It’s time for performance reviews. You’ve got a stack of 360 feedback forms to fill out. Are you struggling to figure out what to say, especially when it comes to your co-workers’ weaknesses? Read our suggestions below on how to provide constructive feedback without hurting your co-workers feelings. Show
On weak communication skills“I appreciate how detailed and thoughtful your emails are. Sometimes, especially when we’re swamped with work, I find it difficult to discern the important points within all the text. It then makes it difficult for me to respond in a timely manner. I would appreciate it if you would please highlight the main points at the top of your email.” On weak presentation skills“From reading your slides during our weekly presentations, I see that you have great insights to share. It seems like you may not feel the most comfortable speaking in front of an audience. With some practice, I believe you’ll have a more impactful presentation.” On lack of accountability“You are a high performing individual who consistently produces great results. I know you always try your best and it doesn’t seem to sit well with you when you make a mistake. I would appreciate it if you could take responsibility for your mistakes, rather than put blame on external factors. Part of being a great leader is to be able to acknowledge mistakes.” On being impatient“I appreciate how quickly you complete tasks and want fast results. It would be great if you could work on being more mindful of others’ priorities when they aren’t able to get back to you as quickly as you would like.” On lack of strategic thinking“You are consistently great at coming up with quick, short term solutions. When it comes to implementing long-term projects, you struggle to think strategically about how all the aspects affect one another. For future projects, I would appreciate it if you would spend more time thinking through different strategies and potential outcomes before deciding on a plan. On poor teamwork“When we need all hands on deck to complete last minute projects, there have been a few times where you were late by over 30 minutes. This makes me feel as if you don’t value the team. I would appreciate it if you would be on time to participate on future projects.” On poor attention to detail“I appreciate your urgency in completing tasks. There have been a few times where the details have been overlooked. I would appreciate it if you could pay closer attention to the details.” On poor time management“For the last couple of projects, it seems as if you’ve been taking it slow at the beginning and pushing all the crucial tasks until the end. You then become extremely stressed, getting really close to burnout. To prevent yourself from burning out in future projects, it might be helpful to sit down and create a balanced schedule prior to starting.” On poor listening skills“I noticed you often repeat the same question multiple times within a meeting even when we’ve already gone over the answers. I wonder if it could be because you’re distracted by your laptop, therefore not actively listening. In order to respect everyone’s time, it would be great if you would give your undivided attention during the meetings.” On lack of taking initiative“One improvement you might make is to not wait for instructions if you see there is something you can do within your means to make improvements. If you were a bit more anticipating rather than reactive, it may accelerate our success.” On lack of understanding“In the past couple of days, I noticed when a person disagrees with your viewpoint and tries to share his/her own perspective, you tend to get defensive. You will try to argue why you are right and the other person is wrong. Rather than try to persuade the others on your perspective, it will be helpful for you to ask clarifying questions to understand their thoughts.” For more examples of weaknesses, check out ManageBetter’s feedback phrases. Performance review season is a stressful time of year. As a leader, it can be a struggle for you to properly describe a behavior exhibited by an employee, so we tried to make it easier by listing over 100 performance review phrases below. They are grouped by category to make it easy to find inspiration and not get in trouble with HR. Two pieces of advice before you get started:At Friday, we make it easy to have regular conversations, so you don’t have to bottle up your feedback for a review and performance appraisal that happens once a year. See our playbooks for success. You should not delay important conversations. We strongly recommend having regular 1-1s and establishing a feedback loop. Don't kick the can down the road. Second, please make sure when completing a performance review that you outline behaviors, not personality traits. Behaviors can be changed. Also make sure you document the behavior. Ideally, you bring it up in-the-moment vs. a performance review. With the disclaimer out of the way, here's a list of canned performance review phrases to give you some inspiration. For the love of everything, please don't copy these phrases verbatim. You owe it to your employee to put some time into this process and consider their overall performance. If you want to learn how to effective run a performance review, you should read High Output Management. Active ListeningStrengths1. Is an active and focused listener 2. Makes sure the team feels heard 3. Creates healthy dialogue to help the best solution come forward 4. Listens with an open mind 5. Demonstrates a sincere appreciation for opposing viewpoints 6. Actively seeks feedback, even when it’s not in agreement 7. Asks insightful questions to understand the root cause 8. Empathizes with others who have opposing viewpoints 9. Follows instructions with care and attention Needs Improvement10. Asks questions that show he/she is not actively listening to the conversation at hand 11. Is distracted easily and doesn’t fully absorb another person’s point of view 12. Interrupts peers 13. Constantly interjects into conversations 14. Dismisses other people’s ideas who she/he doesn’t agree with 15. Stops listening when presented with an opposing viewpoint AdministrationStrengths16. Is effective when handling large amounts of data 17. Produces high-quality work that is well documented and detailed 18. Is capable of working independently from day one 19. Is a strong team player 20. Is well organized, and can effectively implement projects from start to finish 21. Can make independent decisions when necessary 22. Demonstrates good time management skills 23. Can adapt his/her schedule to meet the needs of the business 24. Has excellent follow-through skills, and is always on time with deliverables 25. Shows ability to be proactive in identifying tasks that need to be completed Areas for Improvement26. Does not show an aptitude for number crunching and data entry activities 27. Has difficulty following through with tasks that require a high amount of organization and time management 28. Seemed to have trouble getting organized this week 29. Demonstrates disinterest in the administrative aspects of the job 30. Has trouble with filing, record keeping, and other administrative tasks 31. Is less than eager to complete documentation-related work 32. Is often late, which negatively impacts project completion timelines Attendance & Being On-TimeStrengths33. Is punctual and consistently on-time to meetings 34. Arrives at meetings on time and is always prepared 35. Attained perfect attendance over $time_period 36. Schedules time-off according to company policy 37. Completes deadlines as promised Areas for improvement38. Does not meet attendance standards for punctuality 39. Has exceeded the maximum number of vacation days allotted 40. Is frequently late to work 41. Does not return communications in a timely manner CoachingStrengths42. Is a quick study 43. Learns from mistakes 44. Is willing to hear constructive criticism 45. Accepts coaching well, and does not become defensive when given negative feedback 46. Takes responsibility for own mistakes and failures 47. Demonstrates a willingness to improve performance in the face of negative feedback 7. Asks questions about the most effective way to approach new activities 48. Asks for clarification when he or she is unsure how to correctly complete a task or activity 49. Demonstrates self-awareness and willingness to improve in areas where he or she is lacking 50. Is sensitive to the fact that there is always room for improvement, both personally and professionally Areas of Improvement51. Seeks individual coaching only when an area of weakness has been identified by someone else 52. Demonstrates lack of awareness regarding his or her own deficiencies as a team member or employee CommunicationStrengths53. Regularly gives constructive feedback 54. Is willing to entertain others ideas 55. Asks great questions 56. Explains tough issues in a way that is clear to the rest of the team and direct reports 57. Is not afraid to say “I don’t know” when presented with a tough question. 58. Is effective at summarizing and communicating key business decisions. 59. Stands out among his/her peers for outstanding communication skills 60. Is effective at persuading and convincing peers, especially when the stakes are high 61. Is an effective listener, always willing to listen and understand peers objections 62. Makes new employees feel welcome 63. Acts as a calming force when the team is under pressure Needs Improvement64. Blames others for problems 65. Complains of lack of resources to adequately complete job functions 66. Fails to alert proper personnel regarding bad news 67. Regularly engages in off-putting conversations, can be territorial at times 68. Humiliates staff members on a regular basis 69. Has trouble communicating effectively in groups 70. Has other coworkers deliver bad news instead of doing it himself/herself 71. Makes others feel intimidated when working on company projects CooperationStrengths72. Is easy to work with, and encourages others to work together as a team 73. Is supportive of coworkers, even in the face of conflict or adversity 74. Supports group decisions even when it is not his/her preferred course of action 75. Fosters a cooperative atmosphere 76. Is a team player who does not put personal goals ahead of the greater good of the group 77. Is receptive to ideas from peers and willing to adapt his/her own behaviors in response Areas for Improvement78. Frequently expresses frustration with coworkers when they are too slow, or do not complete their tasks in time for the next project phase to begin on time 79. Frequently comes late to meetings and disrupts workflow for other workers 80. Takes credit for the work of others, especially when it is not deserved 81. Does not share information with colleagues if they do not ask for it directly CreativityStrengths82. Thinks outside the box to find the best solution to a particular problem 83. Is creative and finds ways to correlate ideas with action 84. Artfully changes when presented with new information and ideas 85. Is always willing to directly challenge the status quo in pursuit of a more effective solution 86. Contributes fresh ideas regularly 87. Encourages coworkers to be inventive 88. Contributes innovative ideas in group projects 89. Contributes suggestions regularly on how to improve company processes Needs Improvement90. Demonstrates disinterest in contributing creative or innovative ideas 91. Is rigid and unwilling to adjust when presented with new information 92. Fails to properly attribute coworkers who contribute innovative solutions 93. Seems unwilling to take risks, even when presented with a compelling reason 94. Fails to incentivize peers to take creative and innovative risks 95. Is reluctant to find more effective ways to do job activities Customer RelationsStrengths96. Works effectively with clients 97. Has strong rapport with those he/she interacts with 98. Enjoys the people related aspects of the business 99. Is pleasant and projects a friendly tone over the phone 100. Has become a linchpin with clients 101. Consistently spearheads effective customer relations 102. Is empathetic towards customer issues 103. Is direct, yet helpful in dealing with customer concerns 104. Displays an effective cadence when working with clients on projects. Is effective, not overbearing 105. Artfully helps customers overcome objections 106. Can handle difficult customers with grace Needs Improvement107. Consistently receives substandard comments from customers 108. Appears disinterested in helping customers with their challenges 109. Does not manage customer expectations, especially in tough situations 110. Consistently passes challenging issues to others instead of tackling them head-on 111. Misses opportunities to further educate customers about other products or services. 112. Uses inappropriate language with colleagues or customers 113. Appears to become frustrated by clients who ask questions 114. Displays sarcasm when dealing with client challenges DelegatingStrengths115. Is a good delegator, even with those who don't report directly to him/her 116. Is able to delegate tasks and responsibilities effectively to appropriate team members 3. Is able to delegate work without micromanaging 117. Is able to delegate work while maintaining the vision of what is to be accomplished 118. Is able to delegate work to teammates without fear of losing control 119. Demonstrates trust in subordinates, allowing them the freedom to make decisions 120. Designs delegation strategies which provide opportunities for staff members to grow and develop Areas for Improvement121. Seems unwilling, or unable, to give up control of work activities completely when delegating tasks 122. Appears hesitant about allowing subordinates the freedom needed in order to complete delegated tasks successfully 123. Does not seem confident when delegating tasks or responsibilities; does not inspire confidence in subordinates when delegating work FlexibilityStrengths124. Constantly identifies more efficient ways of doing business 125. Is accepting of constructive criticism 126. Is a well-versed team player capable of handling a variety of assignments 127. Is calm under pressure 128. Is a calming force, especially with [his/her] peer group 129. Shows initiative, and is flexible when approaching new tasks Areas of Improvement130. Does not excel at activities which require a high degree of flexibility 131. Tends to resist activities where the path is unknown 132. Appears uninterested in new duties 133. Becomes uptight when the plan changes Goal-SettingStrengths134. Is effective at goal-setting and challenging oneself 135. Clearly communicates goals and objections to coworkers 136. Is constantly striving to be the best he/she possibly can be 137. Sets concrete and measurable goals 138. Sets aggressive targets to meet business objectives 139. Creates clearly defined goals that align with the company’s mission 140. Proactively shares progress on goals Needs Improvement141. Is inconsistent in defining goals and objectives 142. Struggles to set goals that align with company objectives 143. Sets performance goals that are out of touch with reality 144. Struggles to communicate when deadlines will be missed 145. Leaves peers struggling to understand the status of a project 146. Refuses to delegate to others, attempts to do all the work by himself/herself 147. Is unwilling to claim responsibility for missed goals 148. Is easily distracted and disinterested in focusing to achieve performance goals
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