Top Tips for ConductingSuccessful Performance Evaluations

Proven strategies and best practices for making the most of evaluations.

1

25

3

4Arrange the discussion by getting organized and communicating.

Get organized.

• Findatimeandplacethatworksforbothofyou.• Makesurethelocationisprivate.• Scheduleenoughtimesoyoudon’thavetorushandareabletobothspeakandlisten.

Communicate in advance.

• Letyourstaffknowwhentheprocessisstarting.• Conveyyourenthusiasmfortheprocess–boththeopportunitytorecognizeandacknowledgegreatworkaswellastheopportunitytoidentifymutuallyagreeduponsolutionstochallenges.

• Askstaffmemberstoprepare(seetip#5).

Prepare for the meeting.• Reviewthestaffmember’sactivitiesfromtheentireyearbylookingovertheirfile,kudosreceived,one-on-onemeetingnotes,progressongoals,andworkshopsorothertrainingattended.

• Makenotesaboutaccomplishmentsyouwanttorecog-nizeandcoachingyouwanttoprovide.

• ConnectemployeeperformancetothemissionandgoalsoftheunitandVanderbilt,andbepreparedtodescribehowitfurthersthemission.

• Createanagendaforthesessionthatincludestheitemsaboveandbuildsintimeforyoutolistentofeedback.

Help your staff members prepare.Themostrewardingperformanceevaluationsforbothmanagersandstaffaretwo-wayconversations.Providingguidancetoyourstaffmemberabouthowtopreparefortheevaluationwillincreasethelikelihoodthatyouwillhaveameaningfulandproductivediscussion.Whenyouarrangethemeetings,suggestemployeescomepreparedtodiscuss:• Accomplishmentsduringtheyear-whataretheyproudof?• Thelessonstheylearnedduringtheyear–whatcouldthey

havedonebetter,whatwouldtheydoinafuturesitua-tion,andwhatsupportdotheyneedtobesuccessful?

• Coachingandsupportneeded–whathelpdotheyneedfromyouinordertobesuccessful?

• Progressongoals–goalsmetandunmet.Iftheydidn’tmeettheirgoals,whatweretheobstacles?Dotheyhaveanysuggestionsforovercomingtheobstaclesandcanyouproblem-solvetogetherforfuturesuccess?

• Professionaldevelopment–wouldtheyliketraining,men-toringorotherlearningopportunities?

• Careerdevelopment–whataretheircareerplansandistheresomethingyoucandotohelpthem?

Take an interest in your employees’ professional and career development–itshowsthatyouarecommittedtotheirsuccessandenhancestheiroverallengagementandsatisfaction.Thisdoesnotmeanthatyouneedtohavealltheanswersforthemorpromisethemthatapromotionisforthcoming.Astheirleader,yourroleissimplytoguide,coach,andwherepossible,provideopportunitiestogrowanddevelop.HelpingyouremployeecreateanIndividual Development Plan (IDP)isagoodfirststep.

Use optional self-evaluations thoughtfully, butkeepinmindthatwhilecomparingyourevaluationwiththestaffmember’sself-evaluationcangeneratehealthydiscussionandinsights,usingtheself-evaluationasthefinalevaluationwillnotservetheevaluationgoalatall.Ifyouwouldliketohaveyouremployeescompleteaself-evaluationusingtheonlinetool(VPES),seedirectionsforuniversity employeesandformedical center employees.

Create a dialogue.• Plantobeanactivelistener.• Allowampleopportunitiesforyourstaffmembertorespondtoyourcomments.

• Remembertoaskyourstaffmemberwhatheorsheneedsfromyou.

• Workonproblem-solvingtogetherratherthanblaming.• Trynottoresponddefensively.Ifthestaffmemberhasanangryoremotionalresponse,rememberto:• Listen.Pause.Breathe.• Thinkabouttheemotionsyouarebothexperiencingandwheretheymaybecomingfrom.

• Respondbyreflectingbackwhatyouthinkthestaffmemberisfeeling.Becurious,askquestions.Kindlyrestateyourpoint.

Do’s and don’ts.Do:• Problem-solve.• Focusontheentireyear.• Bespecific.• IntegratewiththemissionandgoalsoftheteamandVanderbilt.

• Askfortheiropinions,sug-gestions,accomplishments,goalsandneeds.

Don’t:• Blame.• Selectonlyrecentactivities.• Generalize.• Focusonactions,goalsandobjectivesthatdon’tcon-necttoteamandorganiza-tionalgoals.

• Doallthetalking.

Top Tips for Conducting Successful Performance Evaluations

6

7

8Use the ratings effectively.• Reviewandmakekeynotesabouttheemployee’spreviousevaluation,bothscoresandcomments.Didtheemployeetakespecificactionstoimproveperformanceoverthelastyear?

• Accesswhetherthekeyfunctionsforwhichyouusetoevaluateperformanceremainvalidmeasurementsoftheemployee’sjobresponsibilities.Ifnot,pleasemakenotestochangethekeyfunctionsforthenextevalua-tionseason?

• Brieflyoverviewthegenericscoringtemplatetore-famil-iarizeyourselfwiththelevelsofperformancemeasures.

• Ifyouaskyouremployeestocompleteself-evaluations,taketimetoevaluatetheirperformanceseparatelyfromtheemployee’sself-evaluation.Compareyourratingswiththeemployee’sself-ratings.Makenotesofalignmentanddifferencesthendeterminefinalratings.Thecommentsintheevaluationshouldreflectthesupervisor’sassessmentseparatelyfromanyemployeecommentsthataremadeandagreeduponbythesupervisor.

Set goals -- together.

Look at last year’s goals.

• Howdiditgo?Lettheemployeetellyouwhatheorshethinks.

• Giveyourfeedback.• Celebrateaccomplishedgoals!• Forunmetgoals,talkaboutwhynot:

• Wasitapersonalobstacleorsomethingwithincontrol?Ifso,howcanyouencourageandsupportsuccess?

• Wasitanexternalobstacleorsomethingoutsideofcontrol?Ifso,istheresomethingyoudototakecareoftheobstacle?Canyourefocusonwhatisattainable?

Set goals for next year.

• Encourageyourstaffmembertoidentifygoalsthatheorshewantstoworkon,especiallythosethatalignwiththeteamgoals.

• Askthestaffmembertowriteadraftcopytogooverwithyou.

• MakegoalsSMART(Specific,Measurable,Aspirational,Realistic,Timebound).

Coach to improve performance.

Providingconstructivefeedbacktoyouremployeesshowsthatyoucareaboutthemandwanttohelpthemsucceed.Effectivemanagersaddressmajorperformanceissuesatthetimetheyoccur,sothereshouldn’tbesurprisesattheevaluation.Ontheotherhand,youmayhavesugges-tionsforimprovementstoenhanceanemployee’soverallperformance,helphimorhermovefromgoodtogreat,ormoreeffectivelyalignactivitiestotheteam’smissionandgoals.Givingconstructivefeedbackwillprovidedirectionforthecomingyearandclarifyexpectations.

How to provide constructive feedback:• Beforetheevaluationmeeting,identifythebehaviororbehaviorsthatneedimprovement.Describehowtheim-provementswillhaveapositiveimpactontheteam’sororganization’smissionortheemployee’sgoals,profes-sionalgrowthorjobfunctions.

• Providepositivefeedbackfirst.• Describethebehaviorthatneedsimprovement.• Asktheemployeeforrecommendationstocorrectthebehavior.Ifheorshesuggestsaworkablesolution,giveyourapprovalandyourexpectationforimprovedper-formance.Iftheemployeeisunabletoofferasolution,problem-solvetogether.

• Clarifytheagreementanddeterminenextsteps.Setatimetofollowup.

• Reiteratepositivekeypointsfromyourearlierdiscussion.• Thanktheemployeeandmakeitclearthatyourgoalistoseehimorhersucceed.

Ifyouanticipatethatthiswillbeaverydifficultconversa-tion,pleaserememberthatthereistrainingavailablefor medical center and university leaders.