At the start of the year, you set your goals and you worked out the development you needed to help you get there. How are you getting on?
We have two formal performance reviews each year, a mid-year review in May and end-of-year review in November. We’ve removed enabling conversations but it’s still important to have regular 121s with your manager to check in and review your progress.
Here’s how you can maximise these conversations and make them a productive and collaborative use of time.
1. Agree a frequency and format that works for you
We don’t have a set template or recommended frequency for 121s, so have a chat with your manager about what would work for you. If you’re a new starter, or you’re working on something challenging, be open with your manager if you need to increase the frequency, even if temporarily. Block out recurring time in the diary so you’re both clear about when you’ll meet next.
If you’re a manager: Commit to holding your 121’s regularly and don’t cancel them. Meeting regularly strengthens relationships and maximises performance. Showing that these meetings are important to you will help your team member feel valued and engaged.
2. Don’t just talk about your to do list
It’s tempting to focus on day-to-day priorities but it’s important to also make time to discuss your career, your development and your progress against your overall goals. No one is more invested in your development than you, so let your manager know in advance that you’d like to discuss this in your next 121. Click here for some tips.
If you’re a manager: 121s are a great forum to work through challenges in real time but be sure to cover a breadth of topics. Have an agreed agenda or ask your team member to prepare a list of topics in advance. Remain flexible if your team member would like to use their 121 to address something different.
3. Give feedback
Your 121 is all about you, so let your manager know if there is anything different they could be doing to support you. Whether you’re experiencing a challenge, or you have a great idea, speak up so they can support you.
If you’re a manager: Take the opportunity to provide and receive feedback, it shouldn’t just move in one direction. Regular feedback can be a launch pad for improved performance, resulting in less surprises for your team and for you. Be sure to acknowledge great performance, as well as where things could be improved.
What should you do after your 121s?
There’s no set documentation to complete so we recommend that you together agree how best to record actions that come out of 121s.
If you’d like to record your 121s, then check-in documents are available on myHR portal. These allow you to make notes against your performance and development goals and add any general discussion topics. Click here for more information on adding a check-in document.
Supporting you
For further support, read these articles on Good Practice. If you haven’t already, sign up for an account with your Carnival UK email address:
Keeping your development front of mind
It’s important to keep our personal development front of mind so we can equip ourselves to make the most of new and exciting opportunities. To support you, your growth and your development, we’ve launched our latest Learning Guide, which describes all the development opportunities on offer between March – May 2023.
Click here to download the Learning Guide and see what’s happening between March – May 2023