Effective Feedback for Improved Performance

1. Effective Feedback for Improved Performance Presented by Christina Campbelland Belinda Musick

2. Why reinvent the wheel? • Hear about the process that was used to create the rubric being implemented to evaluate staff. The purpose, process, and final product will be shared. You have been given a copy of the evaluation form and supporting rubric.

3. Why this project was done. • To clearly define each area of the evaluation form. • In the classroom, a rubric is used to let students know how they will be graded. This rubric provides the employee guidelines on how they will be evaluated. • This rubric will also support a manager to provide guidance on areas that need improvement.

4. How was it done? • The task was not to change the evaluation form, but to provide definition for each area. • The process to define each area of the evaluation took 15 meetings held over a nine month period of time. • Management asked staff to volunteer to participate in the evaluation rubric committee.

5. How was it done? • Of the applicants, 11 staff members were chosen to participate on this committee. Various areas within the organization were represented. The committee consisted of the following: • Assistant Superintendent, Administrative Services • Administrator, Instructional Programs • Manager, Transitional Services • Executive Assistant, Human Resources • Senior Administrative Assistant, Educational Services • Administrative Assistant, Tech Services • Administrative Assistant, Instructional Programs • Office Assistant, Culinary Arts • Student Information Technician • Accounting Assistant • Program Specialist

6. Challenges in the meetings • First step, set meeting norms. The committee came up with 15 meeting norms to keep the group on task and focused. Meeting Norms • Be on time • Follow agenda topics and honor time limits set • Positive humor is acceptable; have fun • Pay attention to the speaker without interrupting or over speaking • It is okay to leave the room “as needed” • Put cell phones on “silent” mode • Establish break time • Come prepared to participate • Respect diversity of opinion • Use positive language • Present a united front on team decisions • No positions, just “people” during the meeting • Snacking is okay • Feel free to share our discussions once you leave and gather inputs for the next meeting

7. Challenges in the meetings • Second step, set common language to be used throughout the document. • Discussion was held on several occasions about the subjectivity of using the words sometimes, occasionally, rarely, often, routinely, etc. • At times throughout the process many resources were used; such as, paper thesaurus, the internet using electronic devices, and personal knowledge. • Terms and definitions were agreed upon for certain words to be used as a guideline. • Evaluation – To ascertain or set the amount of value of. • Performance – The manner or quality of functioning. • Outstanding – Marked by superiority or distinction; excellent; distinguished. • Strong – Especially able, competent, or powerful in a specific field or respect. • Adequate - As much or as good as necessary for some requirement or purpose; fully sufficient, suitable, or fit. • Needs Improvement – A bringing into a more valuable or desirable condition. • Unsatisfactory – Not satisfying or meeting one’s demands/ inadequate. Any statement that is completely unbiased is called objective. On the other hand a statement that is characterized by the thoughts and the views of the speaker is called subjective.

8. Challenges in the meetings • Third step, choose a spot to start. • The rating scale consisted of five areas: Outstanding, Strong, Adequate, Needs Improvement, and Unsatisfactory. • This committee chose to start with the Adequate rating for each area; clearly defining each time what the adequate expectations are. This made defining the other areas easier. • Fourth step, choose a method of voting. • Before starting, the committee agreed to use a thumbs up, thumbs down, or thumbs to the side vote. • Thumbs up … I am all for it 100%. • Thumbs Sideways…I can live with it and I will not get in the way. • Thumbs down…I cannot live with it. • Each vote had to have 100% thumbs up or sideways consensus to be carried. • Consensus went faster over time.

9. All Staff Input • Once the committee was content with the rubric it was sent out to staff for review and comments. A deadline was given for it to be returned. • The committee read and discussed all comments, good, bad, or ugly. • The committee took all comments under consideration and did make some changes based on the suggestions.

10. Finalizing the process • The rubric was then sent to the Leadership/Management team for final review and approval. • The rubric, as with all processes and documents, is open to change in the future. • The Rubric committee agreed to convene annually to review any new proposed or necessary changes. • No changes will be made mid-year. Any new changes will have to wait until the fall for introduction and implementation.

11. Final Steps • The committee introduced the finalized document at our annual Fall In-service on August 21, 2013. • Each staff member was given their own copy and instructed to become familiar with it. • Staff will begin being evaluated using this new tool on March 1, 2014.