Performance Appraisals and Phrases For Dummies
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Describing an employee's ability to meet goals and multitasking means more than saying, "Always/sometimes/never meets goals." Conducting an employee appraisal means using the right phrasing to delineate levels of the employee's abilities, whether they excel or need improvement.

In order for the written feedback on your evaluations to have a long-lasting impact, you need to focus on the individual performance factors that determine the quality and quantity of your employees’ work, such as their ability to meet goals and to multitask. The best strategy is to include targeted phrases that energize an employee to keep up the good work in key areas, while also encouraging employees to focus more carefully on the quality and quantity of their work where needed.

Meeting goals

Exceptional: Consistently exceeds expectations

  • Sets challenging goals and surpasses them

  • Is truly inspirational with her goal attainment

  • Establishes increasingly rigorous objectives

  • Is passionate about meeting goals

  • Gives 110 percent, 100 percent of the time

  • Is the ultimate role model for goal setting and attainment

  • Encourages and guides others to surpass their goals

  • Turns obstacles into challenges and then overcomes them

  • Has confidence in his ability to meet challenging goals, and for good reason

  • Is highly knowledgeable about the actual process of setting goals

  • Is a key source of information about goal setting for employees in many departments

  • Shows a high degree of creativity in setting and pursuing goals

  • Consistently seeks out larger and more challenging goals

  • Has a passion for goal attainment that spreads throughout her team

Excellent: Frequently exceeds expectations

  • Meets or exceeds goals every time

  • Has a very strong goal orientation

  • Will not stop until all the goals are met

  • Gives his all to meet all the objectives

  • Helps others meet their objectives

  • Is undaunted by unforeseen disruptions or blockages

  • Stays with the plan, but maintains wiggle room to handle the unexpected

  • Never loses sight of the target

  • Keeps the communication lines open regarding all goal-related matters

  • Reaches goals that elude others

  • Focuses on high-impact goals, without losing sight of lesser goals

  • Understands the vision, values, and culture of the company, and develops goals with them in mind

  • Realistically adjusts the priorities of goals as work situations change

  • Approaches goals with energy, enthusiasm, drive, and focus

Fully competent: Meets expectations

  • Is energized by demanding goals

  • Is fully committed to meeting goals

  • Meets both short-term and long-term objectives

  • Follows the action plan to achieve goals

  • Works around or through obstacles

  • Keeps goals in mind throughout the day

  • Works diligently to accomplish all the established objectives

  • Sets challenging yet reachable goals

  • Is highly motivated to meet every goal

  • Is receptive to new and different goals that help the company realize its mission

  • Shows initiative and self-direction in setting goals

  • Works diligently to help establish goals and plans

  • Clearly communicates objectives to others

  • Tackles every goal tenaciously

Marginal: Occasionally fails to meet expectations

  • Rarely devotes adequate attention to goals

  • Rushes through the goal-setting process

  • Sets aside the most demanding goals

  • Overlooks the action plan

  • Expects others to meet their goals, while ignoring her own

  • Spends too much time on second-tier objectives

  • Seeks advice in setting and pursuing goals, but rarely follows it

  • Displays random performance in both establishing and pursuing goals

  • Asks questions about goals and plans, but doesn’t always listen

  • Avoids discussions about goals

  • Doesn’t pay enough attention to the company’s goals

  • Thrives on picking the low-hanging fruit

  • Displays more talk than action when it comes to meeting goals

Unsatisfactory: Consistently fails to meet expectations

  • Fails to meet even the most basic objectives

  • Loses sight of goals

  • Establishes routine goals and fails to meet them

  • Is easily distracted from goals, rather than attracted to them

  • Has questionable organizational skills, making all his goals far more difficult to reach

  • Is overwhelmed by the most basic goals

  • Sets goals and ignores them

  • Has yet to establish a truly challenging and productive goal

  • Avoids goal-setting sessions and discussions

  • Fails to fully engage in pursuing her objectives

  • Downsizes goals after committing to pursue them as originally designed

  • Puts goals on a back burner and leaves them there

  • Fails to see the consequences of missing goals

Multitasking

Exceptional: Consistently exceeds expectations

  • Deftly juggles several balls at once

  • Is energized by additional tasks

  • Truly enjoys the challenge of multitasking

  • Uses strong organizational skills for multitasking success

  • Has had multiple successes because of his multitasking

  • Increases attention and focus to successfully complete several tasks simultaneously

  • Completes the most important tasks first

  • Actively seeks additional tasks

  • Switches seamlessly from one project to another

  • Takes on and completes a wide range of additional tasks with no loss of quality

  • Is able to effectively manage a seemingly unmanageable amount of tasks

  • Is the go-to person for additional projects

Excellent: Frequently exceeds expectations

  • Can shift gears on a dime

  • Approaches multitasking with multiple skills

  • Always says “yes” to additional responsibilities

  • Maintains excellent focus on all projects

  • Prioritizes tasks and gets the jobs done

  • Manages time to complete multiple tasks in a timely manner

  • Prioritizes projects for maximum productivity

  • Allocates time effectively to complete a wide range of tasks

  • Is highly regarded and respected for her ability to multitask

Fully competent: Meets expectations

  • Readily assumes and completes multiple assignments

  • Regards multitasking as part of the job

  • Accepts additional assignments without hesitation

  • Will not stop until the work is done and the deadlines are met

  • Realistically adjusts priorities when new work is assigned

  • Allocates time effectively on multiple projects

  • Maintains efficiency across a broad range of projects

  • Regards multitasking as a way to add value to the company

  • Keeps quality in mind on all tasks

Marginal: Occasionally fails to meet expectations

  • Has missed more deadlines because of his multitasking

  • Sets sights on the easiest tasks

  • Agrees to additional assignments, but lets them slide

  • Jumps from task to task, while completing few of them

  • Engages in multitasking but lacks in quality

  • Has produced more errors as the tasks have increased

  • Tends to decline additional work

Unsatisfactory: Consistently fails to meet expectations

  • Is overwhelmed by the expectations of multitasking

  • Inadequately focuses on any single task

  • Is unable to distinguish major from minor tasks

  • Stresses out with additional responsibilities

  • Regards additional tasks as an intrusion

  • Complains when asked to handle additional tasks

  • Can handle only a small number of basic tasks at one time

  • Looks to others to do the work

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Ken Lloyd, PhD, is a nationally recognized consultant, author, and columnist who specializes in organizational behavior, communication, and management coaching and development.

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