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Stop Staring at the Computer!
Click here to share these important your organization.
Admit it. You've done it. You've stared at the computer screen endlessly wondering where to start. You have a performance evaluation due (or overdue) and the pressure to "get the thing done" is weighing on you. Here are a few tips for creating well-written comments on the performance evaluation document without all the pain:
§ Refer to pre-determined standards and goals - List the outcomes you and the employee agreed to at the beginning of the year and describe what the employee did to achieve them.
§ Cite examples of performance - If you have kept specific and detailed records of the employee's performance, these can be the basis for comments on the performance evaluation. If you have saved e-mails, letters of commendation, and actual work samples, you can describe these in the performance evaluation, and they serve as sound support for your ratings, whether they are positive, negative, or neutral.
§ Be objective and specific rather than subjective and general -The more specific examples and factual evidence you can offer, the more likely the evaluation will be well received. It's easy to argue with opinion, but it's difficult to argue with facts.
§ Write in a conversational tone - Do you write "about" the employee or do you write "to" the employee? The ideal tone to use in a performance evaluation is the more personal tone of writing to the employee.
§ Strive for balance in terms of positive and constructive comments - Solid performance-related comments should be both positive and constructive. Even the very best worker can benefit from a suggestion for improvement for the coming rating period. And, even the worst employee has done something right. Make sure that both ends of the spectrum are mentioned in the evaluation comments.
The next time you sit down to write a performance evaluation, think about your approach. If you focus on specific examples and refer to previous discussions, you'll have plenty to write about. Good luck!
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Leadership Excellence Awards 
My friend and colleague Dennis Haley of Academy Leadership is spearheading this year's Leadership Excellence Awards, presented to up to six senior executives of U.S.-based companies who demonstrate a consistent and selfless strength of character and the moral courage to maintain the highest standards of ethical leadership.
The nomination deadline is April 30, 2007 and the awards will be presented at the 2007 Leadership Excellence Summit held at the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, July 17-19, 2007. The awards and the summit are sponsored by the United States Naval Academy, the Vice Admiral James B. Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership, and the Harvard Business Review. If you would like to learn more about the awards and the event, visit www.LeadershipExcellenceSummit.com.
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Western Region IPMA-HR Training Conference
 Don't forget about the upcoming Western Region IPMA-HR Training Conference. This is a great opportunity to network and learn about the best practices in public sector human resource management. Click here to learn more about this year's conference, held in Scottsdale, Arizona on May 7 - 11, 2007. Join Management Education Group and the many other great sponsors and take advantage of these developmental opportunities!
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Readers Respond
"Your documentation comments were right on target, however, one area that I found supervisors do not quite understand is, when to get rid of information in their supervisory files. They understand they need to document, but some supervisors do not understand what documentation to keep on record in their supervisor file, versus what documents are no longer relevant and should be purged. For example, I have found some supervisors wanting to tie new concerns to an event years earlier, acting on old emails or notes, from which they may or may not have ever discussed with the employee."
Doreen Armstrong, Director, Employee Relations, Pima County Community College District
Great observations Doreen! Thanks for sharing them. I think your idea is really relevant and argues for the need to provide immediate feedback to employees, rather than making a note in the file and then waiting to see if the issue fixes itself. You have also reminded us that the performance evaluation should cover performance for the current year or rating period and should not reflect performance outside of that timeframe.
We are interested in hearing from you. Please send us your best performance management practices. How do you make performance expectations clear for the employees? What are your secrets for keeping good documentation? What methods do you use to involve employees in the management of their performance?
Sincerely,
Marnie Green
Management Education Group
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