{"id":7458,"date":"2026-02-26T15:12:21","date_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:12:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/staffdevelopment\/?p=7458"},"modified":"2026-02-26T15:14:56","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T15:14:56","slug":"how-can-i-show-up-better-for-performance-conversations","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.canterbury.ac.uk\/staffdevelopment\/how-can-i-show-up-better-for-performance-conversations\/","title":{"rendered":"How Can I….Show up better for performance conversations?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In our recent Masterclass Re\u2011framing Performance Management \u2013 from process to empowerment<\/strong><\/a>, we talked a lot about how performance conversations aren\u2019t defined by an annual review. They happen in the everyday moments \u2014 especially in our positive performance conversations (PPCs…aka your regular 1-1s).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yet many managers tell us they worry they\u2019re not \u201cdoing\u201d PPCs right. Some feel pressure to arrive with solutions. Others feel unsure how to create the kind of space where colleagues feel genuinely heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

Recent research into leadership in higher education echoes this. A 2025 <\/a>Times Higher Education<\/em> (THE) article<\/a> <\/strong>argues that leaders must \u201ctalk less and listen more,\u201d emphasising that effective one\u2011to\u2011ones depend on leaders engaging with the tone, emotion and intent<\/em> of what\u2019s being shared (not just the words). Active listening, they say, builds psychological safety, improves collaboration, and allows managers to pick up \u201csubtle cues, unspoken concerns and emotional undercurrents\u201d that are often the key to understanding what someone really needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This aligns closely with a powerful example shared by one of our managers, who has reframed their PPC practice with noticeable impact. Their experience shows that supportive performance conversations aren\u2019t about complexity, they\u2019re about presence, curiosity and genuine listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A Manager\u2019s Story: Re\u2011framing the PPC<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This manager described a shift in how they approach their Positive Performance Conversations. While team meetings in their area focus on \u201cdoing,\u201d they treat one\u2011to\u2011ones very differently, as a space for listening<\/em>, reflection<\/em> and empowerment<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how they do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Be present & unplugged<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

They remove digital barriers completely. Turning away from the computer and using a notebook signals full attention \u2014 something they acknowledged can be difficult, but which has profoundly changed the quality of the conversations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n<\/div>

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

This mirrors the THE guidance<\/strong><\/a> that active listening requires \u201cundivided focus\u201d and avoiding distractions such as screens or notifications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use non\u2011verbal cues to create a safe space<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Engagement isn\u2019t only verbal. They described using eye contact, open body language, and even arranging chairs at a 45\u00b0 angle rather than directly opposite, creating a more relaxed, less formal environment where colleagues feel comfortable taking their time to think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Reflective listening<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

They para\u00adphrase and summarise what they hear to check understanding and validate emotion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cIt sounds like you\u2019re frustrated because\u2026\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

This aligns with THE\u2019s emphasis on \u201creflecting and paraphrasing\u201d to confirm understanding and show genuine engagement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask, don\u2019t tell<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

One of the strongest habits they\u2019ve built is resisting the urge to jump to solutions. Instead, they rely on open questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • \u201cWhat happened next?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u201cHow did that make you feel?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u201cWhat do you think would help?\u201d<\/em><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    This encourages deeper insight and helps colleagues find their own answers rather than defaulting to the manager\u2019s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Resist the \u2018fixing\u2019 instinct<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    They admitted that this is the hardest shift. As a manager \u2014 and previously a teacher \u2014 their instinct was to help by solving the issue. But stepping back, listening fully, and showing empathy enables the colleague to reflect, articulate thoughts, and develop their own approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    This approach embodies what THE describes as listening \u201cwithout judgement\u201d and creating conditions where colleagues feel \u201csafe, seen and aligned\u201d in uncertainty or change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Conclusion<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    What this manager demonstrates so clearly is that effective PPC\u2019s don\u2019t require a new framework or a complex script. Small shifts, being fully present, listening deeply, using reflective questions \u2014 have a meaningful impact on how supported, empowered and heard colleagues feel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    In a time when so much has changed at CCCU, the way we connect with each other matters more than ever. Positive Performance Conversations give us a powerful opportunity to slow down, listen differently and help colleagues think, grow and move forward with clarity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    If you take one idea from this: you don\u2019t need to have all the answers \u2014 you just need to create the space where people can explore their own.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

    Harriet Robb, Learning and Organisational Development; Giles Polglase and Kevin White, Student and Academic Services<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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