Tools of the Trade
A Monthly Guide to Communicating Effectively at Work |
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Greetings!
Welcome to the September edition of Write It Well's newsletter. Each month we offer you our time-tested tools and strategies that make it easier to write at work. Feel free to forward this message to friends and coworkers who are also interested in learning to write more effectively.
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Dos and Don'ts for Performance Reviews
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It takes time to be a great manager, and it takes a lot of time to write effective performance reviews. In fact, there's usually a direct correlation between the amount of time spent preparing the review and writing it, and its usefulness to an employee.
In June 2010, we were invited to speak on NPR's The Takeaway with fellow guest Samuel Culbert, author of Get Rid of the Performance Review. You can listen to the show on our website.
Even though eliminating performance reviews may sound pretty appealing, it's not realistic. In fact, this era of downsizing and law suits has made performance reviews more important than ever. More organizations are developing new processes for performance reviews, or improving their existing review processes.
Most of us do share the goal, however, of making performance reviews worthwhile. So, as lots of us enter the year-end performance review cycle, keep these points in mind:
Reviewers should
- Develop SMART objectives at the beginning of the review cycle
- Have ongoing conversations with employees during the review period
- Give objective, descriptive feedback with detailed examples
Reviewers should not
- Include any surprises in a written performance review
- Offer any guarantees or promises
- Use vague or subjective language
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 Write It Well's Books, Programs,and Editing Services
 Write It Well can help with all your writing needs! Looking for a self-paced training manual to improve individual writing skills, or materials for an in-house trainer? Click here.Looking for an on-site workshop or customized webinar or e-learning module? Click here.Want a writer or editor to help you create or finish a report, article, product description, or white paper? Or could you use a style guide or set of exemplary documents for your writing team? Click here.
What's New at Write It Well
Free webinar: Dos and Don'ts for Performance Reviews. Join us on Wednesday, September 22nd, at 11 a.m. PST for a 45-minute session (including Q & A) on writing performance reviews. Space is limited to 25 people. Sign up here!
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Welcome to new clients the Federal Judicial Center, Carollo Engineers, and Virtusa.·
Hot off the presses! The updated facilitator kit for our workbook Professional Writing Skills is now available. For only $499 (which includes shipping) you'll receive 20 copies of the workbook, a leader's guide that includes suggestions for preparing an excellent workshop and a script for leading it, and a set of PowerPoint slides that you can modify with your logos and writing samples.
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Keep reading our newsletter! In October, we'll focus on writing effective marketing copy and search engine-optimized (SEO) writing for the Web. In November, we'll review correct uses for the comma.
Just a Bit about Us Write It Well is certified as a woman-owned business (WBE) and a California State-Certified supplier (57828). Since 1980, we have helped people in the workplace communicate clearly and work together effectively.
We develop and deliver online and on-site programs, publish a line of popular business-writing texts and facilitator kits, and provide writing and editing services for organizations large and small. We offer five programs: Marketing Writing, Writing Performance Reviews, Effective E-Mail, Business Writing, and Grammar Fundamentals. You can customize any of these job-relevant programs, and they get results. |
