PMO Tips: Project Manager Performance Assessments That Motivate

The role of the PMO manager in conducting a project manager performance review is that of facilitator, not evaluator. The PMO manager should seek to focus on providing outcome-based feedback - for example, telling an project manager that "Because the report was late, meetings were postponed, and the project was delayed"; not - "We got into trouble because you didn't meet the deadline." Follow your comments with If-Then statements, such as "If you could do this..., then this would happen..." Placing the focus on performance and the performance results, not the individual, will help motivate your project manager to improved performance, rather than simply feeling bad.

Ideally, the performance review meeting should encourage the employee to talk openly and freely about accomplishments, problems, concerns, and perceptions. And, very little, if anything, in the performance assessment should be a surprise to either party. But to achieve this, a bit of planning and preparation is required.

Here are ten key steps to follow when preparing for - and giving – a performance assessment that will motivate your project manager:

1. Regular Discussions. Regularly discuss with other managers and key staff how your project manager is doing.
2. Ongoing Feedback. Give ongoing, timely and relevant feedback to your project manager throughout the year. And, use ongoing feedback to provide the recognition that motivates, and that provides an opportunity for , mentoring, and development. As PMO Manager, be aware of, and seek to reduce the anxiety that is natural in a traditional assessment interview.
3. Write a Rough Draft. Write a rough draft for your project manager. Then ask yourself: What will be remembered? What will motivate? Are comments specific? Is there enough and appropriate anecdotal evidence to support each assertion? Are your comments fair?
4. Project Manager Participation. Insist that your project manager actively participate in their performance reviews. A week in advance of the meeting, provide the project manager with a list of self-assessment questions to complete in advance of the meeting. The questions should ask what the person has accomplished since the last review, any successes or disappointments at work, whether or not they are getting enough support and feedback to be effective in their work, and so on. The project manager’s answers to these questions should form the basis of your initial discussion.
5. Strengths and Weaknesses. Tell you project manager what has been done well and what must be improved upon. Provide specific anecdotal evidence of what the employee has done, not vague generalizations. Don’t be adversarial, seek to build upon strengths.
6. No Surprises. There should be no surprises for either party during the performance assessment. The performance assessment meeting is not the time to bring up first time performance problems. If there are performance problems that need to be addressed, address them when they arise.
7. Rating Scale. A potentially contentious part of most performance reviews is the rating scale. What is the worth of a rating scale? None; all it does is compare Bob with Sally. It is almost impossible to understand ambiguous ratings such as "needs improvement" or "satisfactory.' A rating system also encourages managers to resort to a shorthand grade instead of using performance reviews as an opportunity to coach and to motivate employees.
8. Separate Financial Compensation. Very important: When we separate financial compensation from the assessment process, we remove the distraction from the performance interview and we encourage listening and dialogue that motivates improved performance. Most of us want to know if we will "get a raise" - but that needs to wait. By creating a spirit of communication and creativity, the performance review is no longer dreaded, rather an effective communication tool, useful business dialog, and opportunity to motivate.
9. Preparation. Thoughtful preparation is the key essential in planning a successful performance discussion. Spontaneity works well in some situations, but almost never when a person's needs, values, performance, and career plans are being discussed. Project Managers are professionals and are quick to size up, and appreciate, the integrity of the PMO manager as evidenced by how well the PMO Manager prepares for the performance review and by how well the PMO Manager conducts the review session.
10. Have a Well Planned Conclusion. Make sure that the performance assessment ends in a conclusive and positive manner. Don’t just get though it, but use the performance assessment to rate your project manager accurately and fairly. Praise strengths and restate improvement needed areas. If the project manager performance assessment is an accurate, fair, and positive experience, then it is likely to have a motivating effect, rather than just being stressful.

Often times, we casually manage our skilled resources, our subject matter experts, our super-stars. And, many project managers fall into these categories. While this may be a seemingly convenient approach to take, it does not do service to the needs project managers have to be challenged at work, to be appraised effectively against the end results of their efforts, and to be recognized for the value they deliver to the organization. So, the next time you are appraising a project manager (or being appraised as a project manager), seek to ensure the experience is not just fair but motivating as well.