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Assistant Professors

Dr. Bill Egner

Dr. Brad McKerly

On the Course Page

RosterAssigned Professors for DialogueMid-Term Evaluation of the Class

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10 Webinar Discussions

1. Hiring—David Lyons.  April 222. Hiring, part 2—Dr. Bill Egner. April 293. Compensation—Sutton Turner.  May 64. Compensation—May 8 (9 am) & May 135. Reviews—Dr. Paul Utnage.  May 20

6. Terminations—Jon Wright. Not May 27 but May 28 at 2 pm!

7. Terminations, part 2—Daniel Rolfe. June 38. Staffing Plans & MultiSite— Jim

Tomberlin. June 109. HR Policy—Eric Rojas. June 1710.HR Policy, part 2—Matt Anthony & David

Middlebrook.  June 24

Operations 102—Communications

Operations 102—Communications

1. Strategy: The Culture of Your Church. July 1

2. Strategy: Parsing the Preaching Pastor, July 9

3. Web, July 154. Hardware & IT, July 225. Productivity Tools, July

29

6. Multisite & Cutting Edge Issues, August 5

7. Advertising, August 128. Policy & Practice,

August 199. Policy & Practice,

August 2210. Communications Team,

August 26

Annual Reviews: Bane or Blessing?

HR surveys show that employee reviews rank near the bottom of a supervisor’s favorite tasks. Because of this dismay and time demands, it’s easy to rush through the process—perhaps even avoid them altogether. But they can be helpful for your ministry when done well.

Note the words, “when done well.” You may need to make some changes if you’re going to avoid the worst experiences.

For the Q&A time, bring issues from your organization’s review methods—practices that are currently being used at your church and practices that you’d like to attempt in the future.

Required Reading

Senior Leadership Review of Mountain Springs Church by Daniel Rolfe

A Contrarian’s Journey Through Staff Evaluations by Bob Feitl

The Fun & Fright of Taking a 360 Performance Feedback by Dr. Nathan Baxter

Today’s Class

Part 1—Introduction, 10 min.

Part 2—Interactive Lecture withDr. Paul Utnage, 40 min.

Part 3—Q & A, 30 min.

Annual Reviews: Bane or Blessing?

Crucial Conversations toStrengthen Culture and Leadership

Dr. Paul Utnage

Paul joined the staff of Springhill Presbyterian Church in Bozeman, Montana in February 2012 as the Executive Pastor. Bozeman claims to be the “most livable place” in the United States. Since Paul has lived in cities from Texas to Alaska, he just might be able to confirm whether that claim is true. Of course, he might also be biased since he looks from his front window at the Gallatin Mountains which front the mountains of Yellowstone on the other side.

During his career, Paul has served as Youth Pastor, Senior Pastor and Executive Pastor in churches of all sizes. His areas of expertise have focused upon organizational change and healthy leadership cultures in each situation. He also serves as a strengths consultant with ProScan PDPWorks.

Paul and his wife, Brenda, share a common passion for outdoor activities like skiing, snow shoeing, camping, hiking and biking.

Today’s Topics

What is the current state of annual reviews? What is the purpose of annual reviews? What is the nature of a good annual review? What should we review? What should I think about when doing a review? When do you use reviews in the disciplinary process of a staff member? Is there a difference between the review process in a large church from a

process in a medium church? How do you help staff members appreciate reviews, rather than fear

reviews? How do you participate in the Senior Pastor’s annual review?

the practice of annual reviews has come under scrutiny and criticism in the last two decades

A 1998 study by Development Dimensions Incorporated found that employees expressed overwhelming dissatisfaction with performance reviews.

The consulting firm, People IQ, in a 2005 national survey, found that 87% of employees and managers felt performance reviews were neither useful nor effective.

The Society for Human Resource Management found that 90% of performance appraisals are both painful and don’t work—even further, they produce an extremely low percentage of top performers.

In an article in The Psychological Bulletin, researchers (Kluger and Denisi) discovered that 30% of the annual reviews actually decreased performance.

the practice of annual reviews has come under scrutiny and criticism in the last two decades

Charles Jacobs, author of Management Rewired: Why Feedback Doesn’t Work and Other Supervisory Lessons from Brain Science, says that the brain is wired to resist constructive feedback when it is perceived as negative criticism. So when managers give critical performance appraisals to employees, their brains’ defense mechanisms are activated. The motivation to change is improbable or decreased.

the practice of annual reviews has come under scrutiny and criticism in the last two decades

Robert Sutton, a Stanford University professor, says that performance evaluations do more harm than good.

Samuel Culbert, a professor at the UCLA Anderson School of Management and author of the book, Get Rid of Performance Reviews, actually argues that employee performance reviews are “destructive and fraudulent . . . they’re just plain bad management . . . It’s time to finally put the performance review out of its misery.”

Tom Coens and Mary Jenkins, in Abolishing Performance Appraisals, describe study after study that show performance appraisals do not work.

Garold Markie, in Catalytic Coaching, argues that performance reviews have reached the end of their utility and should be replaced with a coaching system.

the practice of annual reviews has come under scrutiny and criticism in the last two decades

Much of the research demonstrates that reviews, by their very nature, offer: False objectivity Focus on the manager rather than the individual Lack of development Destruction of teamwork and innovation Stifling information feedback Demand for self-protection Creation of distrust and uncertainty Irrelevance

so the conversation goes on

However annual reviews offer some positive benefits: Opportunities for conversations that strengthen culture

and leadership

Opportunities to develop job satisfaction

Opportunities to stimulate trust

what is the purpose of an annual review?

Common purposes for annual reviews were: To honor high performers and weed out poor performers

To motivate medium performers to improve by assessing/honing their strengths and correcting their weaknesses

To determine salary raises or holiday bonuses

what is the purpose of a review?

At Springhill an annual review is a tool, or instrument, to strengthen: Culture

Coordination

Coaching

Celebration

what is the nature of a good annual review?

Quantitative review methodology

Provides a stated baseline to measure people Provides a measurement method for all people Impersonal Reduces complex social realities to one-dimensional

numerical variables Assumes confirmable observations Focuses upon short-term improvements at best Records poor track records in a way that is easy to report

and supportable in lawsuits

what is the nature of a good annual review?

Qualitative review methodology

Personal conversation (whether written or verbal) because it is a more relational observation

Catches the complex social realities Confirmation comes from multiple interviews Tailors to the uniqueness of each person and each

experience More difficult to compare one person’s review with

another person’s review Focuses upon larger contexts and long-term improvement

what do you review?

Vision Goal-setting Team relations Leadership Problem-solving experiences Impact upon culture Spiritual life as it influences other people on the team Final agreement for any personal development needs

what do you review?

You are free to change the questions/topics of your review when you use qualitative methodology. You are not comparing the year-to-year numbers.

So be creative every year. Why make a review predictable?

what should I think about when doing a review?

Be careful. One size does not fit all.

Continually review staff members throughout the year.

Mold the conversation and questions to fit your key purposes of a review.

Get the staff member’s input before you insert your thoughts.

what should I think about when doing a review?

Choose a teacher-coach style. If you aren’t wired for this, get someone else to do it.

Shift your sight to their growth. It’s not about you.

Honor honest evaluation and creative thinking—from both of you.

Stay with healthy relationship principles.

when do you use reviews in the disciplinary process of a staff member?

In general, do not couple reviews with discipline. There should be no surprises in the review.

Meet for disciplinary discussions before performing the review. A prior disciplinary matter may then be reflected in the review, but don’t make it the focus of the review.

Protect your culture—because people will talk.

other questions

Is there a difference between the review process in a large church from a medium church?

Purpose Scope Responsibility Training

other questions

How do you help staff members appreciate reviews, rather than fear reviews?

In general, you will create the expectations among everyone as you review people.

Build a healthy organizational culture by training—and expecting—healthy relational principles throughout the year.

Prepare people for the review by walking through the review with everyone in a staff meeting.

Before you start the review process, give them a support person who can serve in a mediatory way if the review falls apart.

other questions

How do you participate in the Senior Pastor’s annual review?

Carefully Selectively Relationally

Contact Information

Dr. Paul Utnage (he prefers “Paul” without the title)

Executive Pastor Springhill Presbyterian Church, 7 W. Main Street, Suite

201, Bozeman, MT 59715 (406) 582-8000 paulu@springhillpres.com

Q & ASend Questions via Chat to Tami

Bring issues from your organization’s review methods—practices that are currently being used at your church and practices that you’d like to attempt in the future.