Manager feedback

When it comes to performance reviews, I find it hard to fill in the forms about myself, but it’s even harder to fill them about others. I often think you can write something to describe people’s general approach/attitude to work, and maybe point out a few strengths and weaknesses, but trying to answer specific and sometimes cryptic/ambiguous questions just frustrates me. I always think it should just be:

1. Strengths
2. Weaknesses
3. Other comments

But instead, last year we had to fill in the following about our manager. I think it was generally just scoring 1-5, but with optional comments to justify it. Some questions are easy to answer, but questions with nonsense buzz phrases like “change agent” and “builds internal networks” just frustrate me, and destroy the little enthusiasm I had for filling this in. I would have thought having fewer questions would mean people spend more time thinking about each one, and therefore get more accurate results and better comments. 

1. Mary leads by example aligned to Our Values. Mary exemplifies values within their own teams and organisationally: Collaborative, Responsible, Supportive and Transformative
2. Mary is responsible for their team and takes accountability for delivery
3. Mary provides guidance and support in the setting of performance objectives at individual and group level
4. Mary manages performance of objectives (individual and group level) ensuring achievement of objectives through reviews
5. Mary builds an environment where people understand, and recognise, the contribution they make and how their role fits into the wider organisation and its performance
6. Mary is a change agent, leading change to ensure delivery through people with effective communication, support and results
7. Mary builds people knowledge and business understanding through regular communication with their people and teams
8. Mary engages with their team, encourages engagement amongst their team and cross-departmentally to drive solutions through collaboration
9. Mary builds internal networks to drive and collectively deliver through positive relationship-building and understanding
10. Mary embraces and encourages collaboration within their own team and between teams managing problems directly
11. Mary is aware of, and responsive to, the changing needs of their people (own team) and their wellbeing at work
12. Mary supports the engagement, retention and loyalty of key people as well as providing an environment where new people feel empowered and trusted
13. Mary is solutions-focused not problem-focused bringing all relevant parties together to deliver
14. Mary provides opportunity for all relevant parties to contribute, build and achieve collectively whether in their own teams or broader cross-department teamwork
15. What one thing is Mary doing that is having a positive impact on the team?
16. What one thing could Mary do to have a greater impact on the team?