Place yourself in the role of an employee named Tyler Cahill, whose annual evaluation has just been completed. As you review the annual performance evaluation, you believe that it was partly based on judgment and not evidence. However, you realize there are some gaps in your performance. Up to this point, you felt like you had a good working relationship with your manager.
Employee: Tyler Cahill
Job Title: Production manager Review period start: 1/1/13
Review period end: 12/31/14
Reviewer: Jan Tomlinson Production manager competencies:
All competencies are rated on a scale from 1–5 1= not meeting requirements, 5= exceeding requirements Communications 3.00 Meets requirements
Tyler seems to display very good verbal skills, communicating clearly and succinctly although his Southern accent is somewhat off-putting and leaves people with the impression that he is not smart. He exhibits good listening skills and appears to comprehend situations and complex problems well. His written communications skills meet the requirements of his position, and he keeps others adequately in the loop when needed. However, sometimes it’s questionable whether Tyler always selects appropriate methods of communication for the situation at hand.
Team Management 3.50 Meets requirements According to Tyler’s team evaluations, he sets well-defined goals for the team. His team’s evaluations also indicate that he collaborates well with his team. He gives the impression that he provides fair and valid performance feedback. He shows commitment to enhancing the skills of his team. Tyler includes team members in most planning, but he assumes responsibility for final production quotas. However, I think there have been times when he did not make himself available enough to team members.
Leadership 2.40 Needs improvement Tyler displays a strong leadership role when action is needed up to a point. At times, he has reacted poorly in pressure situations. He would command more authority if he dressed better. His style is somewhat sloppy. Additionally, Tyler seems to come to work late and shows up for meetings late, which sets a bad example for his team.
Teamwork 4.00 Exceeds requirements Tyler’s team has shared that he provides helpful feedback to team members and, in turn, actively seeks feedback from them, but I have not witnessed that. He has excelled in building team loyalty to the company. Team success is paramount to Tyler. I have heard that he and his team go out drinking together.
What are some examples in the performance evaluation document that are based on judgment and not evidence? In a forthcoming meeting with your manager, what is your plan to address that you believe part of the evaluation was not based on evidence? How will you explain to your manager why it is important for a manager and employee to agree on performance gaps based on evidence? Use the information from the readings for this module to support your plan.