Transcript Writing Performance Reviews

Writing Performance Reviews
What? How Much? How?
THE PROBLEM WITH REVIEWS
According to Supervisors. .
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Take too long to write.
People only want good news.
It’s about “Show me the
money!”
Don’t improve performance.
Employees say. . .
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Never get one or it’s
late.
All checkmarks and no
examples.
No guidance about
what to do differently.
No link between
performance and pay.
REINFORCE EXPECTATIONS
Why Write Performance Reviews?
• Opportunity for formal written feedback and dialogue about
development.
• Emphasize a “performance” culture.
• Reinforce expectations & recognize achievement of them.
• Generate documentation and a record (+ and -).
• Justification for employment decisions.
Performance reviews should clarify:
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What is expected of me?
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Why is it important?
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How am I doing?
Performance Management vs
Performance Review
Performance Management
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Continuous interaction
Part of the ongoing “routine”
Ongoing development
Observations with feedback for
small incremental changes
“Real-time” here-and-now
orientation
COACHING
Performance Review
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Singular meeting (2x’s/yr)
“Dedicated” time
Development “plan”
Summarizes results against
expectations
Documentation of past
events
EVALUATION
Rater Biases:
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How to Limit the Effect
Contrast/Comparison
Central Tendency
Familiarity/Similarity
Halo/Horns Effect
Recency
Length of Service
Prior Reviews
Documentation Guidelines
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Keep a record of examples & samples.
Note successes and lessons learned.
Document as events occur.
Note dates, times, objective measures.
Include important items, not every routine action.
“Deliberative” notes & samples.
Copy & paste: emails, portions of electronic
documents, sample work.
You have the
opportunity to
influence your review
by what you choose
to write and how you
write it!
General Writing Tips
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Provide specific examples or quantitative, measurable
information to demonstrate progress compared to a
target.
Give more examples of important information as
evidence for a very high (Top) rating or for a very low
(Requires Improvement) rating.
Use different examples for each goal/
expectation/competency.
Keep your comments descriptive and succinct. (Focus
on facts & measures. No generalities, labeling or
personality traits.)
Use correct grammar, punctuation, spelling. OR, a
bulleted list of accomplishments if there are several
instead of a narrative paragraph.
Writing Tips – Form Specific
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Goals/Expectations
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Behavioral Competencies
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Objective quality-quantity-date information that
directly supports the level of attainment.
Description of specific related activities; references to
a work sample, project, incident.
Specific examples that show obvious connection to
each competency.
Incorporate phrases from Appraisal Wizard along with
a specific incident involving you.
Overall Comments
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General summary regarding the level of performance.
Reiteration of key positive highlights/ progress
achieved.
SAY WHAT?!?!?
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“This young lady has
delusions of adequacy.”
“Works well when under
constant supervision and
cornered like a rat in a
trap.”
“He brings a lot of joy
whenever he leaves the
room.”
“Got a full six-pack but
lacks the plastic thing to
hold it all together.”
“Just the Facts”
WRITING TIPS
Opinion or Vague
-Self-
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I am organized and
efficient in performing my
daily tasks in a timely
manner.
Improved quality &
satisfaction of learning
programs in 2010.
Supervisor Comment
Disorganized and does not
multi-task well.
Fact (Specific)
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Utilize a “5 Top Priorities” list
to plan my daily tasks and
accomplished all assignments on
or before requested deadlines.
Reorganized electronic folders
in June 2010 by project areas
to enable faster retrieval.
Increased 2009 program fillrate to 95% vs. avg of 67% in
2008. Overall rating average
of 9.7 vs. 8.3 during same time.
Supervisor Specific Comment
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Filing items by project name and on
department drive will enable faster
retrieval/updates by Pat & others
despite phone/people interruptions.
“Straight Talk”
WRITING TIPS
Negative Tone
Instructive Tone
-Supervisor-
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Fails to follow
customer request
instructions which
causes customer
problems.
-Supervisor-
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Specific Examples
Rater Bias
-Self-
-Self-
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“Received excellent
patron feedback on
Fall performance
series. (Recency)
Needs to read all
information on request
form & obtain customer
confirmation of plan
before executing event
details.
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Consistently increased
patron satisfaction
ratings from Winter (7.2)
to Spring (7.9) to Fall (9.1)
by implementing patron
suggestions noted on
evaluations.
PERFORMANCE LEVELS
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TOP
Exceeds expectations in most aspects of the job frequently.
Goes above and beyond what is asked.
Thinks ahead. Is proactive. Seeks improvement.
Solves problems independently.
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VALUED
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Meets expectations in all major aspects of the position and
exceeds some.
Sometimes goes beyond what is asked.
Takes initiative to solve problems.
Seeks learning and improvement.
DEVELOPING
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New to the position or some duties are new.
More training/learning is needed to be fully performing all
aspects of the job at the desired level.
Performance does not meet expectations for fully experienced
person.
DEVELOPING
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New to the position or some duties are new.
Strengths, Development Areas,
Action Steps & Overall Comments
REMEMBER THIS!
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People rarely remember what they are told.
What they remember usually wrong.
WRITTEN COMMENT Sections
Strengths: Describe TWO things they do well.
Development Areas: Name ONE area they need to improve
and ONE item they need to learn or develop further.
Action Steps: Describe ONE to THREE specific actions they
need to take to achieve the next level of performance.
Overall Comments:
Describe their value to the organization