| Performance appraisal. | | | | There should be no surprises in the performance |
| Or, if you prefer, performance review. | | | | appraisal! |
| Whichever term you use, mention it to a dozen of | | | | Mistake #2: Overemphasizing Recent Performances |
| your friends -- whether they typically give or receive | | | | It's all too human to remember, and give greater |
| performance appraisals -- and notice the responses | | | | weight, to recent events rather than earlier events. |
| you get. | | | | However, this can lead to an inaccurate and unfair |
| A grimace? | | | | assessment when it comes to reviewing an |
| A roll of the eyes? | | | | employee's performance. |
| Tension? | | | | To avoid overemphasizing an employee's recent work, |
| A satisfied smile? | | | | take note -- and ideally take notes -- of the |
| Let's face it, mentioning "performance appraisal" gets | | | | employee's work throughout the year. |
| such mixed responses because people have such | | | | Mistake #3: Being Too Positive Or Negative |
| mixed experiences. | | | | Some managers feel uncomfortable giving negative |
| Which is only to be expected... except I bet most of | | | | feedback and consequently, can omit to give |
| the responses you get are negative. | | | | employees the constructive criticism they need to |
| If your respondents aren't hostile, or scornful, then | | | | improve. And then there are other managers who are |
| they're clearly unimpressed. | | | | instinctively too negative, leaving the employee |
| Why? | | | | wondering if they can do anything right! |
| Why are performance appraisals seen to be negative | | | | While, as a manager appraising someone's |
| experiences? | | | | performance you should give your honest opinion... you |
| I mean, isn't a performance appraisal simply a meeting | | | | also want your employee to understand and |
| between a manager and a member of his or her staff, | | | | appreciate what you're saying. |
| where together they appraise the staff member's | | | | So instead of being too positive or negative -- which |
| performance during the year (or other time period) and | | | | can result in the employee not believing what you say |
| agree on goals for the coming year? | | | | -- think about the impact on the employee you want, |
| Well, that's the theory. | | | | and communicate your feedback accordingly. |
| But in reality, many managers handle performance | | | | Mistake #4: Being Critical Without Being Constructive |
| appraisals quite poorly. And the result is not only an | | | | Following on from Mistake #3... some managers can |
| unpleasant meeting, but one where the manager and | | | | be too critical and neglect to provide any constructive |
| his or her staff member never quite understand each | | | | advice on how an employee can improve. |
| other, never quite appreciate the other's point of view, | | | | This doesn't help the employee or the manager. Even |
| and never quite settle on appropriate goals for the | | | | if your criticisms all have merit, if you don't explain how |
| coming year. | | | | the employee can improve, he or she is likely to miss |
| It's almost inevitable that the staff member will end up | | | | the validity of what's being said and simply think he or |
| less happy and less productive than he or she was | | | | she is being victimized. Not to mention the fact that his |
| before! | | | | or her performance won't actually improve. |
| In fact, there are five (5) big mistakes that managers | | | | So if you need to be critical, be constructive too! |
| often make in conducting performance appraisals. | | | | Mistake #5: Talking Not Listening |
| Fortunately, these mistakes are easily avoided once | | | | The final big mistake that managers make in |
| you make a conscious effort to avoid them. | | | | performance appraisals is doing too much talking and |
| Let's discuss each in turn. | | | | not enough listening. |
| Mistake #1: Waiting For The Performance Appraisal | | | | These meetings are supposed to be interactive -- |
| To Give Feedback | | | | where the manager doesn't simply relay his or her |
| This is the biggie, and all too common. It's where a | | | | own appraisal of the employee's performance during |
| manager fails to give someone adequate feedback on | | | | the year, but also listens to the employee's viewpoint. |
| their performance during the year, and then dumps it | | | | If, for example, you have criticized the individual's |
| on them in the performance appraisal meeting. | | | | performance -- it's not only fair, but important, to get |
| Unfortunately, the feedback is almost always negative, | | | | the employee's response as to why he or she may |
| so the employee ends up sitting there in shock -- at | | | | have underperformed. |
| best, wondering why his or her manager didn't say | | | | Moreover, a key objective of the performance |
| something sooner; at worst, feeling unjustly victimized. | | | | appraisal is to agree on goals for the following year. |
| And you have to wonder -- how can a manager | | | | How can there be true agreement and commitment to |
| expect an employee to do the right things, the right | | | | such goals, if you don't learn the employee's point of |
| way, if the manager hasn't provided any guidance or | | | | view? |
| feedback all year? | | | | As you've probably gathered, you can avoid these five |
| The solution: make it a habit to tell your employees if | | | | mistakes -- it just takes a little effort. It's certainly worth |
| they've done a good or poor job, and if it's a poor job, | | | | it -- if you think employee satisfaction, productivity and |
| explain how they can do things better in the future. | | | | performance are important! |