Hi Violets, it’s been a minute since I last posted here. Summer has come and gone, and now it’s beginning to look and feel a lot like autumn. Hope you have had a great summer. With the start of a new season and September traditionally being the first month of the new school year, I thought I’d check in, reflect on my performance at work, and see what worked well that contributed to my success during my first year in my administrator role.
I had my performance assessment conversation with my manager over the summer, and it was one of the most nerve-wracking experiences leading up to the meeting. Prior to this, I don’t think I have had positive experiences with my former managers when it came to discussing my performance. And with our annual merit increase being influenced by our performance, I naturally thought about contributions that I have made over the fiscal year.
It turns out I did really well from the perspective of my manager. Thinking about my contributions, here are a few reasons why I was viewed highly by my manager.
I was prepared for our weekly 1:1s and was transparent about my work assignments.
Simple in theory, but throughout the year, I have kept myself on my toes in being organized and making sure I had all the items that I wanted to go over with my manager prior to meeting on a weekly basis. I used that time to update him on assignments that were on my plate and keeping him apprised of potential situations that might arise. By keeping my manager in the loop of everything that has been happening in my sphere, I like to think that that has helped him in better supporting me and the work that we do as administrators. On a few occasions, I’ve also received compliments about the agenda document that I share with him.
I updated our team’s budget tracker on a timely basis.
One item that I know that is critical to my manager’s responsibilities is our budget. Since I make several purchases on behalf of the department throughout the year, I always made sure to update this document on a timely basis, and not at the last minute, so that I avoid forgetting certain purchases and he has real-time overview of the how much has been spent.
I tried my best to submit deliverables before he asked for them.
Since I knew when most of the deadlines are, I tried to work and deliver ahead of schedule. This way, I avoid having to complete assignments at the last minute. I also avoid having my manager reach out to me every time asking for a deliverable. I think this has helped with managing his expectations, and it’s helped make his life easier so it’s one less thing for him to worry about.
Looking ahead…
I will soon be focusing on setting up new goals for this fiscal year. I will also be thinking about ways in which I can improve my communication and relationship with my manager and team. Hope some of these tips help you in your workplace!