Preschool Director Mock Interview
Practice 40 Preschool Director interview questions covering leadership, licensing compliance, and parent communication.
Question 7 of 40
How do you handle facilitating difficult performance reviews with your personnel?
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Example Answer
Community Answers
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
Difficult performance reviews are never a fun task to perform; however, the interviewers would like to know that, as a director-level professional, you come well-equipped with the skills required to deliver a performance review with professionalism. Express that, as a Preschool Director, you ensure that you regularly spend time talking with your teaching staff, ensuring their performance aligns with the vision and mission of your preschool. Show that, when you see the need for a constructive conversation, you graciously pull the individual aside and address the issue in a way that respects all parties.
Rachelle Enns is an interview coach and job search expert. She works with candidates to perform their best in employment, medical, and post-secondary admission interviews.
"To begin, I must have a full understanding of the goal of the performance review. I also have a checklist that I follow to ensure that each performance review, positive or constructive, follows a consistent framework. If the performance review is particularly sensitive, I will make sure that the individual understands that it is a two-way conversation. We will discuss challenges, their professional goals, and I will also ask the individual to rank their performance. Once an educator can tell me where they would like to improve, then we can collectively create a plan to reach these improvement-based goals. I believe that all reviews should be future-focused so that the conversation does not become stuck in the past but rather creates excitement for positive change."
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Jaymie
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Anonymous Answer
I take notes on jobs done well. I give praise when praise is needed. I ask staff to rate themselves. I discuss strengths and weaknesses and how to improve. A difficult one was when I dealt with staff tardiness.
Rachelle's Feedback
It sounds as though you are well structured when giving performance reviews, which is excellent! To complete your answer, I recommend using the STAR framework again (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to outline a 'time when' you had to give a difficult performance review. I have provided a starter for you, below.
"When I deliver a performance review, I discuss my notes on jobs well done. I like to give praise when it is earned and deserved. I also have the staff member rate their personal performance. Together, we discuss areas of strengths and areas where there is room for improvement. Then, we make a plan for improving on those points. One difficult performance review I had to deliver was with a staff who was consistently tardy. (Now, jump into your story example using the STAR framework)."
Anonymous Answer
I have the staff fill out the same form that I do- then I go over it with them- pointing out - " you gave yourself a 5 but I gave you a 2- why do you think that is?"
Stephanie's Feedback
Delivering challenging feedback is tough! This is a solid response, but I suggest developing your answer a bit more. How do you give constructive feedback in a way that staff members truly hear? How do you balance that with positive feedback?
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