Let’s start with a news story I saw in January, that announced a certain Bank, under a new CEO’s stewardship, were tightening their Values and asking everyone to re-sign the code of conduct. They even sent a stern worded email that said if people read it and didn’t agree, then they could just leave. Well, that told them! When I saw this on the news I had a wry smile on my face and it made me wonder just how seriously the folks at this particular Bank would take that? If you were given two choices by your employer: 1) Read a document and sign it and receive your bonus or 2) Resign, chances are most of you would read and sign. Regardless of whether you agreed with what the document said, you would do so because, why not?! As long as they’re not asking you to sign away all your possessions (unlike the documents they have their customers sign) then it’s a pretty safe exercise.

So, everyone’s happy. The employees get to keep their jobs and get their bonuses and the Bank gets to show the world how compliant they are and how well they can be trusted because hey, all the employees electronically signed up to 5 new values – respect, integrity, service, excellence and stewardship. And don’t forget, they’ll renew their commitment on a yearly basis!

I’m sorry but I find that hard to swallow.

Now, call me a cynic but I think it’ll take a little more than a bunch of bankers signing a document to have the world trust them again and more importantly to be a catalyst for a fundamental change in behaviour.  So many MNCs believe that if they have the right Mission Statement above the door, if they give all employees a Values card and have them electronically sign a document that states what “thou shalt and shalt not do”, then they are covered. As we all know though, unless people see a compelling reason to change i.e. a reward or a punishment then the likelihood is, they won’t change.

So, what could MNCs do to encourage their employees to take these things more seriously and make cynics like me, sit up and take notice? Here are four things:

1.     Keep it Simple

Whilst companies should keep it simple, I don’t mean in this case that less is more, in fact they should not be afraid of being too wordy. Quite often, PR and branding companies get paid a fortune for developing campaigns that communicate values, mission statements etc and they generally come up with a couple of words that we find in our everyday vocabulary like “Respect”, “Service” etc. The problem is, what do these words mean? I know the dictionary definition but how I understand Respect is very different from how someone in Singapore may understand it. So, whilst companies should keep it simple, being too simple can actually hurt them.

The best Values / Mission statement I have read is ‘Our Credo’ at Johnson and Johnson, which is not a collection of buzz words and fancy icons but is instead a ~100 word statement that details what it will do for Customers, Suppliers, Employees, the Community and last but not least the Shareholders. This is not simple in the usual meaning of the word, it’s a wordy document, that takes a while to read and more over it was written about 50 years ago! You ask anyone at JnJ about Our Credo and they smile and nod their head in absolute agreement. Employees believe it because they understand it. It leaves nothing to interpretation. That is what I mean by simple. And you need to use more words than less!

2.     Link to Performance

The next step would be to measure their employees against the Value criteria. Now, this may be the intention of the Bank I was talking about before (and I genuinely hope it is) but if they have not weaved these values into their performance management system then they have missed a trick. Ensuring that everyone is measured not only on what they deliver but HOW they deliver it is paramount. That means no matter how slick a Sales man (or woman) you may be, if you’re cutting corners or bullying people to meet your targets, then you won’t get the promotion.

I saw this put into practice in GE. Everyone received two ratings that when combined together, gave the overall performance rating for that year. It was equal weighting between performance and values and in fact there was more impact if you got a low Values rating vs. a low performance rating. Now, lots of people have criticised GE for the forced ranking approach that was alive and well in Jack Welch’s time (CEO before the current, Jeff Immelt) and it has softened slightly in more recent years, where the focus is on development rather than punishment but it really made people sit up and take note. This wasn’t just a tick the box exercise, GE didn’t just pay lip service to the values they set out but they made people accountable.

Now, there will be people who disagree with me about how consistently GE applied the performance ratings and that it was all talk and no action but my experience of it was that whilst it may not have fundamentally changed everyone’s behaviour, it made people think twice about what they were doing and made performance reviews a little more meaningful.

3.     Create a Meritocracy based on the Values

So, you have spelt out what the Values are and have left nothing to interpretation and you have included them in the performance management system so that all employees are measured on them. Now you need to tie people’s compensation to that performance rating so they get awarded based on their accomplishments and behaviour, as opposed to who they are and how long they have been with the company. This is what we call a Meritocracy. And it’s not a new concept but I am seeing so many organisations not doing this, or should I say, not enforcing their Managers to apply the salary increase in a way that ties to the performance rating. If you want people to sit up and take notice of anything, you need to give them a reason to. You need to reward them or hit them where it hurts and in both of these instances, where people feel that is their wallets. If I’m not getting a raise because I didn’t perform in the right way (regardless of what I did), then I’ll definitely make sure I read the next memo that comes from HR on the topic of company values! I will ensure I know them and demonstrate them regularly.

4.     Make Tough Decisions and Act on Them

So, if going through all these measures, there are still employees in the organisation that do not meet the mark, companies need to weed them out. GE did this well: bad performers could not hide and the pressure that comes with underperforming in a company like GE, generally created a scenario where the employee decided it wasn’t the place for them. Rather than the company needing to go through a protracted performance improvement plan and process (which is no fun for anyone involved), it was easier when the employee could bow out gracefully, reputation intact.  But it doesn’t always happen that way and it’s down to the Manager and HR to make the decision and then act on it and go through the exit process. This is a necessity if you want an organisation to truly live and breathe the Mission, Vision and Values that it tells the public and shareholders about.

So, I wish the Bank a lot of luck in enforcing its new values and making staff accountable. To truly be an organisation that upholds its values and stays true to the Mission and Vision takes a lot of work, a lot of time and determined individuals. It could be bordering on impossible but even I’m not that cynical…

Ensure a Return on Investment

Make your employee’s performance review meaningful and productive.

It’s a new year so time for some New Year resolutions and it’s also time to complete your employee’s performance review for the last year.

I know, I know, it’s not everyone’s favourite thing to do but any self-respecting Manager will understand the importance of this process. I worked in HR at General Electric for many years and led the performance review process each year.  Now, GE is known to have a robust and comprehensive approach to performance management that no Manager can hide from.  The process starts in November and goes all the way through to March so about 4months duration. Supporting Managers through this process helped me understand why they find it hard but also showed me some best practices that the more successful Managers used.

So, what are some of the things you can do to make this process easier and quicker for you but more importantly, more meaningful for your employee?

Preparation

• Prior to writing the review for your staff member, gather feedback from key colleagues, customers or direct reports to get a 360 view of their performance through the year. You, as their Manager, will experience one side of what they do and in some instances this can be very different from other people’s experiences.
• Review the goals set at the beginning of the year. Think critically about what has been achieved, what is still outstanding and where the employee went above and beyond. You should have been having regular goal reviews through the year as well, so go through the previous reviews and remind yourself what was agreed and what changed from the original goals set.
• Consider the values of the broader organisation: what are the expectations set by the Company regarding acceptable behaviours and what have you observed the employee do through the year that either supports or detracts from those Values? It’s not just WHAT they do but HOW they do it.
• For those Managers in a matrix organization, speak to any dotted line Managers as well. Whilst you may lead the performance review and have overall responsibility for the employee, you need to include any other Managers in the process.

Writing the Review

• Write comments for each goal that has been completed, including notes on what was done, how it was done and the impact on you, the team and the organization. Avoid just reiterating the actions of the goal, focus on why the accomplishment was important and use wording that is action oriented, for example use words like: Delivered, Demonstrated, Stretched, Succeeded, Originated, Implemented.
• Write an overall summary that includes the high level accomplishments, how the employee displayed the values, information on promotional readiness, training nominations and development needs.
• Keep it succinct, and check the grammar and spelling. This should not be rushed so allow yourself enough time to write a couple of different versions and have a trusted colleague or your partner read it through to ensure it reads well and makes sense.

Having the Discussion

• Prior to having the discussion, the employee should have received a copy of your written review. Some companies have online systems to mange this process, and others have a paper document. Regardless of the method, you should give your employee at least two days to read through and digest the information prior to the meeting. Have this document with you at the meeting as well.
• Allow at least an hour for the discussion. Send the employee a calendar invite well in advance and if you don’t have an office book a meeting room where you can have a private conversation. Avoid having the discussion as a quick add-on to another meeting or in a public place like a coffee shop. This makes it seem unimportant and trivial.
• Start the discussion by having the employee review their year; ask them what they consider to be their key accomplishments, what did they enjoy, where did they fail and what did they learn. Listen, ask questions and clarify what you are hearing.
• When you deliver your feedback, give them a clear understanding of what they did well and their strengths. Reconfirm this at the end of the discussion. Calibrate their career aspirations with appropriate feedback, manage their expectations of what is possible in the next 12 months, 3 years etc.
• Make sure you they understand the areas you need them to focus on in the upcoming year, i.e. their development needs. Keep these to a maximum of three key areas. Any more and it will be difficult to make significant improvement in any area – quality versus quantity.

Whether you are new to performance reviews or an old hand, applying some of these suggestions will make the process easier but it will also make it more meaningful for your employee. You get out what you put in, so putting in a little more time and effort upfront, will allow you to reap the rewards of a more productive and engaged employee through the year.

Sarah Schubert is a professional Voice coach and Talent Development consultant. Passionate about good communication and with over 20yrs international experience in the Corporate and Performing Arts arena, she blends voice development with business and personal productivity in a unique way.  Visit her website New Voice Communications for more information on the services offered.

As soon as you hunch over or slouch in the chair, not only do you look disengaged and nervous, your airways are restricted and your vocal cords are impacted. Tension in the neck can cause your throat to constrict and change the pitch and timbre of your voice.

Remember to walk tall. Try this exercise to help straighten the spine and help make the best impact, both vocally and visually! read the exercise: Walking Tall

Our voice is our tool and we use it for different things. Generally, when we speak we are communicating to achieve something so, like the camera, if we understand our voice, how it works and how to get the best from it then we’ll get the best results each time we open our mouth. So, what does the manual say about our voice:

Step 1) Be aware – record your voice and critically analyse it. If you know your sound then you have an advantage over 90% of the population who haven’t.

Step 2) Be committed and work through the different exercises - breathing, articulation, pace, tone. A good voice takes time and effort.

Step 3) Be adventurous – take risks with your voice, try out different things like singing or acting to realise the scope of your voice and then take it to the next level.

Step 4) Be prepared – look after your voice so that when you need it, it’s in tip top condition – keep hydrated, have some throat lozenges in your pocket and avoid caffeine before an important meeting or presentation.

I am not the best ‘manual reader’ and never will be (sorry Tim) but the one ‘manual’ I did read from cover to cover and keep close at hand is the one I have developed around looking after my voice and my success speaks for itself.

• Speaking more slowly helps your brain keep up and avoid any embarrassing slip-ups. I don’t know about you but I am not at my sharpest when I have a cold so giving myself a bit more time to process thoughts and ensure I am speaking clearly and articulating well is good.
• Pausing at appropriate places for a couple of seconds, will give you a chance to refill the lungs with air and keep the voice steady. You won’t be able to breath as deeply if your nose is blocked, so you won’t enjoy the same amount of air as normal. You may find you struggle keeping your delivery controlled and measured if you don’t take time to pause….. and breathe.
• Talking of blocked noses, ensure you have cleared your nose before going on stage or starting speaking. Sniffing throughout your presentation will be distracting and will create a bad impression with most audiences. Keep tissues with you and take a decongestant an hour or so beforehand to help keep things at bay whilst you present.
•  Your throat can be drier and more tickly than usual which may cause sporadic coughing so keep a Strepsil or medicated lozenge at the side of your mouth to keep the throat lubricated. Ensure it is placed so it won’t distort what you are saying though and practice talking with it before you start to check it’s OK.
• Don’t be afraid to make reference to your cold at the beginning of the presentation. It will be obvious to most people and audiences are generally sympathetic so it may be good that they know, as opposed to thinking it is your usual voice or way you speak!

Objectives

• Be aware of your own communication style.
• Appreciate the communication style of your key stakeholders and the differences.
• Create a strategy for each key stakeholder – your boss, your direct report, your client and your peer.
• Develop an Elevator Speech, a Negotiation Strategy, a Network Plan and an Engagement Initiative.

Learning Methods

• Facilitated learning
• Practical exercises to develop techniques

General

• Group size – maximum 12 people
• Delivery over 2 consecutive hours
• Great introduction to the Harnessing The Power of Voice Coaching sessions or pre cursor to the Talk Your Way to the Top workshop

Click here to register.

Singers are exercising these ranges all the time but nobody (really) harnesses that vocal variety in their speaking voice. I admit it would be a bit strange to sing our conversations (it would be as if we’re ’in a Broadway musical all the time) but that’s exactly what I ask my clients to do. I stress this should be in the privacy of their own homes but what it does is expand the tonal range of the speaking voice, and give it a more singsong quality. If you feel you have a more monotonous voice, you should try it!

The good thing about that is that we don’t have to be able to sing. We just need to explore our tonal variety and then put it to good use. And that is a skill we can have by harnessing the power of our voice.

- Introductory Presentation Skills, Towers Watson 4-10 April 2012.

The clothes we wear, the hairstyle we have, the make up all create the visual image. Your voice creates the auditory image.

So, you looked in the mirror this morning and made sure you looked the part but did you check that your sounded the part as well? Do you know your sound, does it turn you on or turn you off? Whatever it does to you it’ll be doing the same to your listeners.  Ensure you spend as much getting your voice ready in the morning as you do your body. And the key to knowing your sound is recording it.