We are now entering day 111 of the COVID-19 Modified Operating Procedure for Extension. Where has the summer gone? There are very few changes in the Extension Return to Work Framework plan. As the pandemic continues to spread across the United States and gain a stronger foothold in our communities, we will continue to monitor and adjust our reentry plan based on EOC feedback. I stated from the beginning that this would be a very fluid plan and the safety of our Extension family is our number one priority.
It is evaluation time and I know that the Extension Leadership team has put many hours into this process. Some people think this is a very worrisome situation, while others place little value on evaluations and think they are a popularity contest. I want to assure you that I place a high priority on the evaluation process and not for reasons you may think. I believe that evaluations should be used as a tool to help improve you as a professional. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, evaluation means “the process of judging or calculating, the quality, importance, amount, or value of something. This is how I define evaluation for Extension: the process of determining the value and quality of your program(s) through the measured impact (importance) your programs have demonstrated. It is a straightforward process that identifies whether behavior or situations have been changed because of the program(s) you delivered.
There are three levels to define, in a positive manner, of an Extension employee’s performance: Successful, Exceptional, and Top Performer. To me, Successful means that you are valued as a very productive Extension team member, and you have created a measurable impact. If you receive Exceptional, that means you have gone above all requirements. You have not only met every objective but have added more value to your objectives by going above and beyond the normal activities of an employee. To reach the Top Performer level, you are a professional working at the stature of greatness that makes you stand out from all others. Think of it as that you have performed at a ‘legendary’ level like Babe Ruth, Simone Biles, LeBron James, etc. You not only hit a home run for your dedication; you hit a grand slam. However, I want to warn anyone whose objective is to be a Top Performer every year. It is more likely than not that you will “burn out,” while possibly missing out on time with your family and personal interests outside of work. For if this is your mindset, to be a Top Performer continuously, it’s highly probable that you must be on task for long hours, seven days a week. This type of approach could very well chip away at your well-being and lead you to feel resentful, instead of fulfilled.
If you think you are a failure because you received Successful and did not achieve Exceptional or Top Performer, you are not. To address this, you need to sit down during your planning stage with your District Director and Program Team Director to set your objectives for Exceptional and Top Performer levels. These objectives should be measurable and obtainable but should not be easy to obtain without a focused approach beyond what you have previously done. When it is time for you to work on your planning stage, I encourage you to assess your professional situation and the programming path ahead of you by thinking back on our past way of life that has been ravaged by COVID-19. Acknowledge through your planning that communities, families, and the economy need our help more than ever before. Stand up to the challenge. Be creative, confident, and deliberate. People are paying more attention than ever to Extension because of their needs and the needs of those around them. Shape your programming to focus on guiding our stakeholders on a different path to higher ground. Your approach will be different than what you have done in the past. You will have to work harder for an undetermined amount of time – weeks, possibly months – but your work will have resounding effects. We will have the rest of our lives to remember these achievements.
Please do your part to keep yourself and those around you safe. I urge you not to waver in continuing to follow the recommended safety protocols to inhibit the possibility of additional COVID-19 cases. As always, please take good care of yourselves and your families, and thank you for what you do for Clemson Extension.
