5 tips for better performance conversations

These business professionals share their tips for conducting a productive employee performance conversation:

Lori Goldsmith, SPHR, GPHR, president of Heart of HR Shared Services, a human resources consulting firm, reminds us of the purpose of feedback:

"One of the best things you can do as a leader is to be visible and frequently communicate the good, the bad and everything in between to your employees. Especially when it comes to employee performance meetings, don't wait until the 'dreaded meeting' and shy away from giving negative feedback. Realize that if you are not developing your employees to reach their full potential, you are doing a huge disservice to the entire team and to yourself. Ignoring an issue won't make it go away. Prepare for the meeting and practice. Be genuine, firm and fair."

Dominique Jones, vice president of human resources at Halogen Software, a market leader in cloud-based talent management solutions, shares the importance...