For all of my professional career I have had a difficult time selecting and utilizing a personnel evaluation tool/system.  There are so many “tried and true” examples of evaluations that measure, document and numerically rate employees from all levels of an organization or business.  So why have I dodged the question of endorsing an evaluation? Well maybe a more interesting question would be: Why did you choose to develop and try out multiple hybrid  methods of evaluating those that worked with you over the years?

Well my answer…right or wrong…is/was two-fold.  First, I am a strong believer in the process of daily self-evaluation. Therefore, I tried to encourage the development of an organization-wide mindset of evaluating your own performance in a customized way everyday…EVERYDAY!  The principle evaluation areas included but were not limited to:

• Teamwork development among co-workers
• Timely response to information requests or questions
• Being on time for work, meetings and reports
• Representing the agency as a true Ambassador
• Building on partnerships with people, businesses, organizations and the community
• Challenging old rules and procedures with new ideas for a better way
• Recommending and enacting ways to make the agency more SPECIAL to those needing our help
• Accepting responsibility for taking action…especially when it came under question
• Remaining progressively excited for change that was an everyday event
• Understanding and supporting the CAUSE of doing good work.

BOTTOMLINE: My choice for a great evaluation was one that focused on the future of what else we can/should do…rather than one that only measures the past and what we have already done.

P.S. My employees always did well on their evaluations.