In this article, you will find performance review phrases and paragraphs that can help you effectively evaluate and communicate an employee’s interpersonal abilities.

Performance Review Questions: Interpersonal Skills

These questions will help you gain a better understanding of an employee’s interpersonal skills, allowing you to identify their strengths and areas for improvement.

1. How effectively does the employee communicate with colleagues and clients?
2. Does the employee demonstrate empathy and understanding towards others?
3. How well does the employee handle conflict and difficult situations?
4. Does the employee work well in a team environment and contribute positively to group dynamics?
5. Does the employee demonstrate leadership qualities and inspire others?

Performance Review Phrases and Paragraphs Examples for Interpersonal Skills

5 – Outstanding

Example Phrases

• Always offers thoughtful feedback and suggestions.
• Demonstrates exceptional empathy and compassion in their interactions with colleagues.
• Effectively mediates conflicts, helping team members navigate difficult conversations and find solutions.
• Goes above and beyond to be approachable, accessible, and receptive to others’ ideas and needs.
• Builds rapport effortlessly with everyone they interact with.
• Exceptional at collaborating and fostering a positive team environment.
• Consistently demonstrates high empathy and understanding of others’ perspectives.
• Proactively seeks to understand and address the needs and concerns of colleagues, fostering strong interpersonal relationships.
• Demonstrates outstanding communication skills, articulating ideas clearly and effectively while ensuring others feel heard and understood.
• Consistently fosters positive team dynamics and contributes to a harmonious work environment.
• Consistently maintains a positive and professional demeanor, even in challenging or high-pressure situations.
• Proactively offers support and guidance to colleagues, helping them navigate challenges and achieve their goals.
• Exhibits exceptional emotional intelligence, skillfully navigating complex social situations and maintaining strong relationships.
• Consistently goes above and beyond to create a welcoming and inclusive environment for all team members.
• Demonstrates outstanding leadership in fostering collaboration and cooperation among team members, leading to improved performance and morale.
• Proactively seeks feedback and incorporates it to continuously improve their interpersonal skills and strengthen relationships.
• Consistently demonstrates a keen ability to build trust and establish strong connections with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Exhibits exceptional adaptability in their interpersonal approach, tailoring their communication style to effectively engage with a diverse range of individuals.
• Consistently goes out of their way to recognize and celebrate the successes and contributions of their colleagues, promoting a positive and supportive work environment.
• Demonstrates an outstanding ability to influence and inspire others, leveraging strong interpersonal skills to drive positive change and achieve shared goals.

Paragraph Example 1

“Jane has an outstanding ability to connect and communicate with her colleagues. She consistently creates a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere that fosters collaboration and teamwork. Her empathy and ability to read nonverbal cues are exceptional and greatly appreciated by her teammates.”

Paragraph Example 2

“John is a role model when it comes to interpersonal skills. He fosters a positive work environment by continuously encouraging open communication and maintains strong relationships with his colleagues. His ability to actively listen and provide constructive feedback has significantly improved the flow of ideas within the team. John’s exceptional empathy and understanding have also made him the go-to person for resolving any conflicts that may arise.”

Paragraph Example 3

“Sarah’s interpersonal skills are truly outstanding. She has successfully created a culture within her team where everyone feels valued and heard. In addition to her strong communication and active listening abilities, Sarah excels at resolving conflicts quickly and efficiently, which has greatly contributed to the team’s cohesion and productivity. Her empathetic nature and genuine concern for the well-being of her colleagues have made her an invaluable asset to the company.”

4 – Exceeds Expectations

An employee with a rating of 4 for exceeding expectations in interpersonal skills displays a consistently high level of empathy and understanding in their interactions with colleagues. They listen attentively to others and communicate their thoughts with clarity, ensuring that misunderstandings are minimized.

Example Phrases

• Consistently demonstrates empathy and understanding in interactions with others.
• Regularly engages in active listening and clear communication.
• Effectively navigates conflicts and resolves issues in a respectful manner.
• Builds strong relationships with colleagues and fosters teamwork.
• Serves as a positive role model for others in regards to interpersonal skills.
• Exhibits strong active listening skills in group settings.
• Supports teammates with constructive criticism and guidance.
• Proactively shares ideas and solutions to enhance team productivity.
• Frequently goes above and beyond to support and assist colleagues, fostering a collaborative work environment.
• Demonstrates a keen ability to adapt communication style to effectively engage with a diverse range of individuals.
• Consistently maintains a professional and approachable demeanor, making others feel comfortable and valued.
• Proactively seeks to understand and address the needs and concerns of colleagues, strengthening interpersonal relationships.
• Exhibits strong emotional intelligence, effectively navigating complex social situations and maintaining positive relationships.
• Consistently contributes to a positive team dynamic, promoting cooperation and collaboration among colleagues.
• Frequently provides thoughtful and constructive feedback to help others grow and develop their skills.
• Demonstrates a strong ability to build trust and establish rapport with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
• Consistently goes above and beyond to create an inclusive and welcoming environment for all team members.
• Exhibits strong leadership skills in fostering open communication and encouraging others to share their ideas and perspectives.
• Frequently takes initiative to recognize and celebrate the accomplishments and contributions of colleagues, boosting morale and motivation.
• Demonstrates a strong ability to influence and persuade others, leveraging interpersonal skills to drive positive outcomes and achieve shared objectives.

Paragraph Example

“John frequently exceeds expectations in his interpersonal skills by actively listening to his teammates and providing well-thought-out feedback. His dedication to supporting others’ growth and proactively addressing potential issues demonstrates his commitment to the team’s success.”

3 – Meets Expectations

An employee with a Rating 3 in interpersonal skills exhibits a satisfactory level of competence in working with others. They tend to communicate in a clear and concise manner, which keeps their relationships with colleagues and clients strong, while avoiding misunderstandings and miscommunications. This employee is generally seen to be open to cooperative efforts, willingly seeking common ground within the team in order to achieve mutual objectives. Their willingness to hear others out and allow adequate space for the expression of thoughts and opinions contributes to a more balanced and inclusive environment.

Example Phrases

• Demonstrates a satisfactory aptitude for communicating with colleagues and clients.
• Actively seeks common ground when working in a team environment.
• Typically listens well, allowing others to express their opinions and thoughts.
• Shows politeness and respect toward peers, superiors, and subordinates.
• Occasionally offers insightful input and proposes ideas during group discussions.
• Maintains professional relationships with peers and co-workers.
• Effectively communicates thoughts and ideas to the team.
• Open to receiving feedback and shows willingness to improve.
• Generally demonstrates empathy and understanding in interactions with others.
• Engages in active listening and clear communication in most situations.
• Navigates conflicts and resolves issues in a respectful manner, with occasional guidance.
• Builds and maintains satisfactory relationships with colleagues and contributes to teamwork.
• Serves as a generally positive role model for others in regards to interpersonal skills.
• Exhibits adequate active listening skills in group settings, allowing others to share their perspectives.
• Provides support and guidance to teammates when requested or necessary.
• Shares ideas and solutions to contribute to team productivity and success.
• Maintains a professional and approachable demeanor in most interactions with colleagues.
• Seeks to understand and address the needs and concerns of colleagues, maintaining satisfactory interpersonal relationships.
• Demonstrates an adequate level of emotional intelligence, navigating social situations and maintaining appropriate relationships.
• Contributes to a generally positive team dynamic, promoting cooperation and collaboration among colleagues.

Paragraph Example

“Sarah meets the expected level of interpersonal skills in her role. She maintains a professional demeanor with her peers, effectively communicates her thoughts, and is open to receiving feedback. Although there is room for growth, Sarah’s performance is consistent with the expectations for her role.”

2 – Needs Improvement

Example Phrases

• Struggles with active listening during meetings.
• Has difficulty expressing thoughts clearly and concisely.
• Fails to recognize non-verbal cues from coworkers.
• Tends to dominate conversations without allowing input from others.
• Often expresses negative emotions, creating a tense work environment.
• Struggles to maintain positive, constructive communication with peers.
• Occasionally seems disengaged during team interactions.
• Reluctant to provide or accept feedback from colleagues.
• Inconsistently demonstrates empathy and understanding in interactions with others.
• Occasionally fails to engage in active listening or clear communication, leading to misunderstandings.
• Has difficulty navigating conflicts and resolving issues in a respectful manner, sometimes escalating situations.
• Struggles to build and maintain strong relationships with colleagues, hindering teamwork and collaboration.
• Occasionally serves as a negative role model for others in regards to interpersonal skills.
• Inconsistently exhibits active listening skills in group settings, sometimes dominating conversations or disregarding others’ perspectives.
• Provides limited support and guidance to teammates, even when requested or necessary.
• Rarely shares ideas or solutions to contribute to team productivity and success.
• Occasionally displays an unprofessional or unapproachable demeanor in interactions with colleagues.
• Inconsistently seeks to understand and address the needs and concerns of colleagues, leading to strained interpersonal relationships.
• Demonstrates a limited level of emotional intelligence, sometimes struggling to navigate social situations and maintain appropriate relationships.
• Occasionally contributes to a negative team dynamic, hindering cooperation and collaboration among colleagues.

Paragraph Example 1

“James exhibits interpersonal skills that need improvement. He has difficulty maintaining positive and productive communication with his peers, and he sometimes appears disengaged during team interactions. James should work on being more receptive to feedback and actively participating in discussions to enhance his performance.

1 – Unacceptable

Example Phrases

• Consistently dismissive or unresponsive to colleagues’ input.
• Causes friction within the team due to uncooperative behavior.
• Fails to demonstrate basic empathy or understanding of others’ needs.
• Regularly engages in negative or unprofessional communication with coworkers.
• Consistently dominates conversations, not allowing others to contribute or express their thoughts.
• Frequently expresses negative emotions or criticism, creating a hostile work environment.
• Consistently fails to maintain positive, constructive communication with peers.
• Often appears disengaged or uninterested during team interactions.
• Refuses to provide or accept feedback from colleagues, hindering personal and team growth.
• Consistently fails to demonstrate empathy or understanding in interactions with others.
• Regularly fails to engage in active listening or clear communication, leading to significant misunderstandings and conflicts.
• Consistently escalates conflicts and fails to resolve issues in a respectful manner, damaging team morale and productivity.
• Fails to build and maintain any positive relationships with colleagues, significantly hindering teamwork and collaboration.
• Consistently serves as a negative role model for others in regards to interpersonal skills.
• Exhibits poor active listening skills in group settings, regularly dominating conversations and disregarding others’ perspectives.
• Provides no support or guidance to teammates, even when explicitly requested.
• Consistently withholds ideas and solutions that could contribute to team productivity and success.
• Regularly displays an unprofessional, unapproachable, or hostile demeanor in interactions with colleagues.
• Fails to seek understanding of or address the needs and concerns of colleagues, leading to severely strained interpersonal relationships.
• Demonstrates a significant lack of emotional intelligence, consistently struggling to navigate social situations and maintain appropriate relationships.
• Actively contributes to a negative team dynamic, significantly hindering cooperation and collaboration among colleagues.

Paragraph Example

“Jane’s interpersonal skills are currently at an unacceptable level. She frequently dismisses or ignores input from her colleagues, causing significant friction within the team. Her lack of empathy and unwillingness to cooperate hinder the team’s overall performance. Immediate improvement is necessary to ensure the team’s success.”