Daniel Keen Consulting

Why should you consider using a facilitator to assist with your chief executive’s next performance evaluation?

For many organizations, the annual evaluation of the chief executive (city manager, general manager, chief executive officer) is a process that some governing boards dread, because they find it time-consuming, cumbersome and ineffective:

• Evaluations that rely upon the use of checklist or survey forms often result in an incomplete picture of performance, particularly when board members don’t complete the form in a timely manner, or put different levels of effort into filling out the form.
• The burden of summarizing five (or seven, or nine) different evaluation forms often falls on the mayor or chair, who may not have the time or expertise to put a written document together.
• Divided councils or boards may not trust that any individual member of the governing board can prepare an unbiased summary of the executive’s performance.

The facilitated performance evaluation is a better approach to this important annual council responsibility.  A key feature of the process is that it is interview-based rather than reliant on survey forms.  The facilitator conducts individual, one-on-one interviews with each member of the board. Interviews are confidential and anonymity is maintained throughout the process. All interviewees are asked the same set of questions, which are provided in advance.  Once interviews are completed, a written summary of the feedback is prepared by the facilitator, incorporating all of the members’ input, not just the majority views.  This summary is then presented in a closed session to all of the council/board members, with the chief executive present to listen to and participate in the discussion regarding their performance.

Previous clients provide overwhelmingly positive comments about this process. Many appreciate that it allows every member of the council to participate and provide their individual feedback in a one-on-one interview. Others say the process results in clearly established goals for the chief executive. The most frequent feedback, however, is that the facilitated evaluation approach is much less stressful for everyone involved.