Writing Performance Reviews
What? How Much? How?
THE PROBLEM WITH REVIEWS
According to Supervisors. . Employees say. . .
Take too long to write. Never get one or it’s
People only want good news. late.
It’s about “Show me the All checkmarks and no
money!” examples.
Don’t improve performance. 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:
What is expected of me?
Why is it important?
How am I doing?
Performance Management vs
Performance Review
Set Goals
March
Review Meeting Cascade Goals
February Ongoing Upward
Feedback
Self Assess Mid Year
Manager Assess Review
January September
Performance Management Performance Review
Continuous interaction Singular meeting (2x’s/yr)
Part of the ongoing “routine” “Dedicated” time
Ongoing development Development “plan”
Observations with feedback for Summarizes results against
small incremental changes expectations
“Real-time” here-and-now Documentation of past
orientation events
COACHING EVALUATION
Rater Biases: How to Limit the Effect
Contrast/Comparison
Central Tendency
Familiarity/Similarity
Halo/Horns Effect
Recency
Length of Service
Prior Reviews
m e nt at ion!!!
yo u r o wn docu
Collect
Documentation Guidelines
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
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
Goals/Expectations
Objective quality-quantity-date information that directly
supports the level of attainment.
Description of specific related activities; references to a work
sample, project, incident.
Behavioral Competencies
Specific examples that show obvious connection to each
competency.
Incorporate phrases from Appraisal Wizard along with a
specific incident involving you.
Overall Comments
General summary regarding the level of performance.
Reiteration of key positive highlights/ progress achieved.
SAY WHAT?!?!?
“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.”
WRITING TIPS “Just the Facts”
Opinion or Vague Fact (Specific)
-Self-
-Self- Utilize a “5 Top Priorities” list to plan
I am organized and efficient my daily tasks and accomplished all
in performing my daily tasks assignments on or before requested
in a timely manner. deadlines. Reorganized electronic
folders in June 2010 by project areas
to enable faster retrieval.
Increased 2009 program fill-rate to
Improved quality & 95% vs. avg of 67% in 2008. Overall
satisfaction of learning rating average of 9.7 vs. 8.3 during
programs in 2010. same time.
Supervisor Specific Comment
Filing items by project name and on
Supervisor Comment department drive will enable faster
retrieval/updates by Pat & others despite
Disorganized and does not phone/people interruptions.
multi-task well.
WRITING TIPS “Straight Talk”
Negative Tone Instructive Tone
-Supervisor- -Supervisor-
Fails to follow Needs to read all information
customer request on request form & obtain
instructions which customer confirmation of plan
causes customer before executing event
problems. details.
Specific Examples
-Self-
Rater Bias
-Self- Consistently increased patron
satisfaction ratings from
“Received excellent Winter (7.2) to Spring (7.9) to
patron feedback on Fall (9.1) by implementing
Fall performance patron suggestions noted on
series. (Recency) evaluations.
PERFORMANCE LEVELS
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.
VALUED
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
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
New to the position or some duties are new.
Strengths, Development Areas,
Action Steps & Overall Comments
REMEMBER THIS!
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
