As 2010 comes to a close and year-end is upon us, typically that also signals a time for annual reviews.
Annual reviews have traditionally been a one-way street with the supervisor providing cursory ratings on a scale of 1 to 5. If you were lucky enough to work for someone who welcomed feedback, you also had a chance to provide your own view of your performance. Even in the best of circumstances, however, both positive comments and “constructive criticism” tend to be articulated as a stream of vague generalizations without the details we need to improve our performance.
Giving and receiving feedback is both an art and a science. The art requires a mix of empathy and candor. Straight talk is in short supply and we need those fierce conversations to reveal our blind spots. The science comes in with respect to providing clear examples to be actionable – both when sharing praise and correction.
Rather than saying “you did a great job this year”, consider pointing out specific behaviors such as satisfying customers; mentoring younger/new colleagues; suggesting innovative solutions. Or if you need to deliver bad news – use facts rather than opinions or judgments to make your point. Suggesting someone be more “responsive” or “proactive” usually boils down to metrics around returning phone calls, providing more detail or analysis in written reports, or stepping up whether or not it is part of a defined job or project.
A performance review should be more than a platform to discuss compensation. It is an essential driver of employee engagement. When talking with your boss, don’t be afraid to ask for clarification if her evaluation doesn’t jive with your experience. That doesn’t mean challenging their overall perception of your performance in a confrontational way. It does mean making sure you understand their expectations in a concrete way.
In addition to the formal review process, it is valuable to request informal check-ins. Timely feedback is more effective than waiting several months. And details should be packaged based on behaviors, not personal qualities.
Aleen Bayard is a consultant specializing in communication, cultural change and leadership development. She is also on the faculty of Northwestern University where she teaches in the Leadership & Organizational Behavior program. PWCC members receive one free consultation within the areas of her practice. For additional tips or to discuss your specific questions, please contact Aleen Bayard at marketzing@earthlink.net. More information is available via www.marketzing.org or www.linkedin.com/in/aleenbayard.