3000 Power Words and Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews: Ready-to-Use Language for Successful Employee Evaluations

by Sandra E. Lamb

Overview

A comprehensive yet accessible handbook for writing and conducting meaningful, effective performance reviews, geared toward managers of all levels, from the author of How to Write It.
 
Performance reviews are one of the best tools managers have to shape company talent and culture, develop strong channels of communication with employees, and create systemic change. In this pithy, user-friendly handbook, author and writing teacher Sandra E. Lamb lays out the best methods and proven tactics to administer productive evaluations that benefit both parties— and the company. Lamb teaches managers how to design scoring systems for employees, prepare for and conduct in-person and written reviews, and use the right key words. Covering both hard and soft skills, this indispensible reference includes lists of powerful words and phrases that clearly describe positive and negative performance. Featuring sections targeted to specific industries and jobs, this guide empowers managers at all levels to master the art of performance reviews that achieve results.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781607744825
Publisher:	Clarkson Potter/Ten Speed
Publication date:	08/27/2013
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	101,274
Product dimensions:	5.50(w) x 8.20(h) x 0.70(d)

About the Author

SANDRA E. LAMB began her career in the field of technical writing, then moved on to a progression of organizational management and CEO positions. Along the way she developed and administered performance review and employee bonus programs that helped both her organization and her employees succeed.

Lamb has researched and written texts in business organization and management, and brings to 3000 Power Words and Phrases for Effective Performance Reviews the kind of lightening accuracy and expert feel for the most effective words and phrases she demonstrated in her award-winning book, How to Write It, now in its third edition. She is also the author of Personal Notes and Write the Right Words.

For more information, or if you are interested in having her as a speaker, spokesperson, or consultant, visit SandraLamb.com.

Read an Excerpt

Introduction:
The Value of Power Words


Amy (let’s call her) has an office next to the corner office, which is occupied by her boss, whom we’ll call Ted. Both Ted and Amy have been in these offices for three years. The two share a common wall; and they frequently overhear telephone conversations the other is having while negotiating with a client or coworker.
 
Ted and Amy go to all the same product release and sales meetings. They see each other in the elevator and break room; and sometimes they casually chat about upcoming holidays, how Ted’s children are doing in school, or the general state of the national and international economies.
 
Ted likes Amy and feels that she’s doing a good job as district sales manager. The strange thing here is that Ted has, for the entire three years he’s been Amy’s boss, communicated with her for work assignments, updates, progress reports, general information, and even for her performance reviews, entirely by email. He has not conducted a single face-to-face encounter to discuss how she is performing in her role as district sales manager. In short, Ted is clueless about his role as supervisor.
 
Clearly, Ted either feels entirely unqualified to conduct a face-to-face meeting, or he suffers from a fear of confrontation—or both. He seems to feel that doing an in-person performance review, or directly discussing other situations with Amy, offers the possibility that an unpleasant confrontation could occur. She could disagree with his assessment. She could challenge him. So Ted avoids such encounters.
While Ted is meeting his own personal goal of avoiding a possible confrontation, he is not meeting his responsibility as a supervisor/manager. Privately, he admits that he was unprepared for this role, and it’s one he’s not comfortable in. Avoiding a face-to-face meeting with Amy is his way of trying to dodge this part of his job.
 
But he is doing Amy, and their company, a severe disservice.
 
The result of Ted’s failure to have a face-to-face review is that Amy doesn’t feel she has any real connection to Ted, nor does she feel a sense that they are teammates working together to achieve common corporate goals. In fact, the absence of this vital part of the review process has meant that Amy hasn’t gotten the feedback she needs to perform at her full potential, nor has she gotten vital input that would help her set her future career goals. She doesn’t know how she’s performing in her sales manager role within the organization as a whole.
 
Hopefully, Ted will buy a copy of this book. And when he follows the simple steps in these pages, he will be able to easily overcome his fear of conducting meetings with Amy. This book will give him the tools—the exact power words—to do his job of manager efficiently and expertly.
 
It will help Amy, too. Following the simple steps in this book will mean that Ted, Amy, and their organization will all perform at a much higher level. 

Table of Contents

Introduction: The Value of Power Words 1

Section 1 Rethink Traditional Annual Performance Reviews 3

Section 2 Get Ready-Before the Performance Review 5

Create a System of Measurement 5

Set Goals and Set the Stage 9

Use Positive Reinforcement and Recognition 9

Time the Performance Reviews 11

Keep and Use Performance Records 11

Adjust Job Descriptions 13

Use a Pre-Review Self-Evaluation 13

Make Face-to-Face a Part of the Process 14

Listen before Speaking 14

Assess the Employee's Listening 14

Connect and Cooperate 15

Section 3 The Performance Review Process 17

Section 4 Evaluate Personal Skills, Core Competencies, and Personality Traits 21

Ability to Adapt and Make Changes 22

Attendance and Punctuality 25

Communication Skills-Verbal 30

Communication Skills-Written 33

Conceptual Thinking 36

Conflict Management 38

Cooperation 41

Creativity 44

Customer Relations and Service 47

Decision-Making Skills 50

Delegating 53

Dependability 57

Development of Subordinates 59

Equal Opportunity and Diversity 62

Ethics 65

Flexibility 68

Forward Thinking 70

Goal Setting 72

Industry and Quality Work Habits 75

Initiative 78

Innovation 81

interpersonal Skills 84

Job Knowledge 86

Judgment 89

Leadership 91

Learning Skills 94

Listening Skills 96

Loyalty and Dedication 99

Management Skills and Style 102

Motivation 106

Personal Style 110

Planning, Organizing, and Scheduling 115

Problem Solving 117

Productivity 120

Professionalism 124

Quality of Work 128

Recruiting 132

Researching, Networking, and Resourcefulness 136

Safety 139

Self-Confidence 143

Strategic Thinking 145

Stress Tolerance 149

Supervisory and Staff Development Skills 152

Tactfulness 157

Teamwork 159

Technical Skills 163

Time Management 167

More Recommended Action Steps for the Manager 171

Section 5 The Job Skills/Performance Evaluation by Job Title and Function 175

Accounting and Finance 176

Accountant/Bookkeeper

Auditor

Financial Analyst

Financial Manager/Credit and Collections Manager

Banks, Credit Unions, Mortgage Companies, and Financial Institutions 178

Bank Manager

Customer Service Representative

Loan Officer

Teller

Construction 180

Carpenter

Estimator

Foreman

Laborer/Construction Worker

Engineering 183

Engineer/Principal Engineer

Engineering Technician

Research and Development Engineer

Human Resources 186

Benefits Administrator

Compensation Analyst

Employee Relations Representative/Labor Relations Representative

Recruiter

Training Specialist

Information Technology (IT) 190

Database Administrator

Data Entry Specialist/Data Entry Operator

Software Architect

Software Engineer/Programmer

Systems Engineer/Systems Analyst

Legal 192

Attorney (for organization)

Legal Assistant/Paralegal

Manufacturing 194

Assembly Line Technician/Production Line Worker

Machine Technician/Equipment Repairman

Machinist

Manufacturing Supervisor

Plant Manager

Production Supervisor

Scheduler

Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations, and Social Media 197

Marketing, Advertising, and Public Relations

Advertising Account Executive

Art Director/Creative Director

Brand Manager/Product Manager

Conference Coordinator/Event Planner

Copywriter

Fundraising Manager

Graphic Designer

Marketing Account Executive

Marketing Director/Marketing Manager/Strategic Marketing

Manager/Social Media Marketing Specialist/Digital Strategist Market Research Analyst

Media Planner/Media Buyer/Communications Planner/Brand

Strategist/Social Media Strategist

Public Relations Account Executive

Publicist

Operations and Distribution 207

Administrative Assistant

Clerk/Clerical Staff Employee

Customer Service Representative/Customer Service Associate

Maintenance Supervisor/Operations and Maintenance Manager

Office Manager

Receptionist

Security Manager/Head of Security

Stock Clerk

Transportation Supervisor/Traffic Services Manager

Sales 214

Cashier/Checker

Sales Account Executive

Sales Assistant (Retail)

Sales Associate (Retail)

Sales Manager

Sales Representative (Outbound/Outside)

Tele marketer/Call Center Agent/Telesales Representative

Appendix 1 Use Strong Action Verbs 221

Appendix 2 Use Qualifying Adverbs 229

Appendix 3 Use Descriptive Adjectives 233

About the Author 239

Index 241

Editorial Reviews

"Sandra Lamb has come up with a fantastic framework for organizing performance reviews and suggestions for how to best give finely-tuned feedback with eloquent words. This is a marvelously clever and much-needed book. Words don't always come easy these days, and wordsmiths are a dying breed. Sandra is one of the very best. I highly recommend this book to you."
-RICHARD N. BOLLES, author of What Color Is Your Parachute? 
 
“If a manager desired a ‘how-to’ book that made performance reviews quick, easy and immediately useful, this is the book. I am recommending this book to every company I consult to. Why? Because it definitely is the best performance review book ever written.”
-MICHAEL MERCER, Ph.D., author of Hire the Best & Avoid the Rest

From the Publisher