Universal Studios

STAR PERFORMANCES AT UNIVERSAL STUDIOS

After its recent ownership change, Universal Studios studies ways to improve. The primary goal was better dialogue. Not the dialogue in Universal’s movies and TV shows, but the dialogue among its managers and employees. So Universal developed “Performance Dialogue,” a performance management program based on the model of “Plan, Coach, Evaluate, Reward.”

Milestones, Inc was selected to provide the program’s Coach and Evaluate components. “Milestones was impressive because they seemed to be on top of the latest and greatest developments in the field,” said Gerry Brehm, Universal’s corporate training manager. “They were also more responsive than the bigger training companies,” added Brehm, “and more willing to customize their programs to fit Universal’s needs.” Customization was important to Universal, whose various divisions, from filmed entertainment to theme parks, have diverse cultures and challenges.

To date more than two hundred managers have participated in Milestones’ coaching workshops, called “Guiding and Developing Others.” Each workshop begins with a one-day session with Brett or Madelon miles, taught in groups of 15-20 managers. Participants apply the techniques for four weeks, then reconvene to evaluate their experience and to reinforce listening, questioning and feedback skills in a half-day session.

Participants begin by evaluating their own management style. They then learn how to set goals with employees and encourage them to take responsibility for achieving those goals. Managers also learn how to review employee performance, and how and when to give feedback to sustain or improve performance.

A complementary workshop, “Conducting Evaluations,” is given just before annual employee evaluations are made. Managers learn the techniques that lead to more effective evaluations and improved employee relations.

Milestones uses video clips to demonstrate effective coaching and communication techniques. Interactive exercises help managers to practice coaching skills before using them in the real world. Participants are excited about learning how to assess personal interests and values. “People feel that it gives them great insight into themselves,” said Brehm. One manager commented, “I never realized how significant people’s values are to the way they’re driven to do anything.” Another manager said, “Finally, I learned how to deal with people whose behavior is different from mine.”

Reaction to the workshops has been overwhelmingly positive. “Once our manager take the main course,” said Brehm, “they want the rest of their staff to do it.” In response to this demand, Milestones also teaches a one-day course for non-managers, which concentrates on communications skills.

Universal Music Group CFO David Ellner liked the primary course so much that he had Milestones repeat it for his top executives at their annual retreat. “It improved our group’s morale and team work,” said Ellner. “We plan to work with Milestones on a quarterly basis,” he added. Milestones’ also conducts teambuilding workshops for managers who want to make specific improvements in their own departments.

Milestones will conduct workshops at Universal through 1999. By that time Milestones hopes to have augmented Universal’s tradition of quality entertainment with a new tradition of effective management and self-motivated employees. Too bad there’s no Oscar™ for that kind of great dialogue.