Setting Performance Goals and
Evaluations
NEO-RLS Workshop
July 18, 2013
Why Manage Performance?
• Measure real performance against expected
performance
• Provide constructive feedback on
performance and use it to improve
performance in the future
• Foster mutual understanding and
commitment regarding expectations and goals
• Focus on employee behaviors instead of
personality traits
• Positively reinforce the
accomplishments/strengths of the employee
• Identify training and development needs
• Better determine individual career paths
• Provide objective basis for decisions on pay,
promotion, demotion, transfer or termination
• Emphasize that we care about employee
growth and development
Most Effective/Ineffective Supervisors
Styles of Management/Traditional
• Emphasize long-term results
• Look for problems to solve
• Rely on punishment and threats
• People burn out and see no reinforcement for
their efforts
Styles of Management/Performance
Based
• Emphasize the behaviors that will achieve
results
• Notice what people are doing right
• Give feedback and reinforcement
• People want to excel
Value of Measuring Performance
• Progress requires measurement
• Measurement develops accountability
• Measurement improves supervisory decision
making
Reasons Employees Don’t Achieve
Results
• We don’t know what results to achieve
(address through goal setting)
• We don’t know how to achieve results
(address through goal setting and giving
feedback)
• We don’t have the tools to achieve results
(address with goal setting)
• We don’t want to achieve results (address
with reinforcement and consequence)
Performance Management Cycle
• Performance Management Is A Continuous
Process
• Set expectations
• Measure performance
• Provide feedback
• Reinforce strong performance and address
weak performance
Setting Goals
Goal Setting (Setting Expectations)
• This first step in the performance cycle sets up
the employee for success or failure
• Pinpoint what people should do and how they
should do it at the beginning of performance
year
• Allow employees to play a role in setting goals
• Follow SMART criteria when developing goals
SMART Goals
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Specific
Measureable
Attainable
Relevant
Time Bound
SMART Goals
• Vague: Work more cost and time efficiently
• Smart: Prepare all incoming resources for
circulation within a 24-hour timeframe in
order to improve customer service
• Vague: Be nicer to customers
• Smart: Smile, greet customers and ask “how
can I help you?” when they approach desk…..
Pinpointing The Right Goals
• Pinpoint the right goals (or results) in order to
focus on behavior that produces value within
the organization
Key Questions for Pinpointing Goals
• Is there a problem that needs improvement?
• Is there an initiative that you can impact?
• Has your supervisor given you a result you
need to work on?
Writing a Performance Plan
• Determine how often you will provide
feedback to improve poor performance
• Address resources needed by employee to
meet objective
• Review goals frequently with employee (at
least quarterly, even 10-15 minutes
• Note employee progress on back of
performance plan and both initial
• Keep goals fluid, modify as needed
Performance Plan Exercise
• Imagine….that you have a long-term direct
report who has long since retired “on the job”.
She does minimum work on a consistent basis.
• Write 2-3 relevant goals using SMART criteria
for the person. Use the job expectations
common to your direct reports to set this goal.
Value of Measuring Performance
• Progress requires measurement
• Measurement develops accountability
• Measurement improves supervisory decision
making
Information Sources for Performance
Evaluation
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Employee Performance Plan
Verbal and written feedback provided
Employee self-evaluation (voluntary)
Performance charts/checklists (attendance
records, productivity reports)
• Commendations, Discipline
• Feedback from others
• Last year’s performance evaluation
The Self Evaluation
• Tool that provides supervisors with feedback
from employees (voluntary in most libraries)
• Give to the employee 2 weeks prior to the
evaluation and ask for it to be returned prior
to the evaluation
• Not a mirror image of the supervisor’s
evaluation but does ask employees for input;
employee uses a self-evaluation form (not the
performance evaluation form you use)
Writing the Performance Evaluation
• Complete PE form from your Library
• List performance goals identified on the Performance
Plan at the beginning of performance year
• Consider whether and how each objective was met. Be
specific and include time frame.
• To determine final rating, consider…work complete?
Done on time? Done effectively?
• Level of difficulty? Amount of supervision needed?
• Need to be approved by your supervisor PRIOR to PE
discussion
Feedback Guidelines
• Be specific—identify what is right and wrong
with their work
• Provide immediate, frequent feedback
• Address both individual and group
performance—shape and reinforce individual
effort and team cooperation
Dealing with Problem Performance
• Consult with supervisor and/or HR Director prior
to PE discussion
• Tell the employee the behavior you don’t want
• Explain why it’s not acceptable, impact on Library
• Explain what the consequences will be if it
happens again
• Describe the behavior you do want
• Document!
Giving Negative Feedback
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Make it immediate
Be consistent
Positively reinforce what you do want
Minimize attention- don’t ‘set an example’
Be fair
Punish the behavior, not the person
Stay calm
Say what you mean, mean what you say
Conduct conversation in private work space
Scenario
• Fred Jones is a long-term circulation clerk who
has good attendance. He also has good
performance. However, he regularly chats at
length with most customers and other circ
staff have to compensate for him. You were
good friends with Fred before you got
promoted to be the circulation supervisor.
• How would you give him feedback about this?
Reinforcing Strong Performance
• Gets more of the efforts and results that are
needed within the Library
• Satisfies and retains the best
• Recognizes the commitment and dedication of
employees
• Recognition? Special opportunities?
Attention and interest?
Reinforcement Guidelines
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Be specific
Be sincere
Reinforce immediately
Personalize the reinforcement
No ‘but’s”
Spend more time focusing on strong
performance than problems/errors
Barriers to Giving Reinforcement
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Always being in a hurry
High stress levels
Having negative expectations of others
Not knowing what motivates employee
Not planning reinforcement
Common Performance Evaluation
Errors
• Including feedback employee has never heard
• Losing objectivity
• Reluctance to negatively evaluate employee for
fear of confrontation, reprisal, fear of lack of
management support, fear of Union reaction
• Focusing your evaluation on employee’s most
recent performance
• Rating an employee high/low in all areas because
of strong/poor performance in one area
• Not getting your supervisor’s input/approval
Conducting the Conference
• Try to sit at a table or on the same side of desk
to improve communication
• Use the performance review as your guide
• Remember this is not a disciplinary meeting
• Refer to the feedback given throughout the
year to support your evaluation
• Be prepared with additional documentation,
examples to support evaluation
• Combine discussion of negative points with
performance improvement suggestion
• Ask employee for their input on areas needing
improvement
• Give the employee time to talk. Listen carefully.
• If there is disagreement, don’t argue. Listen.
• If employee is able to show some of your
comments are inaccurate, be open to changing
them.
• Have employees sign evaluation, indicating that
they have received and discussed it, not that they
agree with it. Is there appeal process? Union rep
needed? Consult your supervisor, HR.
• Schedule a conference to discuss the
performance plan for the coming year.
• Emphasize that you will be providing frequent
performance feedback throughout the year to
support their efforts.
Questions? Comments?