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Description

Care and High Standards: Supporting, Correcting and Holding the Expected Level

Holding the expected level of performance without compromising the quality of the relationship with your team

  • 2 days — 14 h
  • In-person or virtual
  • Intermediate
  • Up to 6 participants

Two pitfalls await every manager. Lowering standards to protect the atmosphere, and allowing gaps to settle in that no one names any longer. Or holding the line with no regard for people, and watching the team protect itself instead of improving. In both cases the quality of the work eventually declines.

These two days focus on combining both dimensions within everyday management practice. The work centres on feedback and corrective conversations, as well as on declining a request with sound reasoning. This programme addresses performance expectations, whereas the programme dedicated to care addresses working conditions.

Learning objectives

  • State a performance expectation in verifiable terms
  • Deliver corrective feedback based on observable facts
  • Address a repeated gap without damaging the working relationship
  • Decline a request while explaining the decision
  • Acknowledge success in a proportionate and useful way

What makes this programme different

Work on the wording that turns a reproach into a request the other person can accept
Corrective conversations role-played on situations brought by participants
A clear distinction maintained between expectations on results and judgement of the person

Programme

1Standards and Relationships

Moving beyond the trade-off between the two

  • The effects of gradual concession on the collective level of performance
  • The effects of expectations expressed without consideration
  • What makes an expectation acceptable to a team member
  • The role of managerial consistency

2Stating a Verifiable Expectation

From impression to observable criterion

  • Translating dissatisfaction into a precise expectation
  • Defining the expected level on a recurring activity
  • Checking that the expectation has been understood in the same way
  • Distinguishing a skills gap from a willingness gap

3Feedback and Corrective Conversations

Naming what is wrong and securing change

  • Structuring corrective feedback around facts
  • Conducting a corrective conversation while preserving the person
  • Handling defensive reactions and justifications
  • Agreeing on a commitment and a review date

4Holding the Line Over Time

Consistency and unpopular decisions

  • Declining a request while explaining the reason
  • Maintaining a decision contested by several team members
  • Acknowledging progress without lowering expectations
  • Dealing with a gap that persists despite the conversations

Who is it for

Managers in post who observe quality gaps or unmet commitments within their team.

Prerequisites

Prior experience of conducting one-to-one meetings with team members.

Dates & locations

36 scheduled dates between November 2026 and December 2027. Seats are confirmed in the order enquiries are received.

November 2026

December 2026

January 2027

February 2027

March 2027

April 2027

May 2027

June 2027

September 2027

October 2027

November 2027

December 2027

None of these dates suit you? We open additional sessions on request, and any programme can be run privately for your team.

Practical details

Before the programme
Online positioning questionnaire. Your development objectives are shared with the trainer, who tailors the practical case studies to your context.
Teaching methods
Theoretical input, workshops and practical case studies. Digital course materials and method sheets provided.
Assessment
Multiple-choice tests and role-play exercises. Assessment of learning at the start and end of the programme, with immediate and 60-day follow-up evaluations.
After the programme
One year of access to the e-learning platform. Self-assessment of the skills acquired and a 30-day follow-up session with your trainer.
How to register
Registration online or on the basis of a quotation.
Lead time
11 working days after confirmation of registration.
Accessibility
Accessible to people of determination. Contact our accessibility coordinator to design a suitable solution: contact@mpf-academy.ae
Start dates
Rolling intake: in addition to the scheduled sessions, this programme can start on request.