Use the MEI Heatmap to analyze manager effectiveness

The MEI Heatmap in 15Five's Manager Effectiveness Indicator allows leaders to dig into how managers are performing in areas critical to manager effectiveness, so you know where to focus attention to improve manager effectiveness— the #1 driver of employee performance, engagement, and retention. In this article, we'll walk through how to use the MEI Heatmap to analyze manager performance in your organization.

Use the MEI Heatmap to analyze manager effectiveness

1. Click Manager Effectiveness in 15Five's main, left-hand navigation.
   
2. You're now on the Manager Effectiveness Indicator. Use the top navigation to open the 'Factors' tab.
   
3. From this tab, you can view the MEI Heatmap, which allows leaders to dig into how managers are performing in areas critical to manager effectiveness.
   
   
   The MEI Heatmap contains two types of factors: usage factors and competency factors.
   • Usage factors are measured using data from features in 15Five (e.g. High Fives, Check-ins, Objectives).
   • Competency factors are based on 15Five's Manager Competencies and measured using data gathered from manager effectiveness assessments (i.e. manager effectiveness engagement surveys and manager effectiveness review cycles).
     
     
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     Tip

     The top row of the heatmap always shows your organization's average factor scores so you can compare individual manager scores to organization-wide performance.

4. See how factors are measured or defined: Hover over a usage factor to see how it's measured. Or, hover over a competency factor to see how it's defined.
   
5. Apply filters. Use the "Value range" filters at the top of the heatmap to filter the heatmap to highlight results that meet specific score ranges.
   
   
   

   Some use cases for applying filters are:

   Identifying organizational strengths and opportunities

   Utilize the heatmap to identify which factors your organization is excelling in and where your areas of opportunity lie. Celebrate strengths and leverage them as examples of best practices. Simultaneously, pinpoint areas where improvement is needed and take action to improve them.
   

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   Tip

   Use Outcome Insights on the HR Outcomes Dashboard to see curated actions that you can take to drive outcomes in your organization.

   Identifying cohorts of managers with similar areas of opportunity

   Use the heatmap to identify cohorts of managers that exhibit similar opportunities for improvement. Tailor development initiatives to address specific needs within each cohort, fostering a culture of continuous improvement across the organization. This proactive approach can help managers enhance their skills and become more effective leaders.
   

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   Tip

   If managers need additional training, consider utilizing Microlearnings— research-backed trainings that help managers learn the skills they need from experts in 5-9 minute increments, then practice those skills by applying them to their existing priorities. For organizations who want a more customized approach to training, 15Five's Transform offering provides on-demand training and live coaching designed to build effective managers. With Transform, you can design tailored learning journeys to help specific cohorts of managers improve skills critical to manager effectiveness.

   Identifying outliers

   Leverage the heatmap to identify outliers—managers whose performance deviates from the norm across various factors. Investigate the reasons behind their exceptional performance or areas needing improvement. Develop tailored strategies to either replicate successes or address areas of concern, ensuring a more balanced and effective leadership landscape within the organization.
   

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   Tip

   Leaders can use the "Manage Actions" tab of their homepage to assign Actions, like taking Transform courses, to individuals or groups of managers— streamlining task management and providing organization-wide clarity on priorities.

6. Use the other tabs on the Manager Effectiveness Indicator to continue analyzing and driving manager effectiveness in your organization.