CIT 2008 Supervisor Performance Review Overview

1. CIT 2008 Supervisor Performance Review Overview

2. Agenda • New this year • The Performance Evaluation Process • Feedback from others • Employee self-evaluations • Writing the review • The discussion • Rebuttals • Next steps • Q&A

3. New This Year • Leading Cornell Results • Change in CIT philosophy

4. New This Year: CIT Study • Leading Cornell Program - Performance Review Process Project. • CIT study - team interviewed and surveyed 23 CIT employees including staff and supervisors. • Good news - the CIT process had many parts cited as “best practice” - which are now part of the pilot across campus.

5. New This Year: Leading Cornell Recommends • Talent Review Process - demystify and train supervisors. • Clearer examples of rating criteria. • Level the playing field between managers in terms of employee advocation. • Clarify a path to success (how to get a higher rating). • Make performance management a true year round effort.

6. New This Year: Strengths • Additionally, based on a new organizational philosophy, we want to move from a remedial management to a strengths based management approach. • This will help to make this a more positive process.

7. Talent Review Process The purpose of talent review is twofold:   • To calibrate the performance evaluations across CIT. • To identify outstanding individuals on whom we need to focus leadership development opportunities. • Polley clarified this in her email on 11/11/08.

8. Talent Review Process Talent review was begun 4 years ago to for directors to talk about WHY they were provisionally considering a rating of "exceeds expectations" or "meets expectations" etc.. for individuals.  Other directors listened, and thought about whether the REASONS being used in each case were similar to the reasons they were using.

9. Myths to Debunk Myth 1: Due to funding limitations, we can only allocate a certain number of 4’s & 5’s. Truth: Our funding is not at all related to the number of 4’s and 5’s we give out. We believe people should get the rating that represents their performance for the year. We do not have any arbitrary caps on ratings at all.

10. Myths to Debunk Myth 2: Performance ratings are determined during the talent review meetings - even before the evaluation is written. Truth: The talent review does NOT set final ratings because the review process is incomplete at talent review time and because the conversation at talent review is not as well informed of specifics as is the direct supervisor and director.  The point is not about the rating of an individual but development of a common set of criteria that divisions will use.

11. Clearer Rating Criteria • Result of the Talent Review meeting is a set of rating criteria, refined more with each iteration. • This is meant as a tool for supervisors to use to explain overall ratings. • Refer to Program Contributions set for the year and Position Descriptions as a reference point.

12. Making Your Case for Rating • Remember, there are two key aspects of “meeting expectations” to consider. What is accomplished and how it was accomplished. Both are important. • Results • Integrity • Community • Innovation • Respect

13. Making Your Case for Rating • Contact people whom you believe each employee has worked most closely with for the review period (may want to ask employee). • Collect any emails, value cards or other feedback you have received about the employee throughout the year. • Your own files/observations on the employee. • Employee self-evaluation

14. Making Your Case for Rating • Compare data collected against the employee’s position description and program contributions. • Think about the “how” as well - noting anything that stands out. • Was he/she instrumental in helping others to achieve their results? How? • Read over rating criteria behaviors to see which ones align with all the data collected. Have specific examples in mind.

15. Employee A Deliverable: Represent Unit on CIT Cross Divisional Team Result: Participated Rating: 3 Behaviors: Attended all meetings Shared info about meetings with work group. Employee B Deliverable: Represent Unit on CIT Cross Divisional Team Result: Participated Rating: 4 Behaviors: Attended all meetings and volunteered to create/ maintain Confluence site for team. Provided updates to entire unit at unit “town meeting”. Helped to write and present team updates at CIT Town Meeting. Asked others in unit for input on discussion areas to bring feedback to meetings. Making Your Case: Example

16. Making Your Case This exercise can help you in a few ways: • Provide good information for supporting your ratings to your supervisor. • Explains the rating to the employee. • If your employee asks, you can give them examples of the types of behaviors/ results that can help them to achieve a higher rating next year.

17. Making Your Case • Cornell’s expectations for CIT keep changing - the bar is continually rising. • We are expected to do more with less - working smarter. • Likewise, our bar is rising for “meeting expectations” each year. • Employees who are not making these changes will not meet expectations over time.

18. Performance Management All Year • Good performance management means providing feedback all year - so there are no surprises at performance evaluation time. • Feedback should be timely - as close to the event as possible is most effective. • At review time, the only “new news” should be new information you have received through the feedback gathering process.

19. Building on Strengths • The Business Case for a Strengths Based Approach

20. Areas for Development • Traditionally we have focused on writing areas we have seen “below expectation” performance. • In cases where an employee has a “weakness” that does or may impact their overall performance, you need to point these areas out so the employee can be successful.

21. Areas for Development • When the employee is fully meeting expectations - focus development on building strengths. For employees with performance issues, focus on developing around strengths too. • Work together to create more opportunities for the person to play to their strengths in their day to day work, where possible.

22. Identifying Strengths • Employees are the best at identifying their own strengths. • Strengths are activities that make a person feel strong.

23. Identifying Strengths - SIGNs • S = Success. (When you do it, you feel effective) • I = Instinct. (Before you do it, you actively look forward to it) • G = Growth. (While doing it, you feel inquisitive and focused) • N = Needs. (After you’ve done it, you feel fulfilled and authentic)

24. The Process • CIT-All request for feedback (Polley sent 11/11/08). • SRM Talent Review Meeting. • Ask employee to fill out self-evaluation (as a meeting tool only – not permanent file). • Write the first draft evaluation. • Review with your manager. • Set up a mutually convenient discussion time. • Have the discussion – be open and listen to each other. • If no revisions – sign; if revisions – revise and sign • Discuss any job-related development next steps.

25. Employee Self Evaluations • Another piece of information for the final review. • Remember, you may not have seen everything your employee has done all year. This is an opportunity to make sure you have the full picture. • Helps you to understand where potential misperceptions may exist – where you may need to find out more information.

26. Writing Evaluations • Provide explanation of ratings using job examples • Do not use “generalizations” rather use behaviors • Be careful not to use language that may be legally misconstrued • Be consistent in assigning ratings with overall ratings • Differentiate between employees’ performance levels

27. Ratings Supported with Examples This is particularly important when ratings are on either of the extreme ends. The more specific these examples are the better. The best examples include: • Who was involved • What was expected • What was accomplished (or not) • What was the impact (or not) • How it was accomplished • Supporting feedback from others

28. Generalizations vs. Behaviors Attitude. Joe has a positive attitude. Others really enjoy working with him. He always accepts new assignments –even things that are not included on his job description. He is a real pleasure to have on my team. Joe always demonstrates a positive attitude – which makes others want to work with him. Recently he and a few other members of the team were assigned to the office move project – which was one of many assignments he willing accepted this year. He came to every meeting, was willing to take and distribute minutes for the rest of the team and personally walked around the new floor plan to every member of the team to discuss their needs in the new space. Not only was he integral in creating the new plan, but he really helped to convert others from being extremely negative about the move to being very supportive because of his upbeat nature, and keen listening skills. This is just one of several examples I could mention.

29. Why Specific Examples are so Critical • They show employees that you care and notice what they are doing • They help to clearly demonstrate specifics of what an employee should continue/discontinue doing • Its hard to argue behaviors vs. judgments • They protect legally and in government audits

30. Legal Language It is very important to avoid language that could potentially be used against CIT or a supervisor in a lawsuit. A performance evaluation is something almost always subpoenaed in a lawsuit. • Topics to avoid: gender, race, religion, marital status, kids, disability, illness, age, sexual orientation, national origin and/or other personal life situations. • Something like – “receives too many personal calls” is ok – as a general statement since it is a work related policy issue. When in doubt, ask HR.

31. Consistent Ratings Consistency in ratings means that the narrative and ratings should match as well as the final overall rating should be supported in the early ratings. Inconsistencies can create problems both with employee perception and potentially legally. It is also very important to use the same rating standards for people with the same level of responsibility for the same reasons as stated above.

32. Rating Biases • Halo Effect • Recency Effect • Middle of the Road • Significant Event(s) • Favoritism

33. The Meeting • Ask the employee to start the meeting talking about things he/she felt went well and things he/she felt could have gone better. Ask how you can help. • Use “I feel”, “I believe” rather than “you” language where possible – particularly if areas are sensitive/conflict laden. • Listen to the employee and check for clarification. • Agree to disagree – be respectful. • Ask what you can do better. • Thank the employee.

34. Rebuttals Every employee has the right to write a rebuttal to the evaluation – which will become part of the employee’s permanent file. An employee can: • Provide the rebuttal back to his/her supervisor before signing the final evaluation – for further discussion. • Send the rebuttal directly to HR for inclusion in the file. We do look at all rebuttals.

35. Next Steps • Final evaluation signed – copies made for you, the employee and the original is sent to HR for the employee file by no later than January 31, 2008. • Work with employee to identify areas of strength and talk about ways to focus on growing those areas. • If there are areas of concern in an employee’s performance – discuss development strategies and expectations with the employee. • If an employee’s overall rating is “2” or lower, you will need to contact HR and create a development plan.

36. Development Plans • Our goal is to very quickly partner with employees to get them back on track. • States the specific areas of concerns • States expectations • Possible development strategies outlined • Follow-up date determined

37. SIP • Feb/March - CU Compensation sends proposed SIP percentage/guidelines • March/April - CIT determines proposed $$ share for each unit - based on % of salaries. • Base SIP is set for all CIT “3”’s and units allocate their share across their people. • Proposed allocations/budget is submitted to OHR & Finance in April • Late May/Early June – Board of Trustees review budget • Mid-June – communicate SIP Awards • July 1st – SIP increases go into effect