Can the DR see the O3 sheets?

You should reserve the right to keep your notes to yourself - don't set a precedent that they have the right to review your notes.

Why are they asking? Is this a matter of trust in your motives?

To answer the question directly: I would tell my direct what I'm writing down, and show them once. As it happens, I write such that they can see what I'm writing, so I don't expect to get the question.

John

There's a "QBQ" (Question Behind the Question) here, isn't there? I mean, why would somebody be asking to see the notes being taken in a one-on-one meeting?

By the way, I sometimes review my notes out loud, as we're closing up the meeting - just to confirm that I've captured the information accurately in my direct's mind. And it demonstrates that I'm taking the meeting seriously.

-Hugh

Interesting question.

On the one hand you wouldn't, as a matter of course, have anything to hide for transparency and trust reasons.

On the other hand however, there might be for example, notes about feedback you want to give at some point (not now) and you're taking the note to remind yourself of that...

Perhaps they should just be noted after the O3.

Hmmmm.. needs some more thought....

I guess rather than showing exactly what's written, being frank about the [b]nature[/b] of things being noted might help.

Also, I believe that notes of this nature should always be factual. Writing down judgements or opinions of what's being said won't hold up if the notes are ever used for evidence about corrective action. It's the same with interview notes. Writing what [b][i]is[/i][/b], rather than [b][i]opinions [/i][/b]about the interviewee is what counts and is the only thing that will properly support hiring decisions. It's the difference between behaviour vs. your interpretation of that behaviour...

I have had my directs ask to see the form as I am writing during an O3. I happily turn it around and let them see it. It was more curiosity than anything. The notes I take in O3's are simply factual around what is being discussed. If I have observations that I want to add, I save those for after the O3. Once the O3 is completed, I consider these my personal notes and would not share them with the direct.

I actually had no problem showing them either. It happened only once when I started doing them.

Show them.

If you don't, they will always guess why you did not, and O3 are based on mutual TRUST.

People would not undestand why they can't see notes about what will be later used to prepare the next O3 or for the yearly review.

So I would have no problem showing them, but I would not allow a copy to be taken away. And I would never show them the notes about another person's O3.

This is YOUR notes about THEM.

If you do not feel confortable showing them, maybe it means that there is something to change about the notes or the way the O3 was done? What would make you inconfortable with it?

Horstman's Law #whatever - There are no secrets.

Brian

Sure.

But I don't think it means you can say and show anything to anyone. I think Mark meant that you can't hide big things about the company for a long time. People will find out one day.

O3 are based on trust and it also means that while I would have no problem sharing my notes with the person about her own O3, I would not show them to another person.

Totally agree about trust. I keep binders on my desk (note: they are not locked up in a file cabinet, aka "your file"). My office is locked when I leave but my folks know if they ever need to look at my O3 notes they can grab their binder.

Allowing your employees to see what is written about them forces the writer to stay objective and focused on behavior and results.

There is noting secret in the notes for the direct: evrything that's in there was just said out loud. It's all about trust.

[quote="DaveTehre"]Totally agree about trust. I keep binders on my desk (note: they are not locked up in a file cabinet, aka "your file"). My office is locked when I leave but my folks know if they ever need to look at my O3 notes they can grab their binder.

Allowing your employees to see what is written about them forces the writer to stay objective and focused on behavior and results.[/quote]

How do you assure they don't grab someone else's binder? :shock:

I agree.

If they are not sure the notes stay between you and them, they may be a little bit too cautious in what they say.

Hi All,
I've only recently started one on ones and from the start I've kept my notes open and transparent, It came up as an issue with my first one on one and I couldn't see a reason to keeping them private from my direct. As you have already said, it comes down to a trust thing.

That said, If there are issues raised which I do need to keep notes on I keep them on a separate "private" file of my one.

Charlie