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All staff should complete their self-review in AsuccessfulU, May 5 – June 5, 2020. This is an opportunity to capture what went well this year, celebrate your achievements, identify your challenges and areas for improvement, and discuss priorities and expectations for the coming year with your supervisor.

If you need assistance with the AsuccessfulU system or help to complete your self-review, please email our performance consultant, Matt Schwartz.

After you've completed your self-review and sent your form to your supervisor, it's time to prepare for your year-end discussion. 

  • Note examples that demonstrate your performance strengths
  • Pinpoint one or two areas of performance that need improvement, identify possible solutions, and develop a plan
  • Ask for clarity on performance expectations and priorities for the next review cycle

Supervisors should have year-end conversations and complete performance forms by July 8, 2020. Keys to having effective year-end performance conversations:

  • Schedule enough time for a private conversation
  • Encourage staff to prepare to report on their progress to date
  • Focus on behaviors, not personality
  • Reflect on specific examples related to goals, competencies, and essential functions of the role
  • Invite staff to explore opportunities for professional growth and ways you can support them

Performance Management

Thank you for your hard work and contributions through this unprecedented year. Despite the challenges COVID-19 presented this spring, we have made real progress towards achieving AU’s strategic goals.

We will have a year-end performance review to mark the milestones and accomplishments we have achieved and identify opportunities for personal and professional development.

Year-End Review Resources

Selected
Resources for Staff
Resources for Supervisors

this is the place that we put stuff.

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After setting clear expectations and providing ongoing feedback throughout the performance management cycle, the final phase is to assess staff performance. Supervisors should celebrate successes but also identify and coach through performance shortcomings.

The tools below will help you effectively rate employee performance and provide constructive end-of-year feedback.

  • Feedback Derailers Guide
  • Providing Performance Feedback Workshop 
  • Get, Give, Merge Conversation Guide
  • P-E-C Conversation Guide
  • STAR Conversation Guide

 

Performance Management Cycle

Setting expectations is the cornerstone to effective performance management. An up-to-date job description, clear behavioral standards, and communication of how success will be measured allows staff make choices that enable them to reach their highest potential in ways that align with the mission and strategic goals of the university.

The tools below enable supervisors to set expectations and lay the groundwork for a successful year of high-performance.

Ongoing conversations build on the strong foundation set in Phase 1. Providing frequent, behaviorally-based feedback helps staff members know how they are doing on the road to high-performance. These conversations increase staff engagement, retention, and overall performance when done correctly.  

Providing performance feedback is probably the most critical step in the performance management process. It’s also the step supervisors are least comfortable with. The tools below will help you be an effective supervisor at American University.

After setting clear expectations and providing ongoing feedback throughout the performance management cycle, the final phase is to assess staff performance. Supervisors should celebrate successes but also identify and coach through performance shortcomings.

The tools below will help you effectively rate employee performance and provide constructive end-of-year feedback.

  • Feedback Derailers Guide
  • Providing Performance Feedback Workshop 
  • Get, Give, Merge Conversation Guide
  • P-E-C Conversation Guide
  • STAR Conversation Guide

Year-End Review

Complete your year-end self-review by June 5.

Go to self-review form

COVID-19 – Having a virtual conversation

Having a performance conversation virtually is the same as holding the performance conversation face-to-face. Here are some COVID-19 extended telework best practices:

  • Avoid email, have the conversation in real time
  • Use video software (Zoom or Microsoft Teams)

  • Follow all the Do's and Don'ts below.

  • Use the time to engage in conversation
  • The goal is to help staff perform better year after year.