How to effectively manage Performance for teams

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Performance Management
at University of Portland

2. 2
Course Objectives
• Provide an overview of Performance Management at
UP
• Understand Managers’ Performance Management
Roles and Responsibilities
• Tips for Effective Performance Management

3. 3
Key Components of Performance
Management
• On-going/timely Feedback
• Annual Performance Reviews
• Performance Improvement Plans

4. 4
On-Going Feedback
• Most powerful and useful form of performance
management
• Enables “Just-in-Time” feedback
• Helps to create a safe and honest communications
environment
• Allows employee time to improve if there are
performance issues
• Avoids “You never told me” discussions

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On-Going Feedback-When Do I Do It?
• Just-in-Time, For Example:
 The employee delivers and outstanding project or
piece of work
 The employee fails to deliver on a project or piece of
work
 When you detect that performance is declining or as
reinforcement when performance is improving
 During regularly scheduled 1:1 meetings (you should
be holding regularly scheduled 1:1’s with your
employees!)
• You achieve better outcomes when feedback is
provided on a “just-in-time basis!

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On-Going Feedback-Tips for providing
feedback:
• Here is a model for providing timely and constructive
feedback:
 Always focus on the behaviors, not the person!
 Describe the action that was taken or not taken
 Describe the impact of the action and/or behaviors
 Engage the employee in discussion of alternative
actions or behaviors that will achieve the desired
outcomes
 Confirm/document the understanding (e.g. f/u email)

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On-Going Feedback-Tips for providing
feedback
• “Safety” must be established and maintained in order to
have honest and effective performance management
conversations
 Understand what you really want from performance
related discussions
 Use facts and observations when involved in
performance related discussions
 Understand employee’s perspective
 Look for signs that a conversation is deteriorating
and use techniques to return it to a safe place
 Seek mutual purpose with the employee

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Annual Performance Review
• Purpose of Annual Review
 Summarizes employees’ accomplishments,
contributions, areas for development
 Assign overall performance rating for the year
 Career Development – Set goals, expectations for
coming year
 Helps to influence compensation decisions

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Annual Performance Timeline
• April-May: Employees complete Self-Evaluation
• May: Managers draft appraisals and reviews with his/her organization’s
officer, revise as necessary
• June: Managers hold 1:1 meetings with staff to deliver the evaluation
• June: Evaluations submitted to HR for scanning into employee electronic
files and tracking in Banner
• June: Salary letters for July distribution
Note: Some staff offices have an accelerated schedule & start in January

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Annual Performance-Data To Consider
• There are some tools that you can use as you prepare your annual
review documentation
Job Description and Annual Goals
Manager’s Direct Experience, Observations and knowledge of
employee’s performance
Manager’s “Drop File”
Meeting notes/summaries, compliments and concerns from
customers, previous annual reviews, other performance
documents
Employee Self-Evaluation Form
Performance/Contribution against agreed upon expectations
Email folders that house important communications on deadlines,
work product, etc.
Project tracking tools that enable a “look back” on staff
performance

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Annual Performance-Writing the Review
• Have employee complete self-evaluation
• Use the self-evaluation to help inform what you write in
the annual performance evaluation form
 The self-evaluation will help you gauge how much
you and the employee are on the “same page”
• Be specific, for example:
 Examples of accomplishments
 Measurable improvements
 Customer accolades or complaints
 Documented performance coaching or disciplinary
action

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Annual Performance-Writing the Review
• Write in a manner such that a third-party can read the
review and come away with a solid picture of how the
employee has performed
• Avoid superfluous language and unnecessary
adjectives
• Carefully review the performance rating definitions and
select the level that most accurately reflects the
employee’s performance and contributions during the
review period
• Present your annual performance review(s) to your
manager for approval, makes edits as appropriate

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Annual Performance-Pitfalls to Avoid!
“Recent Event Effect”- Allowing recent performance events
to drive the overall evaluation
Halos and Horns: too much focus on one aspect of
performance (either good or bad)
Hero or Villain: rating everyone above average to avoid
conflict or rating everyone low because no one can meet
your standards
Hollow Criticism: sandwiching negative comments between
positive ones without constructive advice on how to
improve

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Annual Performance-Pitfalls to Avoid!
Gut Feeling: making subjective comments without any
supporting evidence or trends – seek data and multiple
opinions
Length of Service Trap: research suggests that longer-
tenured employees actually perform worse than eager new
ones, but we often rate on ‘dedication’
• Legal Issues: avoid rating lower for protected absences
or complaints, and do not include discussion of those
issues in your commentary
– See HR for Coaching

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5 Point Rating Scale Defined
• Outstanding (Work with HR)
– Reserved for exceptional performance in all areas of the job
• Exceeding Expectations
– Employee is going above and beyond on a consistent basis in
many areas of the job
• Successful/Meeting Expectations
– The employee is successfully meeting all requirements of the
position.
• Below Expectations (Work with HR)
– A signal that performance improvements are needed in some
areas.
• Improvement Required (Work with HR)
– Employee is likely already on a Performance Improvement Plan
and his/her job is in jeopardy.

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Performance
Ratings
Definitions
Poor Performance
(1-2%)
Or As Needed
 Not meeting the requirements of the job; significant guidance and oversight
required
 Requirements of the job are not being consistently met
 Overall performance at bottom of peer group
Developing Performance
(3-5%)
Or As Needed
 Performance meets some of the expectations of the role
 Requires additional guidance and oversight in some areas
 Overall performance and impact lower than most of peer group
Solid Performance
(55-60%)
 Meets performance expectations of the role
 Normal and consistent trajectory of performance and contributions
 Overall performance is representative of the majority of others in peer group
Strong Performance
(20-25%)
 Consistently meets and often exceeds performance expectations
 Goes above and beyond either when asked or by own initiative with positive
impact on the department
 Overall performance and contributions are above the majority of others in peer
group
Exceptional Performance
(5-10%)
 Consistently exceeds performance expectations for role
 Goes above and beyond based on own initiative with consistent and significant
positive impact on the department
 Leadership and contributions consistently exceed others in peer group

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Annual Review-Classroom Exercise
• Each table will recommend overall performance ratings
for the individuals in the two scenarios:
 Read the annual performance scenarios that follow
 Discuss at your tables
 Assign an overall performance rating using the
ratings scale that will projected on the screen
 Be prepared to discuss the basis for your
recommendations with the group
Did you have enough information?
What additional information did you need?

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Employee #1-Wally Pilot
Wally Pilot is the face of and inspiration for our dynamic NCAA Division 1
teams. He is responsible for accompanying teams to all events, increasing
crowd enthusiasm, and posing for photo ops. This year, Wally:
1) Traveled to 16 cities and 3 foreign countries for events this year
2) Increased crowd participation by 15%, above his goal of 10%
3) Attended 256 photo opportunities with Alumni, up from 180 last year.
4) Increased number of “Friends” on Facebook by 25% over the prior year
Wally takes pride in his role. He watches video of his performances to ensure
he is consistently exceeding crowd expectation. He has a friendly and
approachable demeanor and receives many compliments from parents about
his interaction with children at the games.
Wally is consistently late in submitting his time cards and you have spoken to
him about this. Wally is frequently late to work on non-game days. Wally also
has body odor that is noticeable when he is out of uniform. Some of his fellow
employees have complained this makes it difficult to work around him.

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Example #2 – Spike Bulldog
Spike the Bulldog is the mascot for our NCAA Division 1 teams. He is
responsible for accompanying teams to all events, increasing crowd
enthusiasm, and posing for photo opportunities.
Spike must improve his attendance at games and continue to work on
timeliness. He received a written warning after being found asleep on the bus
during two away games in March. He also arrived late to 6 games in January
and was put on an Improvement Plan earlier in the year. He failed to reach
any of his appearance goals this year.
Spike needs to work on being more approachable to children for photo
opportunities. Photo ops were down by over 20% this season. Parents have
reported that Spike has been too aggressive with smaller children, causing
them to cry or hide from him.
Spike interacts well with his fellow employees and took the initiative to
organize a department day of community service. He also helped Public
Safety apprehend a burglar during the annual Bulldog Days celebration.

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Annual Performance-The Meeting
Schedule in advance
Provide the annual performance review to your
employee(s) at least one day before your meeting to
discuss the review
Hold meeting in a private place
Ensure there are no interruptions
Allow ample time for the meeting
Set a positive and welcoming tone

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Annual Performance-The Meeting
Outline an agenda for the meeting
Use active listening, hear what the employee has to say or
what their questions are
During a difficult message, stick to “Just the Facts:
Follow the order of the evaluation document
Don’t get emotional
Allow the employee to make a case, and if they have
ample evidence, consider adjusting the review
If the staff member becomes angry or upset, stop the
meeting and resume the next day if you cannot refocus the
individual

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Keys to Delivering the Message
Don’t blame others for the message and don’t deliver it unless you
have bought into it.
“I only rated you this way because my manager told me to.”
Treat the employee with respect and professionalism.
No Surprises!
Major performance concerns should have been addressed prior to
delivery of the annual evaluation.
Come prepared with Examples
Engage in Active Listening

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Annual Review Checklist
 Allow employee to provide written response to
evaluation if asked
 Be willing to change evaluation rating or language if
facts dictate (after considering new information)
 Provide a copy of the final version to the employee
 Provide HR with a copy of the final version
 Keep a copy for your files

24. 24
Probationary Period Evaluations
• Newly hired staff are subject to a 90 day probationary period.
Positions in Physical Plant and Public Safety may have a longer
probationary period.
• Managers should review job description and set expectations upon
start date. If concerns arise, Managers should engage with the
employee to provide notice of concern and opportunity for
improvement. (Document it!)
• A performance review should be completed at the end of the
probationary period to assess progress. A copy of the review
should be sent to HR for the employee’s personnel file.
• Consult with HR if there is a concern that the employee will not
pass the probationary period.

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HR is Here For You!
• Being a manager is a challenging role, but it is critical to make time
for providing recognition and discussing concerns.
• HR is here as a partner to advise and assist you, so please reach
out to us!
 Meeting to discuss issues and plan of action
 Coaching on how to deliver the appropriate message
 Providing exempt/non-exempt testing for positions
 Preparing compensation analysis

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Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
• PIPs do not replace managers’ responsibilities for
providing timely, honest and ongoing informal and
formal performance feedback!
• PIPs are used to provide a clear, measurable written
road map of expectations and deliverables when other
methods have failed to produce necessary improvement
in an employee’s performance
• Generally used as the tool of last resort!

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Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
• PIPs should:
 Clearly indicate the area of performance or
competency that is not meeting expectations
 Describe the observed behaviors the employee is
exhibiting that are not meeting expectations. Be
Specific!
 Articulate the required/desired behaviors
 Describe the measures (outcomes) by which
performance against the PIP will evaluated
 Set a schedule for providing employee with
feedback on their progress/performance against the
PIP (stick to your commitment to provide feedback!)
 Set time frame for PIP, sustained improvement,
consequences for insufficient improvement

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Performance Improvement Plan (PIP)
• KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid)*
 Use job description and position leveling criteria to
isolate/identify areas for improvement
 No more than three areas for improvement in PIP
 Employee needs to show sustained improvement in
areas identified in PIP
 PIP needs to have an articulated timeframe for
improvement and should not be open-ended
 Manager may choose to:
Extend PIP timeframe
End PIP early if employee not making necessary
progress
*E.B. White and William Strunk, The Elements of Style, 1920

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Performance Management at the
University of Portland
QUESTIONS?

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Performance Management
at University of Portland