Yale’s FY21 performance management cycle begins on March 22

Everyone seems to have their own impressions about the effectiveness of performance reviews. However, two themes remain consistent: employees want a participatory process and like to receive feedback.

Managers and their team members journey through the annual appraisal process together. Yale’s FY21 process begins on March 22 with self-assessments initiating the performance management cycle.

Appraisals should inform employees on how they are tracking against performance objectives as well as the competencies that define how the work should be done. They should also promote conversations about where natural talents and strengths were leveraged, especially if they happened in unforeseen or unplanned ways. These types of discussions are important when supporting career growth and cross-training opportunities for other staff members. This can be especially helpful in a year like we’ve just experienced, where the pandemic has caused additional stressors, fatigue, and uncertainty.

As you start to think about how to frame your performance summary and accomplishments since July 1, 2020, consider the following ways to improve the dialogue with your manager:

Articulate the “Shifts”
It’s been a busy year for everyone, including our managers. While more interactions were critical and ongoing, it is challenging for them to remain current on how everything has changed in the workplace. For many, work has transformed, and recognizing exactly how the workplace has shifted will be important to document in your self-assessment.
Articulate the Circumstances
An open dialogue with with your manager will be helpful for them to understand what you are balancing along with work. In a challenging year such as this, helping them understand other responsibilities you’ve taken on, what support you may need, what adjustments you’ve made, where your strengths are being leveraged, and how work can be executed more effectively can be extremely beneficial for you and the workplace. Helping your leader with organizational-effectiveness strategies can also help determine if an adaptation of expectations and goals is necessary.
Ask for Feedback
Authors Jim Trinka and Les Wallace have said, “Feedback is a gift. Ideas are the currency of our next success. Let people see you value both feedback and ideas.” While the uncertainty of feedback can be worrisome, know that your manager is conscientious about providing you with information at the right time and in the right way.
To make it an open conversation, employees should focus on requesting feedback and engaging in the ask for information. When you ask for specific details, you demonstrate that you are interested in understanding what skills are truly needed to excel in your role. The purpose of giving and receiving feedback is to accentuate what is working well, to replicate it continuously, or to improve a performance situation. The key is to ask for developmental feedback and demonstrate that it is a welcome conversation.
Focus on an Outcome
Understanding what your manager values in terms of outcomes and results enables you to demonstrate how you can apply your strengths to delivering them. Utilizing the performance management process is one way to underscore this. Establish how often you and your manager will check in on your progress of achieving those outcomes and confirm how you will report on the progress you are making.
Focus on Trust & Collaboration
Fostering a sense of safety and trust is everyone’s responsibility. This last year has been difficult for everyone to demonstrate consistent resiliency and strength. Be honest about that with your leader and be open about the challenges of fostering positive exchanges. You will be surprised at how that opens the lines of communication and allows there to be a healthier performance conversation.

Employees support the concept of ongoing, informal performance management and would prefer more feedback from their managers. Collaborative conversations on the part of manager or employee enable the delivery of real-time feedback, which drives real-time results.