Managing Performance at Puget Sound

The New Performance Review Schedule: Resources for Supervisors

The purpose of the staff performance review and development system is continuously to improve the quality and capacity of the University of Puget Sound staff in support of the mission of the university.

Forms and instructions available at

“It’s not easy to confront people who’ve failed to live up to expectations. It may also feel uncomfortable to praise those who get it right. But be aware that not giving active feedback is another way of giving passive feedback. Silence tells underperformers they’re doing okay and overachievers they’re not doing enough. Your reluctance to praise will likely lead good workers to slack off or search for another employer who’ll appreciate their value. And don’t lull yourself into waiting for poor performers to improve. Without active guidance, they’ll either continue to underperform—or get even worse.”

--adapted from The Accidental Manager, Gary S. Topchik

Additional resources:

University staff policies and procedures, and campus-wide policies and information

United Behavioral Health (LifeEra) management consultations

Consultations with HR staff

Take-home Tools

Appendix A: Written Corrective Action Notice

Appendix B: Supplemental Questionnaire (instructions and form)

Appendix C: Performance Development Plan (instructions and form)

Appendix D: The Q12

Appendix E: Action verbs by skills category

Communication/ People Skills

Creative Skills

Data/Financial Skills

Helping Skills

Management/ Leadership Skills

Management/ Leadership Skills (continued)

Organizational Skills

Research Skills

Teaching Skills

Technical Skills

Appendix F: The Good and Bad (alternatives to written statements)

Appendix G: Sample Staff Performance Review

Appendix H: Holding the review conversation

Appendix I: Difficult Conversation Tips and Guidelines

Appendix J: Model for 360˚ Feedback

Appendix K: Litmus test questions (for use with planning future goals)

Appendix A: Written Corrective Action Notice

University of Puget Sound

Written Corrective Action Notice

Date:______Department:______

Name:______Job Title:______

Description of circumstances (attach additional pages if necessary):______

______

(If Applicable)

Date:______Time:______Location:______

Individuals involved with or witness to the situation (if applicable):

Name:______Title:______Dept:______

Assessment of situation: ______

______

Cite applicable university or department policy, procedure, work rule, performance standard:

______

Past actions pertinent to circumstances (including any previous verbal or written warnings):

______

Future action/recommendation/expectations:______

______

Time period for resolution of problem (if applicable):______

______

Repetition of this or other similar circumstances might result in further corrective action including suspension or termination of employment.

______

Supervisor’s Signature Date

Staff member’s comments (if any): ______

______

Supervisor’s comments:______

______

I have read the information contained in this written corrective action notice. My signature indicates that I have received a copy of this form and does not necessarily indicate agreement with the contents.

______

Staff Member’s SignatureDate

Copies of notice to:

Supervisor/ department head files

Human Resources file

Staff member

Other:______

Human Resources 02/06

Appendix B: Supplemental Questionnaire (instructions and form)

Using a Supplemental Questionnaire

During a Performance Review

Inviting a staff member to respond to a few thoughtful, supplemental questions can create a more engaging review and can give you valuable information about the staff member’s performance and morale.

Some guidelines for asking the staff member to complete a review questionnaire:

Good questionnaires cover the future as well as the past.
Before asking the questions, ask yourself if you’re prepared to hear the answers, whatever they may be.
Give the staff member enough advance notice to think about the questions and respond in writing if she/he wishes to do so.
Let the staff member know how the resulting information will be used.
Begin the conversation with an open-ended question, such as “What was it like to respond to these questions as part of your annual review?” or “Which question(s) did you find most helpful in thinking about your role here?” Let the staff member guide the discussion.
If you need to ask clarifying questions, do so without probing or appearing to defend yourself against the staff member’s comments. This is a time to listen, not to explain your position.
Thank the staff member for completing the questionnaire—and then do what you can to meet any needs identified. If you can’t meet them, say so—but don’t let the person’s responses just “fade away.” They’ll be less likely to respond the next time around.

Sample Questions:

Questions About Staff Member’s Work

What do you see as your most important work responsibilities?

What do you enjoy most about your work?

What do you find the most challenging? Are there any aspects of your job that you find confusing or frustrating?

Is there anything you would like to change about your job, or the way you perform it?

Questions About Past Performance

How has your job changed or evolved during the past year?

What is the most interesting thing you’ve learned during the past year?

Of your many accomplishments during the past year, which make you the most proud?

How would you evaluate your success in realizing your top priorities during the past academic year?

Questions About Future Goals, Priorities and Interests

What are your top three priorities for the coming year?

How do these goals relate to our department’s strategic goals of ______?

What would you like to improve on in the coming year?

How will you evaluate your success in meeting your goals for next year? [or How will you know when you’ve succeeded in meeting your goals for next year?]

Will achievement of your goals require additional education or training? If so, what?

Questions About Work Process, Resources and Relationships

Do you have the equipment/resources/staffing that you need to do your best work?

Do you get the information that you need to do your best work?

Who in the university community do you need to spend more time with in the coming year? Why?

What is your biggest challenge in working with other departments? Within this department? This division?

How effective are department staff or division meetings?

Are there other regular meetings (individual or group) for which you see a need?

How can your department director support you in doing your best work?

Questions About Supervisor Effectiveness

If you do the following things more or better, it would help me to increase my effectiveness:

If you do the following things less, or stop doing them, it would help me to increase my effectiveness:

The following things which you have been doing help to increase my effectiveness, and I hope you will continue to do them:

Fill-in-the-Blank Questions

If I could change one thing about University of Puget Sound, it would be:

A friend asks you, “What do you do at UPS? What is it like to work there?” You say:

My best day at work goes something like this:

I’d also like to talk about:

What question haven’t I [supervisor] asked that I should be asking?

Our thanks to Gayle McIntosh and Kim McDowell for sharing their tried-and-true review questionnaires. We know there are others out there—if you’d like to share yours, please send it in an electronic format to .

For Staff Performance Review instructions and forms, visit and click on “Staff Performance Review and Development.”

Appendix C: Performance Development Plan (instructions and form)

Performance Development Plan

The Performance Development Plan form is an available and optional tool for the supervisor and the staff member collaboratively to design, track and assess the ongoing development of the staff member’s skills, knowledge and abilities. It outlines a plan of action for continuing performance development and/or bringing performance up to expectations. Unlike the performance review form, the performance development plan is intended to be a departmental working document allowing for informal review and adjustment.

A performance development plan is not necessary for every staff member; however, if you check “needs improvement” on the Staff Performance Review form, you will want to develop a plan to address the area of needed improvement whether or not it is in the form of a performance development plan.

If the staff member and/or the supervisor want to continue to develop the staff member’s knowledge or skills, then a performance development plan might be in order.

Definitions:

Development Objectives: A concise statement indicating the intent or purpose of the action plan.

Action Plan: A specific action or sequence of actions intended to accomplish the objective.

Expected Outcomes: A statement identifying what will “be different” because the objective is achieved. Outcomes should be observable behavior, tangible and/or measurable results.

Time Frame: A date by when the objective is to be achieved.

Results: Status of the objective at a review point or upon completion of the objective.

Review Date: Date when the supervisor and staff member will next review the action item.

Signatures: The signatures indicate that both the supervisor and staff member have discussed this plan and are committed to its implementation and success.

Sample statements:

Objectives:

To improve your accuracy when proofreading documents.

Action plan:

You will locate and attend some training that addresses proofreading skills, and report back to me with your plan for implementing what you’ve learned.

Expected outcomes:

You will regularly produce error-free documents and will correct any errors on documents I ask you to proofread. It is expected that, in particular, all documents going to the Board of Trustees, senior executives, or to alumni, will be error-free.

Time Frame:

You will have attended the training and reported back by December 31, 2005. You will have regularly produced error-free documents by the time of your initial review period performance review in March.

Review date:

We will review the status of your performance monthly following your training and again at your performance review in March.
Performance Development Plan

Staff Member’s NameDate

Objectives / Action Plan / Expected Outcomes / Time Frame / Results / Review Date

Staff Member’s SignatureDate

Supervisor’s SignatureDate

Appendix D: The Q12

The Q12

In a November 2000 article in Fast Company (see for archives), author Tony Schwartz referenced the Gallup Study behind First, Break All the Rules: What the World’s Greatest Managers Do Differently (Buckingham and Coffman, Simon & Schuster, 1999).

Based on 1 million interviews over 25 years, the study indicates that employees’ responses to the following 12 questions will strongly predict their workplace performance:

Do I know what is expected of me at work?
Do I have the materials and equipment I need to do my work right?
At work, do I have the opportunity to do what I do best every day?
In the last seven days, have I received recognition or praise for doing good work?
Does my supervisor, or someone at work, seem to care about me as a person?
Is there someone at work who encourages my development?
At work, do my opinions seem to count?
Does the mission/purpose of my company make me feel my job is important?
Are my co-workers committed to doing quality work?
Do I have a best friend at work?
In the last six months, has someone at work talked to me about my progress?
This last year, have I had opportunities at work to learn and grow?

Results?

In one survey, those answering a “strongly agree” to these questions (AKA the Q12) were:

■50% more likely to have lower turnover

■38% more likely to work in more productive business units

■56% more likely to have high customer loyalty

In another survey based on the Q12 of a major retail company, answering “strongly agree” to a majority of the above questions correlated to:

■60% higher productivity in the respective stores

■In the most productive locations, 45% of the employees “strongly agreed” with the above, while only 11% had that response in the least productive stores.

■The survey also indicated that this resulted in an additional $27 million dollar cost in training and hiring for the less-productive stores

Appendix E: Action verbs by skills category

List of action verbs

Adapted from Quintessential Careers website (

Communication/People Skills

Addressed
Advertised
Arbitrated
Arranged
Articulated
Authored
Clarified
Collaborated
Communicated
Composed
Condensed
Conferred
Consulted
Contacted
Conveyed
Convinced
Corresponded
Debated
Defined
Developed
Directed
Discussed
Drafted
Edited
Elicited
Enlisted
Explained
Expressed
Formulated
Furnished
Incorporated
Influenced
Interacted
Interpreted
Interviewed
Involved
Joined
Judged
Lectured
Listened
Marketed
Mediated
Moderated
Negotiated
Observed
Outlined
Participated
Persuaded
Presented
Promoted
Proposed
Publicized
Reconciled
Recruited
Referred
Reinforced
Reported
Resolved
Responded
Solicited
Specified
Spoke
Suggested
Summarized
Synthesized
Translated
Wrote

Creative Skills

Acted
Adapted
Began
Combined
Composed
Conceptualized
Condensed
Created
Customized
Designed
Developed
Directed
Displayed
Drew
Entertained
Established
Fashioned
Formulated
Founded
Illustrated
Initiated
Instituted
Integrated
Introduced
Invented
Modeled
Modified
Originated
Performed
Photographed
Planned
Revised
Revitalized
Shaped
Solved

Data/Financial Skills

Administered
Adjusted
Allocated
Analyzed
Appraised
Assessed
Audited
Balanced
Budgeted
Calculated
Computed
Conserved
Corrected
Determined
Developed
Estimated
Forecasted
Managed
Marketed
Measured
Netted
Planned
Prepared
Programmed
Projected
Qualified
Reconciled
Reduced
Researched
Retrieved

Helping Skills

Adapted
Advocated
Aided
Answered
Arranged
Assessed
Assisted
Clarified
Coached
Collaborated
Contributed
Cooperated
Counseled
Demonstrated
Diagnosed
Educated
Encouraged
Ensured
Expedited
Facilitated
Familiarized
Furthered
Guided
Helped
Insured
Intervened
Motivated
Prevented
Provided
Referred
Rehabilitated
Represented
Resolved
Simplified
Supplied
Supported
Volunteered

Management/Leadership Skills

Administered
Analyzed
Appointed
Approved
Assigned
Attained
Authorized
Chaired
Considered
Consolidated
Contracted
Converted
Coordinated
Decided
Delegated
Developed
Directed
Eliminated
Emphasized
Enforced
Enhanced
Established
Executed
Generated

Management/Leadership Skills (continued)

Handled
Headed
Hired
Hosted
Improved
Incorporated
Increased
Initiated
Inspected

Instituted
Led
Managed
Merged
Motivated
Navigated
Organized
Originated
Overhauled
Oversaw
Planned
Presided
Prioritized
Produced
Recommended
Reorganized
Replaced
Restored
Reviewed
Scheduled
Secured
Selected
Streamlined
Strengthened
Supervised
Terminated

Organizational Skills

Approved
Arranged
Catalogued
Categorized
Charted
Classified
Coded
Collected
Compiled
Corrected
Corresponded
Distributed
Executed
Filed
Generated
Incorporated
Inspected
Logged
Maintained
Monitored
Obtained
Operated
Ordered
Organized
Prepared
Processed
Provided
Purchased
Recorded
Registered
Reserved
Responded
Reviewed
Routed
Scheduled
Screened
Submitted
Supplied
Standardized
Systematized
Updated
Validated
Verified

Research Skills

Analyzed
Clarified
Collected
Compared
Conducted
Critiqued
Detected
Determined
Diagnosed
Evaluated
Examined
Experimented
Explored
Extracted
Formulated
Gathered
Inspected
Interviewed
Invented
Investigated
Located
Measured
Organized
Researched
Reviewed
Searched
Solved
Summarized
Surveyed
Systematized
Tested

Teaching Skills

Adapted
Advised
Clarified
Coached
Communicated
Conducted
Coordinated
Critiqued
Developed
Enabled
Encouraged
Evaluated
Explained
Facilitated
Focused
Guided
Individualized
Informed
Instilled
Instructed
Motivated
Persuaded
Simulated
Stimulated
Taught
Tested
Trained
Transmitted
Tutored

Technical Skills

Adapted
Applied
Assembled
Built
Calculated
Computed
Conserved
Constructed
Converted
Debugged
Designed
Determined
Developed
Engineered
Fabricated
Fortified
Installed
Maintained
Operated
Overhauled
Printed
Programmed
Rectified
Regulated
Remodeled
Repaired
Replaced
Restored
Solved
Specialized
Standardized
Studied
Upgraded
Utilized

Appendix F: The Good and Bad (alternatives to written statements)

Bad:

Terry is leagues ahead in her customer service skills of all other staff members who have customer service responsibilities.

Reason: “Leagues ahead” is vague and doesn’t let Terry know what specific behavior is being praised. The above statement also inappropriately references other staff members and compares Terry’s behavior to theirs.

Good:

The way you assist our internal and external customers is exemplary, Terry. In spite of frequent interruptions, you focus on the person in the reception area or on the telephone, listening carefully to their questions or requests for information, confirming your understanding of the questions or requests, and then promptly answering the questions or responding to the requests. If you don’t have the information you need to answer questions, you ensure that the question is directed to the appropriate person and/or that you are able to get the information you need to answer the question.

Bad:

If your parenting responsibilities are keeping you away from work, please ask your partner or get a baby sitter to take care of your daughter so that you can come to work.

Reason: This statement makes an assumption about the staff member’s reasons for absence from work and recommends specific solutions for addressing his/her personal life circumstances. Even if the staff member has given personal life circumstances as the reason for the absence, the supervisor should simply reiterate the expectations for behavior.

Good:

I will appreciate your making whatever changes may be necessary for you to meet the attendance requirements of your position. You may want to explore resources available to university faculty and staff members through LifeEra. I will provide you with a LifeEra brochure.

Bad:

The errors in the Board of Trustees report, a direct result of your not having proofread the document, made me look bad in a meeting with my vice president, the president and the Trustees.

Reason: This response does not help the staff member understand the real impact of the errors and also makes an assumption about the reason for the errors.