Ending With the Beginning in
MindTaking the Fear out of
Performance Evaluations
What Should Performance Evaluations Be About?
Past Performan
ce YearNew
Performance Year
General Worth?
• Forbes Magazine Findings
• 98% of Staff Find Annual Performance Reviews Unnecessary
• Lackadaisical management attitude = employee apathy
Generally Worthless!
• 98% of staff find annual performance reviews unnecessary
• Lackadaisical management attitude = employee apathy
Common Excuses
• Our Work is Different
• It’s Either Pass or Fail so Who Cares?
• There’s no Money Anyway!
Common Excuses
R477-10-1. Performance Evaluation
• (1) Performance management systems shall satisfy the following criteria:• (a) Agency management shall select an overall performance rating scale.• (b) Performance standards and expectations for each employee shall be specifically
written in a performance plan.• (c) Managers or supervisors provide employees with regular verbal and written
feedback based on the standards of performance and behavior outlined in the performance plan.
• (d) An employee shall have the right to include written comments pertaining to the evaluation with the employee's performance evaluation.
• (2) Each fiscal year a state employee shall receive a performance evaluation.• (a) A probationary employee shall receive an additional performance evaluation at the
end of the probationary period.
What Will We Be Discussing?
• Before the Evaluation Meeting
• During the Evaluation Meeting
• After the Evaluation Meeting
Long Before the Evaluation Meeting
• SMART Objectives
• Consistent Feedback (at least quarterly)
• Culture of Accountability
• Never, Ever any Surprises
Just Before the Evaluation Meeting
• Give Notice Well Before the Actual Meeting
• Communicate Agenda (Performance Narrative, Rating, Next Year’s Plan)
• Allow the Employee to Prepare for the Meeting
During the Evaluation Meeting
• Tell and Sell
• Tell and Listen
• Problem Solving Approach
Performance Narrative
Past Performan
ce YearNew
Performance Year
Performance Narrative
• What did the Employee Accomplish?• What Value did the Employee add?• What Could They Have Done Better?
• What Would they Like to do This Year?• What Recommendations do They Have to Improve
the Position?
What if the Narrative is Negative?
• If it Hasn’t Happened Before, This is the Time to Change Performance (No Surprises, but no Excuses)
• Make Sure the Meeting is Constructive, Looking Towards the Future
Assertive CommunicationAssertive
communication is the straightforward and
open expression of your needs, desires,
thoughts and feelings. Assertive
communication involves advocating for your own needs while still considering and
respecting the needs of others.
•Management Responsibilities•Begin With Genuine Praise•Think “and” Instead of “buts”•Focus on Behaviors•Don’t Rely on Subtext
During the Performance Evaluation
Diplomatic Dialogue
• Use Qualifying Language
• Avoid “Always” and “Never”
• Don’t Totalize or Inflame
• Get to the Root of Things
Assertive
Passive
Aggressive
• Central Tendency— the tendency to rate all employees the same around a medium or “satisfactory” point.
• Halo Effect— the tendency to let one outstanding employee characteristic or ability influence all other items of the evaluation, resulting in unwarranted global judgments.
• Contrast Error— evaluating employees using yourself as the standard rather than the standards articulated in the performance plan.
• Leniency Bias— evaluating everyone as above average, just different degrees of excellent.
• Unrelated Factors— considering personality qualities, quirks, appearance, or other factors that do not affect job performance.
Evaluation Biases
After the Evaluation Meeting
• Follow Through by Following up
• Connect the Evaluation Meeting with the Performance Plan Meeting
• If It’s Meaningless to you, it Will be Meaningless to Them
What Should Performance Evaluations Be About?
Past Performan
ce YearNew
Performance Year
Ending With the Beginning in
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