Performance Summary Definitions

Completing the Form

Reflection: The Self-Review

While completing this section, it is not necessary to record everything you have worked on or achieved this year. Instead, a bulleted list of 3-5 of your proudest accomplishments is all you need to have listed.

Remember to be specific when writing down your accomplishments. If you manage a large team, does that mean 20 or 200? If you have the best customer service skills, what is an example of a time you were given feedback for going above and beyond? Using specific information helps illustrate the size and impact of your work.

To help you get started, try using action verbs. Starting a sentence or bullet point with words like: Managed, Reviewed, Launched, Conducted, Revised, Implemented, or Drafted can help describe your role in the accomplishment you are documenting.

Here are four different types of accomplishments to consider:

1. Tangible: For some staff members, it is easier to track and measure performance. For example: Did your athletic team have a winning season last year? How many applications did you review?
2. Intangible: Everyone has intangible accomplishments like teamwork, leadership, or customer service. Document these accomplishments by using specific examples of when they occurred and the impact they had.
3. Strategic: For managers who lead major initiatives, document key achievements. Make sure to include things like the strategies you have initiated, types of programs launched, and how successful these actions have been.
4. Team: Everyone at CC works on a team and it is important to recognize your individual and group efforts. Being a part of a team is a great way to demonstrate your unique skills such as organization or taking initiative.

Some resources that can help you remember what you did this year include:

• Documentation (such as emails or appointments you had on your Outlook calendar)
• Review the goals set last year:
  • If you achieved last year’s goals, document how you did it and what made you successful.
  • If you did not meet your goals, use that as a starting point and document the steps you have taken so far.
• You can also identify things you have accomplished that were not officially part of your established goals
  • For example, maybe you learned something new and put it into practice

For more ideas, or if you get stuck, reference this document.

Feedback from Colleagues

Completing this section is optional, but you are encouraged to complete it if you would like to support your performance evaluation in this way.

Colorado College does not currently use a 360-degree performance appraisal model; however, we recognize the value of getting feedback from multiple sources as you complete your evaluation. Getting feedback from colleagues, in addition to that of your supervisor, elevates the legitimacy of the comments when they align and provides a more well-rounded view of your contributions.

If you choose to have your supervisor incorporate feedback from your colleagues, consider the following questions:

• Who can give meaningful, unbiased feedback about your performance this year?
  • For your supervisor to collect honest feedback, it is not helpful to select someone who you are friends with and who is more likely to write positive comments.
• Did you participate on committees, search teams, or assist other departments with special projects?
• Was there anything you did this year that contributed to the goals of Project 2024? Who lead that project and who did you work with?

Supervisors, how do you follow up with the colleagues listed to ensure you are getting an accurate reflection of your staff members’ performance? One idea is to ask your staff for a list of five names of people they worked with over the past year and from that list of five – you make the final selection of the two who will be contacted. You are empowered and have the flexibility to provide guidance and set parameters about this part of the process to make it meaningful and beneficial for your staff.

Looking Ahead: Goals and Priorities

Performance goals are set to provide focus and clarity for your daily work and are most meaningful when they are co-created between you and your supervisor. Goals are also created to foster alignment between individual, team, and College priorities. When we are all moving forward in the same direction in fulfillment of the same mission, our individual contributions become more meaningful and impactful.

At CC, we all work dynamic jobs and priorities are bound to change sometimes during the year, which can make setting goals seem like a daunting task. Projects are often short-term and can change along the way, so an employee’s goals and tasks cannot always be plotted out a year in advance with much accuracy. The goals you set during the annual performance evaluation are there to help guide the work you will be performing daily.

Throughout the year, you should be meeting with your supervisor frequently to revisit the relevance of your goals and adjust or adapt them as needed. Two questions to consider during these more frequent meetings are: What am I doing that I should keep doing? And what am I doing that I should change?

For larger goals that are not likely to change, the SMART goal method is recommended to help you capture information related to the goal. You can find more information about SMART goals and Goal Setting Theory on the HR Website.

Growth and Development Areas: Asking for Support

Your opportunity to advocate for the resources, training, and support you need from your supervisor is within this section. As the form states, think about what your supervisor can do to help make sure you are successful and more effective in the next year.

Your leader is invested in your success and is here to offer you the support, exposure, feedback, coaching, or training opportunities that you need, however they may not always instinctually know what would be most beneficial for you.

Performance management is not a process that is designed to be punitive, rather it is the opportunity for you and your supervisor to partner and co-create your career goals, development opportunities, and discuss any barriers that may be in the way.

Ideas for growth and development resources include the following:

• Attending professional workshops or conferences to increase your understanding
• Receiving additional training on tools, processes, and software used within your department
• Asking for feedback or more regular check-ins with your supervisor to discuss your progress or challenges you are facing
• Help identifying opportunities for you to get out of your comfort zone and practice new skills with different audiences

For more ideas and examples of how to ask, please reference this document.

College Commitments Consideration

Looking ahead to the work you will perform next year, have you considered ways in which you can link them to our institutional priorities? 

Colorado College will be its most successful when the work of the individual, teams, and divisions align. This Spring, President Richardson shared four pillars and three lenses that we should all use to guide our priorities, efforts, and goals.

While you are writing your self-review, make sure to include any work you have done that contributes to the mission and vision of CC or the larger goals within your unit.

Signatures

In all cases the employee signature, supervisor signature, and HR signature are required. You may sign the form electronically by typing your name in the appropriate box. The Division Head signature is optional and is only required if an employee earns a rating of “Does NOT Meet Expectations” or if your division head has requested to see all performance evaluations before they are sent to HR.