Five Conversations Framework

Yes, it’s that time of year again—when the groans of managers and employees can be heard over
the mere mention of the words, annual performance reviews. Many managers and employees see
performance appraisals as nothing more than an empty, bureaucratic exercise imposed upon
them by HR.
The Five Conversations Framework is an alternative approach to the traditional performance
review. It shifts the emphasis from performance appraisal to performance development. The
framework saves time, is more useful, and a more positive, enjoyable experience for both
manager and team member.
The one-way power dynamic of the traditional performance review means that it easily descends
into a monologue rather than a dialogue. This is despite the manager’s best intention. It generally
is of little benefit to either the employee or their manager. Instead—based on dialogue—the Five
Conversations Framework is another approach that dispenses with the 14– page bureaucratic
report accompanying the traditional appraisal. It leads to a more collaborative exchange.
When challenged, defenders of the traditional performance review are unable to give a
compelling—or even satisfactory—reason to continue with them. Most managers believe,
nonetheless, that they need to conduct annual or bi-annual performance appraisals with their
staff. Yet they also acknowledge that the system isn’t working. HR and L & D professionals are
caught up in their own quandary. They must train managers to competently conduct appraisals
but acknowledge that the old approach is defunct. Nobody is strongly committed to the old
process.
Unsurprisingly, there is currently considerable chatter in the blogosphere about whether the
performance appraisal should be abolished, refined, or left alone. And if we eradicated the
performance review, what replaces it? Managers understandably are seeking answers to the
perennial challenges of getting the best from people in their role at work.
My research across a range of industries reveals the following shortcomings of the standard
performance review:
• They are often a monologue rather than a dialogue
• The formality of the appraisal stifles discussion
• Performance reviews are rarely followed up
• Performance reviews can be destructive
• Appraisals are an exercise in form filing
• Most people find the appraisal stressful
• They are a costly exercise
• The infrequency of reviews
These findings—found in The End of the Performance Review: A New Approach to Appraising
Employee Performance—reinforce the idea of a new approach.
Performance feedback is still important. In fact, it is one of the most important things a manager
should be doing. Organizational psychologists point out the importance of feedback and its link
to performance improvement and motivation. You would be hard pressed to find a book on
management and leadership that doesn’t extol the virtues of timely, tactful, and specific feedback
on performance. Performance feedback is fundamentally important.
The Five Conversations Framework responds to this move from performance appraisal to
performance development. As we appreciate the value of human capital in the modern workplace
more and more, fresh insights and new approaches to developing people at work are worth
considering.
Essentially, The Five Conversations Framework it is based on five conversations every six
months between the manager and his or her employees.
Let’s look at each conversation briefly.
Climate review conversation

A climate review is about determining the current atmosphere in a workplace. It’s mainly
concerned with employees’ job satisfaction, morale, and communication. Although people’s
opinion about these matters can—and often do—fluctuate over the course of a year, it can be
useful to take a snapshot of the business occasionally. By having a conversation with direct
reports about the state of the current climate, managers have a handle on the current climate of
the business, and what needs to be done to improve the fundamentals of satisfaction, morale, and
communication. Listening and responding to this feedback is a good place to start.
Strengths and talents conversation
Most appraisals are fixated with what’s going wrong. They focus on weaknesses and by-pass
strengths and talents. Tom Rath, in the # 1 Wall Street Journal bestseller: Strengths Finder 2.0
underscores the value of a conversation on this subject:
Society’s relentless focus on people’s shortcomings has turned into a global obsession. What’s
more, we have discovered that people have several times more potential for growth when they
invest energy in developing their strengths instead of correcting their deficiencies.
Apart from being a positive place to start discussing performance, this conversation is designed
to capitalise on people’s innate talents. The positive psychology movement has pushed the idea
that concentrating on strengths has a higher payoff then working at overcoming weaknesses.
Opportunities for growth conversation
This conversation invites the employee to reflect how they can improve their own work
performance in key result areas. This may lead to an alignment of perspectives between manager
and team member. A dual understanding of performance standards is an important first step. The
second step is to agree upon some tangible ways of improving performance to match these
expectations. And thirdly, this conversation can bring into line performance expectations will the
strategic direction of the business.
Learning and development conversation
The learning and development conversation builds upon the two previous conversations. What
can learning experiences maximise strengths and lift performance in critical areas? Learning and
development—as we both know—is more than sending people off to the latest course on
such-n-such. The conversation covers both formal and informal learning opportunities. It should
also cover what I refer to as the three dimensions of learning:
• Technical-centred
• Person–centered
• Problem-centered
All three dimensions are important in adopting an eclectic approach to human resource
development.
Innovation and continuous improvement conversation
This conversation is about practical ways and means of improving the efficiency and
effectiveness and the business in general. Whereas, the learning and development conversation is
about improving the individual, the innovation and continuous improvement conversation is
about improving the organization. What can we do to advance organisationally? is the focus
here. Imagine for a moment the power of this conversation occurring across an organisation
during a month. Some of the ideas that surface will undoubtedly be too costly or impractical. But
some would also be worth considering.
Each of these five conversations ought to take no more than 15 minutes. Being
thematically-based, they’re focused and therefore need not take a considerable amount of time.
Being more relaxed and conversational, compared with the rigid and sometimes awkward
traditional appraisal, the framework minimises the power dynamic of the manager-employee
relationship. The manager still asked questions to guide the conversation. But in this process, the
manager’s role is converser and facilitator, not appraiser and assessor.
If managers are giving timely, regular, clear, and constructive feedback, why down tools once or
twice a year to do a performance review? And if managers are not frequently conversing with
their staff, an annual review is hardly likely to help.
Instead of tinkering at the edges—such as contemplating the merits of using a four or five-point
ratings scale—learning professionals would be best served to promote a culture of development
rather than an appraisal.

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Yes, it’s that time of year again—when the groans of managers and employees can be heard over

Climate review conversation

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