Performance evaluations are essential for any career, but especially for those in partnerships. They help you identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement. But what do you do if you find out that you have some training and development gaps in your partnership skills? How do you address them and grow as a partner?
The first step is to assess your gaps honestly and objectively. What are the specific skills, knowledge, or competencies that you need to improve or acquire to be a more effective partner? You can use various tools and methods to do this, such as self-assessments, feedback from peers, managers, or clients, or online quizzes and tests. Try to be as specific as possible and prioritize the most important or urgent gaps.
Inherently, every person having a career knows where they typically stand with respect to their performance very early on hence a continuous self assessment will always help one to be pro-active in acquiring the skills, knowledge and understanding and also seeking mentoring from the right people in the organization. Also, adopting a feed forward approach will promote ongoing learning and continuous improvement thereby fostering a culture of development and growth within an organization.
Understand why there is a gap. Is it the person or the industry or is it something else that is affecting performance. Inherent issues could also be that the person is not suited to that type of role. Therefore further training might need to occur. Every situation is different so sometimes having a conversation is more critical.
During a past performance review for my partnership manager role, my manager highlighted an area for development: building stronger relationships with key stakeholders on the client side. While I excel at managing internal partnerships within our company, fostering deeper connections with external clients felt less natural at the time. I reflected on specific feedback from the review and identified areas where I could improve. For example, some clients mentioned feeling like I wasn't fully grasping their specific needs.
In my experience, if performance evaluations reveal training and development gaps in a partnership career, it's important to first reflect and conduct a self-assessment to determine if the gaps identified are accurate. The next step would be to cull from the evaluation how the deficiencies might be remedied. For example, it may be something that can be addressed through formal or informal training, mentoring or perhaps even working directly with your manager. Another important step is establishing a plan in partnership with your manager so that together a prioritized list can be created along with the identification of resources. It's important to have your managers buy-in so that your commitment to improving is recognized and supported.
The next step is to find the resources that can help you close your gaps. There are many options available, depending on your needs, preferences, and budget. For example, you can enroll in online courses, webinars, or workshops that cover topics related to partnerships, such as negotiation, communication, collaboration, or conflict resolution. You can also read books, articles, blogs, or podcasts that offer insights and tips from experts and practitioners. Alternatively, you can seek mentorship, coaching, or guidance from someone who has more experience or expertise in partnerships.
I discussed the feedback with my manager and explored available resources. Our company offers training programs on building client relationships, and my manager recommended attending one specifically focused on active listening and communication strategies.
In my opinion, a key component of the plan being crafted to address the performance evaluation deficiencies is to discuss the types of resources that will be needed and their availability. This is a very important conversation since there may be a monetary cost associated with the support or it might involve the time commitment that would be required from a colleague or manager. In either instance, recognizing this upfront is critical; otherwise, it could shipwreck the best of plans. To that end, it helps to balance the plan created with resources that are readily available and may not carry the same restrictions or considerations. Some examples include books, podcasts, internal training and external training opportunities.
The third step is to create your plan for learning and development. This means setting clear and realistic goals, timelines, and action steps for each gap that you want to address. You also need to decide how you will measure your progress and evaluate your outcomes. For example, you can use SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound) criteria to define your goals, and use quizzes, surveys, feedback, or self-reflection to assess your learning. You should also review and update your plan regularly to ensure that it is aligned with your needs and expectations.
In my experience, establishing a learning and development plan is more than developing the list of deficiencies and resources, it also requires accountability. This is necessary, because the objective is to close the gaps in an intentional manner. Some examples of how accountability can be created is by setting deadlines and stating what the specific goal is to be accomplished. It is important to be realistic when setting the goals or deadlines and to build in a buffer; otherwise, you run the risk of failing to meet your objective. Once these key areas have been addressed, it will be necessary to set regular review intervals to avoid any surprises with deadlines and progress. As you're moving through the plan engaging your manager is key.
I enrolled in the recommended training program and set additional goals for myself. I committed to scheduling more one-on-one meetings with key client contacts and actively practicing active listening skills during those discussions.
The fourth step is to apply your learning to your partnership work. This means putting into practice what you have learned and using your new or improved skills, knowledge, or competencies in real situations. You can do this by seeking opportunities to work on partnership projects, tasks, or initiatives that challenge you and require you to use your learning. You can also ask for feedback from your partners, managers, or clients on how you are performing and what you can do better. Additionally, you can share your learning with others and contribute to the partnership community.
After completing the training, I put my newfound knowledge into practice. In client meetings, I focused on asking open-ended questions, paraphrasing their responses, and ensuring I understood their specific challenges and perspectives. I also made a conscious effort to build rapport by finding common ground and creating a more informal and engaging communication style.
The final step is to celebrate your achievements and recognize your growth. This means acknowledging your efforts, accomplishments, and results in closing your gaps and improving your partnership skills. You can do this by rewarding yourself with something that you enjoy or value, such as a treat, a gift, or a break. You can also share your success stories with others and inspire them to pursue their own learning and development. Moreover, you can reflect on your journey and identify the key lessons, insights, and benefits that you have gained from it.
The effort paid off. Clients commented on feeling more heard and valued, leading to a more collaborative and productive partnership. This positive feedback, along with improved client relationship metrics, became key achievements showcased in my next performance review.