Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024 - 48

THE DO'S AND DON'TS OF WRITING REVIEWS
Don't Write
Bob has good communication skills.
Do Write
During planning meetings, Bob actively listens to his
co-workers without disruption and, when appropriate,
shares his position respectfully.
Jessica's sales numbers last quarter were very good.
Ron is always late to meetings.
Last quarter, Jessica exceeded her projected sales by 18%.
Ron has been late to four of the past five team
meetings. When Ron joins late, it causes the team to use
valuable time to recap. I recommend Ron and I have a
conversation to discuss how he can prioritize attending
meetings on time for next quarter.
* Positive organizational impact:
Ultimately, a well-structured performance
review process that inspires and drives
results has a positive impact on the overall
organizational culture. Employees who
feel motivated, supported and valued
are more likely to be committed to the
organization's success and contribute to
its growth and profitability.
Crafting engaging and motivating
performance reviews is pivotal to the
success of your organization. Let's
delve into how to write them.
THE TWO-FOLD EXPERIENCE OF
THE WRITTEN PERFORMANCE
REVIEW
Performance reviews are not just an annual
meeting between a manager and an
employee. They contain two interconnected
aspects: self-assessment of the past and
planning for growth in the future.
* Self-assessment (looking at the past): For
some, the only focus of a performance
review is to look at the past and tally
accomplishments and struggles. This is
only half the game. To create a holistic
view, engage in both individual selfreflection
and a manager-driven review
of the past.
* Planning for growth (look to the
future): What is most critical in
performance reviews is to sow the
48
seeds of the future in the written
document. While noting past
accomplishments and obstacles is
important, what is more critical
is
to help set goals and landmarks for
growth and future success.
Understanding this two-fold experience is
crucial. A review only recounting the past
12 months is two-dimensional if it doesn't
also tee up opportunities for gains and
successes in the future.
EMPLOYEE EXPECTATIONS IN
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Understanding what employees expect
from the performance review process is
essential to creating an engaging and
motivating experience. Here are some
common employee expectations:
* Feedback and recognition: Employees
want both positive feedback and
guidance on their performance.
They also desire recognition for their
achievements and getting it can
boost motivation.
* SMART goal setting: SMART goals have
been an integral part of performance
reviews for 40-plus years because
they are comprehensive and detailed,
allowing employees and employers to set
clear and achievable performance goals.
This not only gives them direction but also
motivates them to strive for improvement.
* Upskilling: Many employees seek
opportunities for professional growth
and development. They appreciate
a performance review that includes
information about their career path
within the organization.
Having established the importance
of engagement and motivation in
performance reviews and gained a clear
understanding of the review process and
employee expectations, let's explore how
to write reviews that engage and motivate.
4 KEYS TO WRITING REVIEWS THAT
ENGAGE AND MOTIVATE
Be Comprehensive
An engaging and motivating performance
review is a detailed one. It should
provide a comprehensive overview of an
employee's performance throughout the
review period. Avoid recency bias! Include
specific examples of their achievements,
contributions and areas for improvement.
A comprehensive written review provides
enough detail to be actionable while
also building a solid foundation for the
forthcoming discussion.
Be Specific
Generalizations in performance reviews
do more harm than good. Be specific in
your feedback and comments. Instead of
saying, " You did a good job on the project, "

https://trainingindustry.com/articles/strategy-alignment-and-planning/4-ways-to-build-a-culture-of-learning/ https://trainingindustry.com/magazine/may-june-2017/how-to-create-learning-pathways-that-scale/ https://trainingindustry.com/wiki/personalization-and-learning-pathways/career-pathing/ https://trainingindustry.com/articles/performance-management/the-business-of-learning-episode-26-effective-performance-reviews/ https://www.oxfordreference.com/display/10.1093/oi/authority.20110803100407676 https://trainingindustry.com/articles/professional-development/the-learning-leaders-guide-to-smart-goals/

Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Training Industry Magazine - Winter 2024