Annual Performance Map (APM)

Leader’s Guide

Human Talent Division 2021

Introduction

Each year, as part of the Annual Performance Map (APM), leaders and their team members are expected to work

together to carry out a series of steps established for the year. To this end, we have developed different versions

of this guide for the following two personnel groups:

To facilitate this process, we have developed an online system (click here), which allows for recording and

monitoring the performance factors to be evaluated, such as objective/results, the Individual Development Plan

(IDP), skills, institutional values, professional aspirations, etc.

The system is complemented by other support tools such as the IICA Competency Framework, the Guide on

Check-ins, several templates and worksheets. These tools are mentioned in the APM steps detailed below.

Annual Performance Map (APM) Cycle

ANNUAL PERFORMANCE MAP (APM) STEPS:

Step One: Setting Objective/Results

At the beginning of the year, leaders and team members will work together to identify and set objective/results

for the team member. Objective/results clarify the team members’ priorities and allow them to allocate their

time and resources effectively through the year.

Leaders and team members should establish 3 to 5 priorities to focus on throughout the year that can be updated

as necessary. Clear objective/results lead to clearer expectations, focused conversations, and ultimately,

improved performance levels. Refer to Annex A for more information (page 8).

The team members’ objective/results should:

• Follow the SMART model. Refer to Annex B for more information (page 9).

• Start with the end result in mind and clearly identify how success will be measured.

• Be aligned with the institutional objective/results, so the team member has a clear context for work.

Multiple supervision

The input of the immediate leader and other relevant leaders should be considered to establish jointly with the

team member, the main and additional objectives. Example: a regional technical specialist.

Primary objectives: Developed jointly between the team member and the immediate leader.

Additional objectives: Developed jointly with the team member and other relevant leaders.

Step Two: Individual Development Plan (IDP) The Individual Development Plan (IDP) is a tool that allows team members to work hand in hand with their leader to identify strengths and areas of opportunities, clarifying objective and agreeing on necessary development actions to achieve objectives.

The IDP establishes the actions that must be carried out, such as training sessions and other activities that

strengthen the team member’s development and performance in the workplace.

Use the Individual Development Plan Template to identify the team member’s development objective/results

and/or competencies for the year. Refer to Annex C for more information (page 11).

View the IICA Competency Framework here.

Roles & Responsibilities Development planning is a responsibility shared by team members and leaders. Through discussion and

collaboration, the leader and team member establish the development plan by outlining objective/results, learning

activities and timelines. The IDP provides an opportunity to explore the team member’s strengths and growth areas,

as well as personal and career interests.

Creating a feasible IDP requires the effort and input of both the team member and the leader. The IDP Template

outlines the steps to follow to create a solid, focused, feasible development plan that leverages strengths and

addresses development needs.

Step Three: Check-ins

Check-ins are individual 15 to 30-minute check-in meetings throughout the year between leaders and team

members. These opportunities for dialogue enable leaders to provide their team members with feedback and

recognition to help develop strengths and build potential.

Check-in meetings provide an opportunity to track the progress of programmed objective/results and the Individual

Development Plan (IDP). They also allow for clarifying expectations, adjusting objective, and, more importantly,

getting to know team members better and building relationships of trust and support.

Here are a few questions that leaders may use to start the conversation:

• What priorities are you currently working on?

• Could you comment on the progress of your projects/tasks? Have you faced any challenges?

• What additional knowledge and skills would help you for your projects/tasks?

• What are some of your most significant accomplishments?

• Is there anything else I can do to assist you in accomplishing your projects/tasks?

Key points to cover during the conversation:

1. Track progress on objective/results and the IDP.

2. Provide support for the achievement of objective.

3. Recognize team members’ achievements and performance.

It is important for the leader to document the conversations using the template available in the online Annual

Performance Map (APM) system. Refer to Annex D for more information (page 12).

Step Four: Team member’s Self-Assessment

Each team member will be evaluated by the corresponding leader based on the objective/results set at the beginning

of the year and the IICA Competency Framework. There are 8 core and 4 leadership competencies (see the IICA

Competency Framework here). Each competency has four levels of proficiency.

Core competencies are applicable to every employee and form the foundation from which employee s will continue

to build and enhance their skills and knowledge. All employees are expected to exhibit a level of proficiency in each

core competency. Leadership competencies are assigned to those who have at least one direct report and are in or

transitioning into a leadership role.

Prior to receiving the leader’s evaluation, each team member will conduct a self-assessment of his/her

objective/results and competencies, which will inspire reflection and increase awareness about what they have

accomplished and the required areas for development. This self-assessment enables the leader to learn about the

team members’ perception regarding their own performance.

Step Five: Assessing objective/results and competencies

When rating objective and competencies, leaders are expected to include comments on the team member’s

performance, achievements and areas for development.

It is important for the leader to review check-in notes and any other relevant documentation created throughout

the year as an additional resource to effectively evaluate the team member’s performance.

Rating Tendencies

When assigning performance ratings, it is important to ensure that all leaders are fair and consistent by neutralizing

the effect of ‘tough graders’ and ‘easy graders.’ All employees should be assessed using the same criteria.

Below is a list of rating tendencies and errors that leaders should be aware of when determining the overall rating of

an employee, in order to boost objectivity when making rating decisions.

Source: Corporate Leadership Council – Selecting and Implementing Effective Rating Scales, April 2013

1. Halo Effect

Occurs when too much significance or weighting is attached to a single factor of performance.

Leads to an unbalanced assessment by undermining the importance of other elements.

2. Central Tendency Bias

Involves the tendency of a rater to cluster ratings around a central point – usually an average or

middle point on a scale resulting from the fear of rating too high or too low.

3. Recency Error

Refers to the rater’s tendency to allow their most recent observations of employee behavior (whether

positive or negative) to carry too much weight when evaluating him or her over an entire rating period.

4. First Impression Bias

Refers to the rater’s tendency to let his or her first impression of an employee’s effectiveness carry too

much weight when evaluating an employee’s effectiveness over an entire rating period.

5. Leniency and Strictness Error

Occurs when a rater rates all employees at the higher end of the scale (leniency error) or at the lower end

of the scale (strictness error).

Rating scale

The following 5 rating options can be used when assessing the objective/results and competencies of an

employee, as follows:

EXCEEDS: Significantly and consistently exceeds expectations regarding the objective / results of the role, according

to the competencies of the position.

OCCASIONALLY EXCEEDS: Consistently meets the objective/ results and expectations of the role, in accordance

with the competencies of the position and occasionally exceeds them.

ACHIEVES: Systematically complies with the objectives / results and expectations of the role, according to the

competencies of his position.

BELOW: Does not consistently meet the objectives, results, and expectations of the role, according to the

competencies required of the position.

DEVELOPING: Reflects the work of the new / promoted / transferred team member, who partially fulfills the

competencies and expectations of the role. It is used a qualification in the first six months in a new position, or in

the case that the role involves new tasks.

Step Six: Overall Rating

Team members will get an overall rating from their immediate supervisor.

Comments by leaders and team members Both the leader and the team members will make general comments on performance, highlighting achievements and identifying areas of opportunity, to be included in the Individual Development Plan - IDP.

Step Seven: Signature

Team member Sign-off

The team member confirms that the APM has been read and discussed and does not necessarily imply agreement or disagreement.

Leader Sign-off

Once completed and signed by the team member, the leader will sign the evaluation, concluding the process.

ANNEXES

Annex A: Setting Objective/Results template

Team Member /Leader: Identify proposed objective/results for the year.

Goal/result

What priorities will you focus on?

Success Indicators

How will you measure the achievement of the goal/result?

Status Update

What is the progress to date? (discussed during check-in

meetings)

Due Dates

When do you need to achieve the goal/result?

Example: Implement a new performance management program throughout the Institute that is effective and consistent, by January/February 2019.

• Comprehensive roll-out strategy.

• Easy-to use learning resources.

• Increased number of team member check-in conversations.

• Annual Performance Report completion rate of 80% +.

• Roll-out strategy completed.

• January/February 2019.

1.

2.

3.

Annex B: How to establish SMART objective/results - Worksheet

Write a goal here (it does not need to be SMART):

S

Is the goal easy to understand?

Does it answer the 5 Ws?

• What

• Why

• Who

• When

• How

Are you using action verbs? (refer to the action verbs table)

Notes:

M

Is there a specific result?

Is it quantitative – based on a specific number?

Is it qualitative – based on quality?

Do you have a baseline if it is qualitative?

Notes:

A

Does the team member have the skills and abilities required to achieve the objective/results?

Do they have the resources and tools?

Notes:

R

Is it relevant to the team member’s current or future role?

Is it aligned with the unit’s objective/results?

Notes:

T

When does the goal need to be completed?

Are there specific dates and milestones?

Priority – what else needs to be accomplished?

Should the goal be broken down into smaller objective?

Notes:

Rewrite your goal/result ensuring it is SMART here:

Specific

Measureable

Achievable

Relevant

Time-Based

Action Verbs for SMART objective/results Some have found the following formula helpful in the development of smart objective/results: AV + A + P + D, which is translated as Action Verb + Activity + Purpose + Target date Here is an example of the use of this formula:

Action Verb Activity Purpose Target date

Complete Excel Tutorial – Part I per recommendation by supervisor by January 2019.

The following table includes a list of action verbs for reference.

KNOWLEDGE COMPREHENSION APPLICATION ANALYSIS SYNTHESIS EVALUATION

Cite Define Describe Determine Differentiate Enumerate Enunciate Explain Identify Indicate Locate Name Present Recognize Repeat Reproduce Select Show Write

Argue Associate Change Compare Define Demonstrate Exemplify Express Illustrate Interpret Order Organize Resume Sum up Transform

Translate Verify

Apply Build Calculate Demonstrate Design Determine Eliminate Employ Find Manage Manipulate Measure Modify Obtain Operate Organize Outline Practice Prepare Produce Relate Represent Resolve Structure Utilize Verify

Abstract Analyze Break down Calculate Compare Contrast Criticize Debate Design Detail Detect Determine Differentiate Divide Examine Experiment Illustrate Isolate Itemize Omit Relate Select Separate

Specify

Choose Classify Combine Compose Conceive Conceptualize Construct Create Design Direct Distribute Estimate Explain Formulate Generate Group Justify Measure Modify Organize Present Produce Program Project Reconstruct Reorganize Repair Schematize Select Structure Substantiate Verify

Agree Appreciate Approve Categorize Compare Conclude Contrast Criticize Decide Demonstrate Discover Evaluate Integrate Justify Measure Modify Prove Rate Revise Select Select Substantiate Support Value Verify

Annex C: Individual Development Plan template

Team Member/Leader: identify two to three actions to commit to within the next 12 months

Goal

What development objective do you want

to achieve?

Actions/Activities

Which specific actions will you take to achieve the goal?

Success Indicators

How will you measure the achievement of the

goal?

Resources Required

Which resources do you need to achieve your

goal?

Status Update

What is the progress

to date? (discussed in check-in meetings)

Due Dates

By when do you need to achieve your

goal?

Example: Increase my Excel skills to be able to use macro and pivot tables.

• Take Excel lessons.

• Identify internal training options, such as LinkedIn.com tutorials.

• Take on a challenging assignment using Excel at the next level.

• Departmental monthly reports completed accurately and independently.

• Excel Level 3

• LinkedIn.com tutorials

• Completed Excel Level 3 course – February 2019

July/August 2019

1.

2.

3.

Annex D: Follow-up Meetings

Check-Ins: Template to document conversation with team member

Name of team member: Name of leader: Date:

1. What priorities are you currently working on?

2. Could you comment on the progress of your projects/tasks? Have you faced any challenges?

3. What additional knowledge and skills would help you in your projects/tasks?

4. What are some of your most significant accomplishments?

5. Is there anything else I can do to assist you in accomplishing your projects/tasks?

The leader documents the conversation with the team member using this template, which is

available online in the Annual Performance Map (APM) system. Click here.