior]. The impact was [measurable business outcome]. What is your perspective?" Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the sbi model in performance context" from their own team before moving on.

5. Listen to the Response. After delivering SBI feedback, be genuinely curious about the employee's experience — root cause matters more than the symptom Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "listen to the response" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Ask: "How does this show up in your team today?" — let two or three people respond.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered phase 3 — feedback as a continuous conversation, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "Diagnosing Underperformance — Skill vs. Will" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. Skill Issue. The employee lacks the knowledge, training, or resources to perform. Solution: Coaching, training, clearer instructions, better tools. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "skill issue" from their own team before moving on.

2. Will Issue. The employee has the ability but chooses not to apply it consistently. Solution: Accountability, clear consequences, and a structured improvement plan. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "will issue" from their own team before moving on.

3. Why the Distinction Matters. Training someone who has a will problem wastes resources. Punishing someone who has a skill problem is unfair and legally risky. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "why the distinction matters" from their own team before moving on.

4. How to Diagnose. Ask open questions: "What barriers are making this difficult?" "Walk me through how you approached this task." The answer usually reveals skill vs. will. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "how to diagnose" from their own team before moving on.

5. Mixed Cases. Many underperformance situations involve both — adapt your approach accordingly and document each conversation Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "mixed cases" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Pose a quick scenario and ask the group how they would apply this principle.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered diagnosing underperformance — skill vs. will, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "The Coaching Conversation Framework — 5 Steps" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. Step 1 — Set the Purpose. "I want to talk about [specific performance area]. I'd like to understand your perspective and agree on a path forward." Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "step 1 — set the purpose" from their own team before moving on.

2. Step 2 — Share the Observation (SBI). Name the specific behavior, situation, and business impact. Be factual, not emotional. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "step 2 — share the observation (sbi)" from their own team before moving on.

3. Step 3 — Listen and Explore Root Cause. Ask open questions. Is this a skill, will, or resource issue? Do NOT jump to solutions until you understand the problem. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "step 3 — listen and explore root cause" from their own team before moving on.

4. Step 4 — Agree on the Path Forward. Co-create the improvement plan where possible. Specific goals, timelines, support available, next check-in date. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "step 4 — agree on the path forward" from their own team before moving on.

5. Step 5 — Document Within 24 Hours. Capture: date of conversation, specific behaviors discussed, agreed commitments, next steps, and follow-up date. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "step 5 — document within 24 hours" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Invite a participant to paraphrase the key idea back to the room to confirm understanding.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered the coaching conversation framework — 5 steps, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "Coaching High Performers — The Retention Conversation" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. The Risk. High performers leave managers before they leave organizations. If you are not proactively developing them, you are passively losing them. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the risk" from their own team before moving on.

2. The Scenario (Sam). Top performer, 2 years in the same role. Showing signs of boredom and disengagement. Quietly interviewing elsewhere. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the scenario (sam)" from their own team before moving on.

3. The Right Approach. "I want to invest in your growth. What does the next chapter of your career look like from your perspective?" Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the right approach" from their own team before moving on.

4. What NOT to Do. Make vague promises ("I'll see what I can do") without a specific follow-up date — this is worse than saying nothing Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "what not to do" from their own team before moving on.

5. What TO Do. Stretch assignments, cross-functional visibility, sponsoring them for high-profile projects, specific development commitments with dates Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "what to do" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Ask for a show of hands: who has faced a situation like this in the last month?

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered coaching high performers — the retention conversation, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "Common Feedback Mistakes — What the Program Prohibits" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. The Delay. "I've been meaning to talk to you about this for a while." — Signals you knew and waited. Undermines fairness and timeliness. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the delay" from their own team before moving on.

2. The Label. "You have a bad attitude." — Not specific, not observable, not actionable. Replace with specific behavior descriptions. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the label" from their own team before moving on.

3. The Vague Promise. "I'll see what I can do." — Worse than saying nothing. Offer specific next steps or honest acknowledgment of constraints. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the vague promise" from their own team before moving on.

4. The Sandwich. Hiding critical feedback between two superficial compliments. Be direct — employees deserve clarity, not confusion. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the sandwich" from their own team before moving on.

5. The Skip. Not documenting coaching conversations. "If it isn't documented, it didn't happen." Memory fades; documentation protects everyone. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the skip" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Ask: "How does this show up in your team today?" — let two or three people respond.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered common feedback mistakes — what the program prohibits, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "Calibration — Catching Bias Before It Harms" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. The Halo Effect. Rating someone uniformly high across all dimensions because of one outstanding quality. Calibration surfaces this. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the halo effect" from their own team before moving on.

2. The Recency Bias. Allowing the last 30 days to dominate the full-year rating. Calibration corrects this by requiring evidence from the full period. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the recency bias" from their own team before moving on.

3. The Equity Check. Are comparable performers rated comparably? Are protected-class patterns emerging in ratings? Calibration surfaces this too. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the equity check" from their own team before moving on.

4. Your Role. Come to calibration prepared with specific documented evidence — behaviors and results, not impressions or personality assessments Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "your role" from their own team before moving on.

5. The Outcome. Consistent, defensible, fair ratings that employees can understand and that the organization can defend Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "the outcome" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Pose a quick scenario and ask the group how they would apply this principle.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered calibration — catching bias before it harms, let's look at what comes next."

Transition in. Move into "Performance Feedback Do/Don't — Phase 3" by linking it to the previous slide. Give the group a one-sentence "why this matters" before walking through the points below.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. DO. Tie all feedback to specific, observed behaviors with dates: "In the last two weeks, I observed..." Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "do" from their own team before moving on.

2. DO. Document coaching conversations within 24 hours with specific details, agreed actions, and follow-up dates Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "do" from their own team before moving on.

3. DO. Partner with HR early when performance starts to chronically slip — before a PIP is needed Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "do" from their own team before moving on.

4. DON'T. Use subjective labels like "bad attitude" or "lazy" — stick to observable, specific facts Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "don't" from their own team before moving on.

5. DON'T. Wait for the annual review to give meaningful performance feedback — feedback is a continuous conversation Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "don't" from their own team before moving on.

6. DON'T. Make vague improvement promises or delay addressing known performance issues Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "don't" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Invite a participant to paraphrase the key idea back to the room to confirm understanding.

Timing & transition. Aim for roughly 6–7 minutes on this slide. When the points have landed, transition forward with a short bridge such as "Now that we've covered performance feedback do/don't — phase 3, let's look at what comes next."

Bring it home. This is the final slide — "Your 30-60-90 Day Commitments — Phase 3 Feedback". Use it to consolidate the key messages of the session and connect them back to the participants' day-to-day work. Slow your pace here and make eye contact.

Talking points (walk through each in order):

1. 30 Days. Schedule regular 1:1s with every direct report. Identify any employee who has not received specific SBI-based feedback in the last 30 days. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "30 days" from their own team before moving on.

2. 60 Days. Deliver at least two structured coaching conversations using the full 5-step framework. Document both within 24 hours. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "60 days" from their own team before moving on.

3. 90 Days. Run a mini self-calibration: review your last 60 days of feedback. Was it timely? Specific? Documented? What patterns do you see? Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "90 days" from their own team before moving on.

4. L3 Certification Prep. Practice the coaching conversation role-play with a peer before your observed assessment. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "l3 certification prep" from their own team before moving on.

5. Remember. Training is 10% of development. The other 90% is on-the-job application — every coaching conversation is practice. Facilitator tip: say this in your own words, then ask the group for a real example of "remember" from their own team before moving on.

Engage the room. Ask for a show of hands: who has faced a situation like this in the last month?

Wrap-up. Aim for 6–7 minutes. Recap the single most important takeaway, point participants to the quiz and scenario exercises for this module, and thank them for their engagement.