Managing Employee
Performance
Kay Robinson, SPHR
Erin Gilbert, National Summer
Learning Association
Our mission is to connect and
equip schools and community
organizations to deliver quality
summer learning programs to
our nation’s youth to help close
the achievement gap.
Performance Management Process
PLANNING
APPRAISING
COACHING
Today’s Objectives
 Understand the value of planning for
performance
 Identify common performance problems and
causes
 Understand the value of a performance
improvement plan
 Understand how to conduct a performance
appraisal that motivates the employee
Quality Indicators of
Professional Development
I-L.6
Professional
Development
During Session
I-L.7
Structured
Feedback Loop
There are no
opportunities for
professional development
offered during the
session.
Program only uses staff
meetings to provide
professional development
to staff during the
program. Topics are not
pre-determined. Meetings
happen sporadically.
Program primarily uses
weekly staff meetings for
professional development
during the session. Topics
are pre-determined, but
might not always be
relevant to the needs of
current staff.
Director of program
observes some
activities/instructors zero
to four times in an
informal capacity. There
is neither formal
observation nor feedback
to staff.
Director of program
observes some activities
no less than twice, and no
more than six times in an
informal capacity. There
is neither formal
observation or feedback
to staff.
Director of program
observes some of the
activities at least twice
(beginning and end)
during the summer
session in a formal
capacity, but visits all on a
sporadic, informal basis.
Limited feedback is
provided.
Program uses multiple
modes to promote
professional development
during the program such
as staff meetings, online
discussions, peer
coaching, email,
journaling or study
groups. Topics are
relevant to the needs of
current staff and
professional development
is ongoing throughout the
session.
Director of program
observes each activity at
least twice (beginning and
end) during the summer
session in a formal
capacity, and once per
week in an informal
capacity and provides
thorough feedback for
staff improvement and
development.
Four Principles of Effective
Performance Management
1. Focus on performance, not personality
2. Focus on clear job expectations and goals
3. Focus on clear feedback
4. Focus on involving people
Supervisors Needed To Be Able To:

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Plan
Communicate
Provide positive reinforcement (motivate)
Provide constructive feedback
Manage conflict
Listen effectively
The Planning Phase -Setting
Goals/Expectations
 Gives people a common target to shoot for
 Builds commitment to the job
 Decreases misunderstandings regarding
performance expectations
 Provides a foundation for coaching
 Makes performance reviews and feedback
more objective and less judgmental
The Coaching Phase




Staying in touch continuously
Discussing issues one-on-one
Focusing in on problem-solving
Providing positive feedback and constructive
criticism
 Ensuring the communication is two-way (the
employee owns the outcome)
Why Feedback (Coaching) Is
Important
 Addresses issues before they become
problems
 Demonstrates to employees that you are
concerned about them and their
performance
 Builds a working partnership between
supervisor and employee
 Improves performance and results
Tools to Use
 Activity Observation Forms
 Self Assessments
• http://www.nysan.org
 Reflection Activities
• http://nationalserviceresources.org
What do you look for during an
observation?



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Multiple Grouping Strategies
Daily Learning Objectives
Advance Planning
Critical Thinking
Checks for Learning
Skill-Building
Thematic Learning
Staff-Youth Interaction
Flexible Workspace
What do you look for during an
observation?











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Positive Reinforcement
Inquiry-based Learning
Behavior Management
Forward-thinking Activities
Youth Engagement
Shared Facilitation
Collaborative Learning
Creative Thinking
Program Spirit
Youth- Produced Work
Program Principles
Physical Environment
Classify the Problem
Can't Do
Won't Do
 Never had skill or some of the skill
was lost
 Has the needed skills
 Never had knowledge or some of
the knowledge was lost
 Has the needed knowledge
 Situation was new
 Situation is familiar
 Skills did not or are not
transferable
 Skills did or are transferable
 Past performance was never
acceptable
 Past performance was acceptable
Solving “Can’t Do” Problems
Resources
Expectations
Training
Ability
Solving “Won’t Do” Problems
 Provide help as if it were a "can't do“
problem
 Establish consequences if the behavior or
actions continue
 Establish open and honest communication
through a “helping” versus “punishing”
attitude
Coaching Steps
(Changing Behavior)
1.
Be specific with your feedback



2.
Where expectations are being met
Where expectations are not being met
Where opportunities are being lost
Listen and gain agreement to change
 Empathize with their concerns
 Get agreement to change
Coaching Steps
3.
Identify possible solutions


Invite and make suggestions
Give and invite reactions
4.
Summarize suggestions and steps agreed upon
5.
Develop performance improvement/action plan
Developing an Improvement Plan
1. Clearly state the goals in measurable and observable
terms
2. Probe to find out if the employee's view of the goal
matches yours
3. Ask the employee for suggestions or ideas
4. Develop and document the action plan
5. Establish a follow-up date
6. Reassure the employee that you will do everything
possible to assist in the process
Performance Feedback
 Informal process
• Day-to-day coaching
• Documented discussions and action plans
 Formal process
• Annual documented performance appraisal
Performance Appraisals
Two Perspectives
Employee Perspective
Unknown
Being judged
Feeling
Fearful
Apprehensive
Supervisor Perspective
Unknown
Playing "God"
Supervisor's reaction
Anxious
Employee's
reaction
Impact on
present and
future
Uncertain
Impact on
employee
motivation
Supervisor's
perceptions—
not reality
Defensive
My perception
is correct—
confrontation
SelfConscious
Want this to be
positive—show
I care and am
capable
Look like a
dummy;
regret later
Planning The Evaluation Meeting
 Review performance against expectations
and goals
 Secure feedback from others where
appropriate
 Develop draft performance evaluation
document to use as discussion point in
meeting
 Schedule meeting
 Ask employee to complete self-assessment
and bring to the meeting
Opening The Meeting
 Conduct the meeting in a private place
 Restate the purpose for the meeting and
your philosophy on the purpose of the
performance appraisal
 Outline the agenda of the meeting
 Tell the employee that you encourage
questions or ideas
Positive Performance Discussion
 Make a general reference to the
performance
 Give specific examples of the performance
 Mention personal qualities that contributed
to the performance
 Mention benefits of the performance to you
and the department or company
Not-so-positive Performance
Discussion
 Summarize areas that have not improved or
have not improved to the level expected
 Summarize expectations
 Secure commitment to change
 Secure understanding of consequences
Complete the Performance
Appraisal Form
 After the meeting finalize the performance
appraisal document
 Provide copy to employee
 Reserve a copy for the personnel file
 Start the cycle again – schedule time to
discuss goals for the coming year
Summary
 If you plan and coach, the appraisal process
is much easier – no surprises, no
defensiveness
 If you plan and coach, the employee is
motivated and owns the outcomes
 If you plan and coach, you are managing
performance
Questions?
krobinson@summerlearning.org
egilbert@summerlearning.org