How to Say It: Performance Reviews - Phrases and Strategies for Painless and Productive Performance Reviews - Book By Meryl Runion and Janelle Brittain
A Prentice Hall Book © 2006 - ISBN: 0-7352-0412-8

“I could not believe how smooth the review process was this year as a result of this book.”
  ~ Laurie Giacomino

Do you hate performance reviews? How to Say It: Performance Reviews has the performance review phrases you need.


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Meryl Comments:

“I saw them at the office stores like Office Max and copy places like Kinko’s, and I thought ‘Hey, I should write one of those.’ It was a series of books called the How to Say It series. Then in the summer of 2006, my agent asked me if I was interested in writing the book How to Say It Performance Reviews. I thought long and hard for about two seconds and agreed.

My agent suggested I get a coauthor, and I researched who I wanted to work with. I had some amazing options, and I invited Janelle Brittain to work with me. It was really funny when I first called her to invite her to work with me. She literally fell off her chair. We laughed, she agreed and it turned out to be a great decision for us both.

I love the phrases for performance review, I love the bonus superlative phrases (see the free list of employee review phrases for amazing performance here: Superlative Performance Review Phrases ) and I also really like the way we outline the process. I hope you like this book as much as we do.”

This guide shows you how performance reviews can be satisfying and rewarding.

If you need to write an employee review, you need this book. If you want to look forward to giving and receiving performance reviews, you’ll welcome the ready to use performance phrases this book provides. If you need to learn how to give a performance review of an employee, this book is full of how-to’s. And if you want to have a seamless system of performance management that culminates in an integrated performance review, then this might be the most important guide in your performance management library.

Here's why:This book is a quick and efficient resource to make employee performance reviews the positive management tool they were intended to be.

Here is a summary of the benefits this book offers:

• Five steps for mastering every employee performance review. Know how to orchestrate a performance review like a fine symphony.

• What to say in a performance review. What words to choose and words to lose when you write an employee performance review. Get the message across without stepping on verbal landmines.

• Sample phrases for performance feedback of all types. Learn how to provide feedback throughout the performance management process.

• Common performance review pitfalls and how to steer clear of them. See little problems before they become big problems, and avoid them.

• How to write a memo on poor performance that will stand up under inspection, even in court.

• How to master the art of body language and verbal tone during the performance review process. Let your "non-verbals " match your "verbals."

• The Totally Integrated Performance System, or "TIPS" system. Make your performance reviews a part of a seamless performance management system.

• Real world success stories to emulate(and blunders to avoid) provide examples of employee reviews. Learn from the successes - and mistakes - of others.

• A stunning example of a poor performance appraisal by someone who should have known better– what not to do.

• How to deliver an employee poor performance evaluation in a way that motivates improvement. You’ll be delivering performance reviews that actually improve performance.

• How to improve performance management in organization policy. A complete system that you can implement or inspire others to adopt.

• How to customize the company format for your own individual performance review forms. Make it personal for personal results.

• How to deal with staff poor performance – long before the performance review.

• Hundreds of sample performance review phrases you can apply to your own employees’ performance. These ready to use phrases for employee performance reviews will fit every management situation.

It’s compact. Find what you need FAST!

If you need to learn how to give a performance review of an employee, this book walks you through the process from beginning to end.

- The Five Essential Processes of the Totally Integrated Performance Review chapter tells you what you need to know to lay the groundwork early in the performance management process.

- The Employee Preparation and Manager Preparation chapters tell you how to lay the foundation for a productive performance review meeting that sets the stage for a productive forthcoming year.

- The Learn from the Pros and Amateurs: Performance Review Tales of Triumph and Terror chapter provides the sample annual performance review you seek to illustrate how effective reviews can be.

- The Five Steps of a Masterful Review chapter walks you through each step of how to give a performance review of an employee so your words will fall on open ears.

And then you have almost 100 pages of phrases for performance review, categorized by topic with an alphabetical index for easy access.

Hundreds of performance review phrases. Illuminating examples of employee performance review phrases. A step-by-step TIPS (Totally Integrated Performance System) process. This book is 210 pages short and is pocket size (if you have a big pocket.) That makes it a useful and practical reference guide to get the information you need fast.

Listen to what our readers say:

“Required Reading for Every Supervisor! This book is a MUST READ for every new supervisor and an excellent CONVERSATION ENHANCER for the seasoned ones. I would highly recommend this be kept in the top drawer of anyone who has the occasion to discuss performance with an employee!" ~ Lawrence Palmer

"This book could not have come at a better time. I was dreading the thought of writing my performance reviews until I read this book. It gave me insight into the importance of the process as well as some key phrases to use to make the writing of the review simple. I could not believe how smooth the review process was this year as a result. I wrote my reviews with confidence and it took me half the time it normally takes! I passed it along to my managers and colleagues I was so impressed. Great job ladies on making a potentially tired subject alive and refreshing again!"
 ~ Laura Giacomino


"Here’s my favorite part of this book. Each category has a bonus phrase for those employees whose performance surpasses the ordinary. We call them 'Bonus Superlative Phrases.' These phrases are fun and rewarding to an employee whose performance almost defies description. If you’ve ever read the negative performance phrases that circulate the internet (ex: 'has delusions of adequacy'), Bonus Superlative Phrases are our attempt to counteract those and provide a light, humorous way to acknowledge exceptional actions. - Here they are listed as a set."        ~ Meryl Runion CSP                               Click Here



"Need to write an employee review? Then this is the book for you! From the template employee performance reviews to the ready to use phrases for employee performance reviews, this book will show you how to compile a review that is both constructive and likely to fall on receptive ears. I enjoyed the examples of employee reviews from the chapter ‘Performance Review Tales of Triumph and Terror.’ I also enjoyed the ‘Bonus Superlative Phrases’ at the end of each phrase category. These are amusing phrases for the employee whose performance is fabulous. I recommend the first half of this book for anyone who needs to learn how to give a performance review of an employee (it’s full of how-to’s) and I recommend the second half of this book for anyone who is looking for sample phrases for performance feedback.” ~ Kris Porotsky

How to Say It: Performance Reviews Book Cover
How to Say It: Performance Reviews
Phrases and Strategies for Effortless, Powerful,
Pain-Free Reviews

– Meryl Runion and Janelle Brittain


Table of Contents

SECTION I: What They Never Tell You About Performance Reviews

Chapter 1: What They Told You About Performance Reviews Is Wrong
Chapter 2: The Five Essential Processes of the Totally Integrated Performance System (TIPS)
Chapter 3: The Five Steps of a Masterful Performance Review
Chapter 4: Why Timing Is Everything
Chapter 5: You Gotta Know the Law

SECTION II: Preparation

Chapter 6: Documentation Dos and Don’ts
Chapter 7: Setting the Scene for Success
Chapter 8: Employee Preparation
Chapter 9: Manager Preparation
Chapter 10: Motivate Employees to Change
Chapter 11: Learn from Pros and Amateurs: Performance Review Tales of Triumph and Terror

SECTION III: Perfect Words Are Not Enough

Chapter 12: Body Language Dos and Don’ts
Chapter 13: Role-Play Your Way to Performance Review Effectiveness
Chapter 14: Standards of Responsible Communication

SECTION IV: Great Phrases for Integrated Performance Reviews

Chapter 15: Interpersonal & Team Skills
Chapter 16: Management & Leadership Skills
Chapter 17: Task & Technical Skills
Chapter 18: Professionalism


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