Core Value
Composure and Balance
Performance Review
Often performance reviews will be founded both on a job description or Terms of Reference (see the Anchoring section for suggestions) and on annual work plans or objectives (which can include soft skills or values). It is important that concrete criteria and expectations are set. Here is a reminder of the job description/terms of reference provisions suggested for this value:
“Maintain composure and balance appropriate professional boundaries while engaging and supporting survivors before, during and after disclosure/an interview.”
“Ensure self-care and emotional balance and well-being while implementing tasks and responsibilities.”
These could be incorporated into an annual plan or review using the Deep Dive table and a scale such as:
Exceeds Expectations: consistently models behaviours which exemplify this value (see relevant Deep Dive column), including proactive management of self-care and emotional regulation, exemplary balance between professional boundaries and survivor connection and empathy, composure and high comfort levels during disclosures of traumatic events.
Meets Expectations: reliably behaves in a way that demonstrates this value on a day-to-day basis (see relevant Deep Dive column) including consistent composure and structure in survivor engagements, enabling survivor disclosure without controlling, interrupting it or disrupting it unless necessary, maintaining self care and boundaries without compromising on empathy and connection with survivors.
Needs Improvement: inconsistent approach, requires reminders, prompts or assistance to demonstrate this value, behaves in ways which are limiting, misaligned or challenging in terms of this value (see relevant Deep Dive column) including extremes of total disconnection with survivors, controlling and interrupting survivor disclosures, projecting anxieties and own emotions or trauma into survivor interactions, inability to manage self-care and put any limits on survivor assistance or support.
You can choose to focus on specific aspects or tailor the expected behaviours specifically to the job or tasks and include these more specific expectations in an annual work plan or job description.
It is important to include free-narrative boxes for evidence-based assessment and explanations both for a person’s own self-assessment of their work, and for the line-manager’s or supervisor’s constructive comments.