Performance Reviews - Be Prepared

Liz Ryan writes in "Be Prepared:  Annual Reviews Will Matter in '09" how potential future downsizing should make workers ensure that are prepared for the 2009 performance reviews.  She offers some great tips about documenting your contributions and ensuring your manager is kept up to date on how you are contributing to the organization's success and adding value.

Based on my experience, workers that take the time to thoroughly document their performance are a minority.  With the changes in the economy and resulting impact on companies business performance, it's essential that workers take a renewed interest in the organization's strategy and how it impacts the customer base as well as your own business commitments.

There are a number of tools available for documenting your activities.  Choose one that works for you.  I personally favor Microsoft's OneNote 2007.  More importantly, when you document an activity make sure you state what the impact was either on your ability to provide new services or perhaps how it saved the organization money or increased customer satisfaction.

As always, my mantra is that you have no control over what a company will do in the future regarding your job, however, you DO have control over your own actions and preparation for improving your marketability to others.

Bobby

Accountability: Are You Part of the Problem or Solution?

How many time have you heard excuses for a project not being on schedule or perhaps a report being late? Probably more then you care to think about it. The Rainmaker Group, in their blog, writes about restoring personal accountability in the workplace.

Managers sometimes think this is a prevalent issue in the workforce today and lament that today's workers just lack personal accountability. You could be part of the problem. As the leader of your organization, regardless of the size, you play a crucial role in establishing and driving a culture of personal accountability. So what can you do about it?

Recognize the signs that personal accountability may be lacking in your employees.

• Excuses offered instead of solutions or workarounds to problems.
• Constant complaining about other people or groups impeding progress.
• Waiting to be told what to do instead of displaying initiative.
• Doing the bare minimum to get by.
• Asking or expecting others to do things that you should be taking care of.
  

The bottom line is that personal accountability starts with YOU! Take the time to give this topic some thought and how it applies to your situation. Make personal accountability a core value and don't just "talk the talk," but make sure you lead by example. Think about it this way: would you want a team of people that had your work ethic?

Make sure you check out the article by the Rainmaker Group. Good stuff!

Helping Your Employees During Troubled Times

As a manager, one of your responsibilities is helping your directs navigate a course through the troubled economic times we’re all experiencing. Even if they still are employed don’t assume that they aren’t affected by the layoffs happening everywhere. Everyone can attest to knowing a relative, friend, or coworker that is scrambling to find another job and make ends meet at home. So if you’re a manager, you may be (or should be) asking yourself, “how can I help my team?” I’ve listed some thoughts I’ve had on this subject below. This is not an inclusive list but points out some of the ideas that have helped me in the past.

• Honesty – this is not a time to spout a corporate line that all is well. In a global economy, EVERYONE and EVERY COMPANY is affected by marketplace conditions. Occupations such as healthcare, long thought to be immune to recessions, are being affected. Doctors and nurses are being let go because of the inability of people to pay their bills. Let your directs know that what their status is based on the information you have. Every employee wants to know where the organization stands. If you don’t know, say so.
• More communications – Do you want to minimize gossip in the workplace? Then have more communications whether it’s an organizational meeting or one on one meetings. I recommend both. Keep the workers up to date on what is happening and what steps are being taken by senior management. Use the one on one’s to see if they have questions or need clarification on certain points. Get to know your employees better. Find out more about how they have been personally affected by the recession. You may not have an answer to all their situations but by actively listening, you show that you are concerned about them not only as workers but as individuals.
• Self Development Plans – In my experience, employees rarely took enough time to develop a well structured self development plan. Even with an emphasis on submitting an annual career development plan, few people would take the time to develop a decent plan that can help them prepare for their next job. I always taught my directs that their only security is in their ability to perform. With the recent layoffs occurring, I sincerely hope that employees will take a renewed interest in improving the depth and breadth of their skills. As a manager, you have a responsibility to help them. This doesn’t mean that you write the development plan for them. But you can listen and offer helpful suggestions. In my opinion, this also requires you, as a manager, to take a broader view of their development. As a valued resource, you naturally want to help them succeed within the organization. Sometimes, it is necessary for an individual to leave the organization to get additional experience and continue their development. If you truly care for an individual, you will not hold them back. For me, it’s putting the individual first. The organization will survive.