138 · Representative Documents: Performance Assessment
NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
Performance Excellence Handbook
Good “development objectives” help people acquire knowledge and build skills
they need to accomplish their performance objectives and demonstrate Northwestern
behaviors.
Effective managers help employees identify their development opportunities and
suggest potential solutions (such as special assignments, job shadowing, mentoring, and
workshops offered by Training &Development staff (www.northwestern.edu/hr/training).
As with the performance objectives, development objectives should be SMART.
6 Northwestern University Performance Excellence Handbook
Setting Development Objectives
For an exempt employee wishing to improve efficiency
Development objective:
“Take the Project Management Essentials workshop on 2-5-07, report what I learn to
our team by 2-19, and apply the relevant concepts while creating and communicating
our 2007 strategic plan.”
For an exempt or non-exempt employee wishing to improve coachability
Development objective:
“At each quarterly progress meeting with my manager, ask for feedback about what I
am doing well and what I can improve. Keep a journal with this information, try my
manager’s suggestions, and reflect each week on what worked, what didn’t work, and
what I will do the following week.”
For an exempt employee wishing to improve leadership
Development objective:
“Find a mentor by 1-1-07, schedule two informal lunch meetings in 2007, and call him/
her for guidance as needed.”
For a non-exempt employee wishing to improve written communication
Development objective:
“Take the Better Business Writing workshop on 3-12-07, report what I learn to my
manager by 3-19, and apply the relevant concepts while writing our student welcome
letters.”
Examples
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