Often, Project Managers have a formal responsibility to appraise team members’ performance during and at the end of a project. But, even if performance appraisal is not a requirement on you, I believe it is a duty you should honor.
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Performance Reviews
What Performance Reviews are
Performance reviews are planned meetings with a number of objectives. On projects, you may have any or all of these in mind:
- give feedback that helps the team member learn from their experiences
- support professional growth and development
- support goal setting and career planning
- assess performance level
- inform organizational decisions on deployment, remuneration, advancement, or sanction
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How to Assess Performance
You will rarely have access to accurate, real-time performance data for your teams. This is most common in certain operational roles.
So, your performance appraisal is likely to bring to bear:
- Assessment of completed work
- Observations of the team member
- Third-party evaluations – maybe in the form of 360-degree feedback
- Team member self-assessment
The Performance Review Process
I’ll divide the process into the most obvious structure: before, during, and after the performance review.
Before the Performance Review
Preparation is essential for both you and your team members. Review:
- Previous performance meeting notes
- Your own observations
- Observations reported to you
- Any goals the team member is working towards
Use this to determine which points are key, and which are minor. Then, use that to set an agenda for the discussion and ensure you cover all you need to in an appraisal. Send it to the team member and invite them to add any other points they want to discuss.
Encourage them to make their own notes, to prepare for the review.
The Performance Review Discussion
A performance review is not a one-way conversation. I recommend you start by asking the team member for their thoughts on their performance: what they think went well and anything they struggled with.
If relevant, bring the focus of the discussion onto performance against any objectives or key performance indicators that they were set.
It is easy to focus on what improvements can be made. Remember that it is critical to reflect on successes, and recognize and celebrate them. Indeed, I have a simple 80:20 rule of thumb. If performance is:
- Below the required standard: 80% focus on remedial feedback and 20% on positive reinforcement.
- Above the required standard: 80% focus on positive reinforcement and 20% on remedial feedback.
- Well above the required standard: drop the remedial feedback and focus 100% on positive reinforcement.
Then move the focus of the performance appraisal onto future development. Discuss aspirations and career plans. Then look at development needs and what opportunities there are, to help the team member progress.
End the performance review by agreeing to an action plan. This needs to be achievable, with timescales and success measures.
With this in place, summarize the discussion and agree on any follow-up that you – the reviewer – will take.
Follow-up after the Performance Review
Whatever you agreed to do, to follow up and support your team member… put it in your diary and be sure to do it. As a Project Leader, supporting and developing your team members is one of your most important responsibilities.
Recommended Videos and Articles to Help with Performance Reviews and Wider Performance Management
Carefully curated recommendations for you:
- Project Team Performance: Boost it with 25 Powerful Strategies
- Performance Feedback: How to Turbo-Charge Your Project Team Members
- The Value of Positive Feedback | Video
- How to Determine an Appropriate Feedback Approach | Video
What Kit does a Project Manager Need?
I asked Project Managers in a couple of forums what material things you need to have, to do your job as a Project Manager. They responded magnificently. I compiled their answers into a Kit list. I added my own.
Check out the Kit a Project Manager needs
Note that the links are affiliated.
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