English for Business

Speaking
Section 5-Interviews

Unit 38 Carrying out performance reviews

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited

 Outline
01. Review (3mins)
02. Exercise (11mins)
03. Speaking (8mins)
04. Summary (2mins)

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited 1

 Suggested time: 3mins

A. Review
In the previous lesson, you’ve learned:
The process of conducting a performance
review meeting:
Step 1: Discuss employee’s job
description
Step 2: Assess the employee’s
performance
Step 3: Set employee an objective
Step 4 Discuss employee’s future
development
Criteria on setting objectives: SMART
Specific Question:
Measurable Can you elaborate on each word——specific,
Achievable measurable, achievable, realistic and timely
Realistic with details?
Timely

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Do a brief review of last lesson. 2

 Suggested time: 4mins

B. Exercise
1. Read these sentences from the grey box and four categories. Group them in the correct
categories, following the example.
① Discussing employee’s job descriptions: 1
② Assessing employee’s performance:
③ Setting employee an objective:
④ Discussing employee’s future development:

1. Are you happy with how I’ve outlined your
job description?
2. Down the line, I think it would be helpful
for you to develop your interpersonal skills.
3. Have I missed out anything that you do in
your position?
4. How do you feel about your performance
this year?
5. I expect you to have completed your
review of expenses by Tuesday.
6. I would like you to organize an employee
First Aid course by January.
7. I’ve observed that you are steadily improving
in all areas of your job.
8. Is that a fair description of your role?
9. Looking ahead, I think you should work to
improve your leadership skills.
10. Moving forward, perhaps we could look at
management training courses.
11. My impression is that your performance has
way exceeded our expectations this year.
12. Please could you set up a meeting with all
the relevant personnel by the end of the
week?

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Ask S to do the matching. Answers are on the next page. 3
Answer:
① 1, 3, 8
② 4, 7, 11 Suggested time: 4mins
③ 5, 6, 12
④ 2, 9, 10
2. Complete the conversation with sentences from the previous exercise. In some
places, more than one answer is possible. And then repeat them.

Manager: And so, as personnel assistant, your responsibilities include writing

advertisements for vacancies, selecting possible candidates, and sitting in
on the interviews with the relevant manager. ①__________________.
Employee: Yes, that’s right, but I also carry out induction days for new employees and
some in-house training for existing employees.
Manager: Oh, yes, of course. ② __________________.
Employee: Well, I think I’ve done well. I’ve helped to recruit twenty-three new
members of staff and carried out successful inductions (就职; 入职培训) with
all of them.
Manager: Yes, I’ve had some positive feedback on that. As for my personal opinion,
③ __________________.
Employee: That’s very encouraging to hear.
Manager: Great. Right, some employees have mentioned to me that they would like
to receive First Aid training. I’m all in favor of that so ④ __________________.
Employee: OK. Should that be open to everyone in the company?
Manager: Yes, absolutely. OK, ⑤ __________________.
Employee: Yes, I’d be very keen to (渴望) go on a management course. Thanks.

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Ask S to complete the conversation and then repeat them. The answers are on the next page. 4
Answer:
① 1/3/8
②4 Suggested time: 3mins
③ 7/11
④6
⑤ 10 3. It is important to set the employee at ease during the meeting. You can do this by using
appropriate TONE to make your employee feel comfortable. Listen to the four different
speakers and choose the correct adjective for each speaker. Then repeat them in appropriate
tone.
(32s) http://www.acadsoc.com.cn/IES/Aplayer.aspx?code=47FCA027295BC070

Speaker 1 Speaker 3
I would like you to establish
How do you feel about
a job rotation scheme. I
your performance this
expect you to organize this
year?
by the end of the month.
interested VS uninterested negative VS positive

Speaker 2 Speaker 4
I’ve observed that you Down the line, I think it
are steadily improving would be helpful for you to
in all areas of your job. develop your interpersonal
skills.
polite VS impolite diplomatic VS blunt
shy VS assertive encouraging VS angry

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Ask S to listen to the audio and then choose the correct adjective for each speaker. 5
Explain the words if needed. The answers are on the next page.
Answer:
Speaker 1: interested
Suggested time: 3mins
C. Speaking
Speaker 2: polite and assertive
Speaker 3: positive
Speaker 4: diplomatic and encouraging

1. You are an office manager and are carrying out a performance review with your
employee. Follow the instruction from the box. You start.
Instruction:
1. Outline the employee’s job description and
You: _______________________________.
ask if you have missed anything.
Employee: No, I think that about covers it.
2. Ask him/her about his/her opinion of
You: _______________________________.
performance this year.
Employee: I think I’ve done well. I’ve met all my targets in
3. Agree with what he/she says and give
terms of budget cuts and I think the first phase
him/her positive feedback on his/her
of the office refurbishment was successful too.
performance this year.
You: _______________________________.
4. Set him/her an objective regarding the
Employee: Thanks. That’s good to know.
implementation of the second phase of the
You: _______________________________.
office refurbishment(装饰): new furniture
Employee: OK, that sounds reasonable.
and equipment for the ground floor. Make
You: _______________________________.
sure that it meets the SMART requirements.
Employee: Yes, I’d be keen to work on that.
5. Talk about the future and suggest skills that
the employee needs to improve.

TI: Ask S to follow the instruction and complete the conversation. Give S feedback and
© 2017 Acadsoc Limited correct him/her when S finishes. 6
 Suggested time: 5mins

2. Free talk.

Think about your own workplace or school. Complete the following tasks. You
tutor will give you feedback when you finish.

1. Outline the job responsibilities of the employee. How might you

describe these in a performance review? Practice them aloud.

2. How have the employee performed this year? Say at least one
sentence to judge your employee’s performance.

3. Think of an objective (real or imaginary) for the employee and make

sure that it meets the SMART requirements. Practice them aloud.

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Guide S to complete the practice and give S feedback when they finish. 7
 Suggested time: 2mins
D. Summary
What you have learned in Unit 37 and Unit 38:
✓ The process of conducting a performance review meeting;
✓ Criteria on setting an objective: SMART requirements.

What should you do after class?

1. Familiarize yourself with how to conduct a performance review meeting and be clear
about what SMART requirements are.
2. Record yourself speaking for review and then listen to yourself. Try to find words
which don’t add anything to your meaning or sentences which you don’t finish, and
then try again. Keep practicing until you master all of them.

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited TI: Summarize what S has learned in the previous units and give S advice for their further study. 8
 ￥2

See you the next unit!

© 2017 Acadsoc Limited 9