As a practice manager, you are responsible for developing and leading your staff to achieve the best results for your clients and your business. But how do you evaluate and coach your staff effectively? Here are some tips to help you create a positive and productive feedback culture in your practice.
The first step to evaluate and coach your staff is to set clear goals and expectations for their performance and behavior. You should communicate these goals and expectations regularly and ensure that they are aligned with your practice vision, values, and standards. You should also involve your staff in setting their own individual and team goals and provide them with the resources and support they need to achieve them.
The second step to evaluate and coach your staff is to monitor and measure their performance against the goals and expectations you have set. You should use objective and relevant indicators to assess their strengths and weaknesses, such as client satisfaction, quality of work, productivity, efficiency, and compliance. You should also collect feedback from multiple sources, such as clients, peers, and supervisors, to get a comprehensive and balanced view of their performance.
The third step to evaluate and coach your staff is to provide them with timely and constructive feedback on their performance. You should give feedback regularly and not wait for formal reviews or appraisals. You should also give feedback in a respectful and supportive manner, focusing on the facts and not the emotions. You should highlight their achievements and areas of improvement, and provide them with specific and actionable suggestions on how to improve.
The fourth step to evaluate and coach your staff is to coach them for growth and development. You should use feedback as an opportunity to help your staff learn and grow from their experiences, not as a way to criticize or punish them. You should also adopt a coaching mindset, which means asking open-ended questions, listening actively, empathizing, and empowering your staff to find their own solutions and take ownership of their actions.
It is easier to plan for growth if you have a competency framework in place. You could have one already in your company, or if you do not, you can help create one. Having a competency framework allows you to have a more objective view of the person's skillset, and also to balance the team competencies, and will enable each individual to express their individual interests. Regularly checking the competencies with a Competency Framework makes it easier to set goals and give guidance on improvement areas.
The fifth step to evaluate and coach your staff is to recognize and reward their performance. You should acknowledge and appreciate their efforts and achievements, and celebrate their successes. You should also provide them with incentives and rewards that are meaningful and motivating for them, such as recognition, praise, feedback, development opportunities, bonuses, or perks. You should also tailor your recognition and rewards to their individual preferences and needs.
The sixth step to evaluate and coach your staff is to review and revise their goals and expectations periodically. You should evaluate the progress and outcomes of their performance and feedback, and identify any gaps or challenges that need to be addressed. You should also solicit feedback from your staff on how they feel about their goals and expectations, and how you can support them better. You should also adjust their goals and expectations as needed, based on changes in your practice environment, client needs, or staff capabilities.
Each individual is unique, but for everyone, the only way to grow is to move outside of our comfort zone. Let's help people feel safe while trying something different or unknown. If they feel free to make mistakes, they will be more encouraged to go over their actual knowledge and attitude. It is wonderful when you have people still recognizing what you did for their career and professional growth. Always be kind to people, they are the core of any company.