New Senior Speech Pathologist Performance Appraisal Template
Context:
Too many allied health business owners use the same performance appraisal process for all speech pathologists (SLPs), every year:
- basic technical competence reviews;
- soft-skills and work flow skill gap identification;
- deficit-based training plans.
Problem:
After a few years, they get repetitive! Over time, they:
- lower expectations about what’s possible within an SLP career;
- lower employee motivation to take calculated risks and grow;
- fail to connect with the SLP’s professional dreams; and
- devolve into form-filling busywork, and become less relevant to the practice’s mission and strategy.
New approach:
This year, we revamped our performance appraisal process to:
- better reflect our team’s professional maturity as senior speech pathologists; and
- re-affirm our commitment to supporting continued growth during a period of significant industry change.
Why? Because:
- the allied health sector, particularly within the NDIS, is experiencing unprecedented changes that create both challenges and opportunities
- we’re working with skilled and talented practitioners who don’t require micromanagement
- as pricing and competitive pressures intensify, our clinic’s strength lies in our team – skilled, passionate professionals who make a genuine difference in the lives of our clients and families
- everyone on our team deserves continued respect and investment in their professional journey
Yes, and: Despite all the challenges, we can show our commitment to provide SLPs with meaningful work that enables them to grow:
- as a professional;
- as a speech pathologist; and
- as a person.
Key features:
We focus on:
- realistic professional reflections – the good and the challenging stuff;
- identifying self-directed professional development ideas that intersect with the clinic’s strategic priorities; and
- generating meaningful conversations about career aspirations and what we can do to pursue them together.
Bottom line:
Our new performance appraisal template for senior speech pathologists is designed to facilitate open, honest discussions about the mutual support needed for both the SLP and the practice to flourish in difficult times – while maintaining the high-quality services our clients deserve.
Give it a try!
