Portfolios might also include samples of the products for which the employee is in part responsible. Surprisingly, this type of document is often ignored. The employee’s creativity and sensitivity are challenged in the identification of particularly illuminating items. Finally, the self-report of the employee being assessed is valuable—perhaps even essential. This should include a personal assessment of achievements in each portfolio category and an explanation of any contradictory or unclear documents in the portfolio.
While no one portfolio will probably contain all of these documents, the portfolio consultant should be familiar with each type. Examples of each type should be readily available. These examples will, of course, become increasingly valuable as an organization continues to make use of the portfolio procedure. The files will become more extensive, allowing employees both to draw on a wide range of possible approaches and to develop new techniques in particular areas, thus further expanding the available portfolio resources.
This accelerating spiral should be kept clearly in mind as the initial problems of implementing a portfolio procedure are confronted. Although the experiences and instruments of another organization can be of value to a newly established portfolio program, each organization may need to work through the early, frustrating steps of developing procedures and materials that specifically address this organization’s unique conditions.
Review of Documentary Procedure by the Committee
At the heart of an effective portfolio procedure is the interaction between the employee who is being assessed and other members of the review committee. When the employee has identified or developed means for documenting his performance in each portfolio category, he should review those decisions with the committee. Although the committee rarely has veto power over the methods being employed, the employee who is being reviewed should give serious consideration to the early reaction of committee members to the methods he will be using.
