Writing the Original Workplan

Under the second column of page two of the form highlighted above (Behavioral Expectations), list Behavioral Expectations that correspond to the Dimensions you have selected for your employee.

You may select the applicable "Key Behaviors" listed under the Dimensions from the NC Dictionary of Dimensions. (See note below if link does not work.) These "Key Behaviors" were validated to cover many of the skills, behaviors, or competencies used by most state employees, so you may quote them directly from the dictionary as Behavioral Expectations (or modify them as described below). Do not list all Key Behaviors that may apply to your employee. Select only those that are the "best fit" for your employee.

If you are not familiar with the NC Dictionary of Dimensions, you may want to access the file now and take a look as you read through the following explanation of the components. (It may open up in a second "window" on your screen so you can easily click back and forth from the dictionary to this guide. If it does not open a second window, you can use your browser's "back" and "forward" button to go back and forth or open a second window using the "file" "new window" selection at the top of your browser window.)

In completing a workplan, you will probably select the dimensions and corresponding "Key Behaviors" to use as a basis for the employee's Behavioral Expectations at the same time. The following explanation contains information on both sections (repeated from Step 4 on the last page of this guide).

Starting on page 8 of the Dictionary of Dimensions, you'll find a section that contains one "Dimension" per page. For each Dimension, you'll find three major components:

• Definition and Description:
  The first phrase defines how a behavior, skill, or competency is used by the employee. The paragraph that follows describes how the Dimension is likely to be used by state government employees.

  You must select Dimensions from the listing without modifying the wording. You cannot combine Dimensions or add new Dimensions that are not in the list. Read the definitions carefully to select the Dimensions that best relate to the work being done by the employee.

  Note: Go to pages 4 and 5 of the Dictionary to find dimensions divided into lists appropriate for supervisors and non-supervisors. Go to page 6 for a listing of common work-related terms to help you search for related Dimensions.

• Key Behaviors:
  This section gives examples of how an employee might use the Dimension on the job. You may quote a "Key Behavior" directly from the list as a Behavioral Expectation on an employee's workplan.

  However, it may be better to write a Behavioral Expectation that specifically describes the work done. By using the "Key Behavior" as a starting point, you can make the Behavioral Expectation more understandable for the employee by modifying the wording to fit the employee's job. See examples below. Contact your Training Coordinator or Human Resource representative if you need help in revising the wording.

  Behavioral Expectations are written at the "Good" level. See NC Rating Scale for an explanation of the scale. You should also discuss what would be considered "Outstanding" and "Below Good" performance for each expectation.

• Key Words:
  At the bottom of each Dimension page, you'll find a list of "key words" related to the Dimension that may help you select the best Dimensions. You may also use the listing of common terms on page 6 of the Dictionary as a "shortcut" to help you select the Dimensions that apply to your employee.

*Note: If you were unable to access the Dictionary of Dimensions by clicking on the link, you need to download the Acrobat Reader since it is a PDF file. Go to the Adobe Acrobat Reader download page to get a free reader.

The following are examples of Behavioral Expectations. The expectations are written at the "Good" level as required by policy. (Only the first two columns of the form are shown.)

Example 1:

Samantha is a lab technician. Her job includes working with chemicals, so safety awareness is one of the Dimensions on her workplan. The supervisor found this Key Behavior from the Dictionary of Dimensions:

"Performs day-to-day work using regulated safety equipment."

The supervisor decided to modify this Key Behavior to describe Samantha's Behavioral Expectations as follows:

Example 2:

Margarite is a vocational rehabilitation counselor. In her job, she has a large caseload to meet the agency's client demands. Her workplan lists integrity as a dimension due to the confidentiality issues involved in her work with clients. The supervisor selected this Key Behavior from the Dictionary of Dimensions:

"Keeps information confidential and in a safe place."

The supervisor decided to modify this Key Behavior to describe two more specific Behavioral Expectations:

Example 3:

Using "Robert, the Unit Manager and John, the Line Supervisor" from the last Step 3 example, here are some "Key Behaviors" that came directly from the Dictionary since they seem to apply without any modification.

Robert, the Unit Manager
Dimensions	Behavioral Expectations
Leadership / Influence	Communicates a vision of challenging goals, growth, and progress. Gains others' understanding and commitment to courses of action.

John, the Line Supervisor
Dimensions	Behavioral Expectations
Delegation	Assigns tasks to the most appropriate employee. Uses delegation to offer development experiences to others.

Go on to Step 5 or select another page from the menu below.