Performance Appraisal Checklist: Raise Not Just Appraise Performance
It's that time again! Perhaps the most dreaded management practice is the annual performance review. Whenever the subject comes up, out comes the groans from both managers and staff no matter what industry or type of company. Many say appraisals are like having a root canal ? only more painful. It shouldn't be. The following checklist is designed to guide managers and supervisors in preparing, conducting and following through on employee performance appraisal discussions. The Preparation:
- Give employee advance notice so that he /she can prepare for the discussion.
- Review mutually understood expectations with respect to job duties and standards.
- Observe job performance measured against these mutually understood expectations.
- Take notes and keep records so you don't rely on memory.
- Avoid paying attention to some aspects of the job at the expense of other.
- Review the employee's background including, skills, work experience, and training.
- Focus on performance areas that are the most important.
- Prepare a potential development which can include training and special projects.
- Identified areas for concentration in setting goals for the next appraisal period.
Set aside adequate block of uninterrupted time to permit a full and complete discussion.
The Discussion:
- Begin the discussion by creating a sincere, open and friendly atmosphere.
- Review the purpose of the discussion - mutual problem solving and goal setting.
- Explain the agenda for the meeting.
Ask employee to review his or her performance for the past year.
- Keep the focus on job performance and related factors not personality.
- Discuss job requirements, employee strengths, accomplishments, and improvement needs.
- Evaluate performance against objective set during previous reviews and discussions.
- Be prepared to cite observations for each point discussed.
- Reach agreement on appropriate goals, development plans and timetables.
- Summarize what has been discussed and end on a positive note.
The Follow-Up:
- Immediately after record the plans made and points requiring follow-up.
- Provide a copy for the employee.
- Evaluate your own performance. What I did well? Could have done better? Learned about the employee? Learned about myself?
Marcia Zidle, the 'people smarts' coach, works with business leaders to quickly solve their people management headaches so they can concentrate on their #1 job ? to grow and increase profits. She offers free help through Leadership Briefing, a weekly e-newsletter with practical tips on leadership style, employee motivation, recruitment and retention and relationship management. Subscribe by going to
http://leadershiphooks.com and get the bonus report "61 Leadership Time Savers and Life Savers". Marcia is the author of the What Really Works Handbooks ? resources for managers on the front line and the Power-by-the-Hour programs ? fast, convenient, real life, affordable courses for leadership and staff development. She is available for media interviews, conference presentations and panel discussions on the hottest issues affecting the workplace today. Contact Marcia at 800-971-7619.
Related News
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Executives and Emotional Self Awareness
A major problem impairing an executive's performance is his Emotional Blind Spots. Emotions, whether we like them or not, have a significant impact on one's decisions. An example is the Enron case where executives ran into severe ethical and legal consequences after falling prey to the destructive negative emotions of greed and self-interest. It is perplexing how many success driven executives, choose to fear addressing the impact of negative emotions on personal and organizational performance.
Quick Tips On Bringing Out The Best In People
Want to bring out the best in people?
6 Shared Factors of Successful Executives
These factors where determined by interviews with and books from very successful people. Factors which eminently successful people considered essential were collected and classified. They were gathered from talks with big men, from personal letters, from printed interviews, and from books? the end result being ideas of thirty-one of the most successful people of our country.
Tales from the Corporate Frontlines: The Best Incentives are Free
This article relates to the Recognition competency, commonly evaluated in employee satisfaction surveys. It tells the story of how the performance of one team was affected when the powerful motivator of daily praise and recognition disappeared. This competency also explores what type of behavior is appreciated and rewarded within your organization. Studies show that employees who receive regular recognition and praise are more likely to increase their individual productivity levels, increase engagement with their colleagues, and stay longer at the organization. Evaluating this competency can be especially useful if your organization is experiencing low productivity levels or ineffective teamwork.
Time Management and Team Development - The Yes and No of It
Sometimes.
Training Adults, Not Teaching Children
Adults are vulnerable to personal and professional embarrassment from poor performance in the training program. Poor performance in the classroom may become the basis for personnel decisions by supervisors or the source of ridicule by peers. Economic benefits or promotion may be associated with the training program, creating a feeling of pressure to succeed. The way you handle these fears will largely determine the effectiveness and usefulness of your training program. To fail to recognize that adults have legitimate fears, or to treat them as children, is to guarantee failure.
Coaching Can Get The Boss In Shape
Who tells the boss that they can improve their management or leadership? How do they look at themselves objectively and identify what areas they can improve and the benefits of doing so?
Best Workplaces
The Best Workplaces report (Financial Times, April 28, 2005) notes many factors in common with Managing Creativity and Innovation.
How To Own A Business... Instead Of A Job
Every business is run by someone who took on a risk with their time and money. So I believe that person should be rewarded. Too often as business owners we forget to enjoy ourselves. We forget that we deserve to be paid far more than any of our team.
Identifying Candidates for Leadership
A critical task in the succession planning process of any organization is identifying candidates. Traditionally, candidates have been identified based on past performance. While this seems logical, it is problematic in practice.
Efficiency Around The Office
Nearly every office, be it commercial or home-based, may
have areas of inefficiency that can be improved upon. We
are not talking sales figures or profit margins or budgets,
but inefficient waste and resource management. For
instance, let us look at some common aspects and
consider how consumption can be reduced and how to
make better use of resources.
Jack Welch--Success Is Getting Back Up on the Horse
A few months ago I had the opportunity to spend a few minutes with Jack Welch, past CEO of GE. A fantastic opportunity.
Why Your Business Needs an E-Mail Policy
Why is it imperative to have a company E-Mail Policy? It is
simply good business, that's why! In addition, having a clear
and detailed e-mail policy in place, one that employees sign and
date before they are allowed access through your businesss'
computers, is critical to you being able to enforce or react to
situations that may arise at a later date.
How to Overcome Your Fear of Firing
OVERCOMING FEAR OF FIRING "It was obvious that this employee could not relate well to clients. But I could not bring myself to fire him.? and while I wavered, things only got worse for everyone in the department." Having to fire someone is one of the most difficult actions any manager or executive may have to take. It is an action that many manager's find endless excuses to avoid, as did the executive quoted above. Yet, in certain cases it is unavoidable. Firing is a managerial art that many otherwise successful supervisor's neglect to develop.
The New Five Truths of Employee Motivation
Motivation is a term that is so widely used, yet many managers know little about how it really works. But it doesn't have to be confusing-in fact, it's quite simple. Treat your employees as valuable assets and you will reap the rewards. Here are five truths to pay attention to in motivating your workforce.
Bolster Credibility with Investors--Avoid These Phrases in Your Business Plan
Remember Papa John's commercial on TV with the slogan "Better Ingredients, Better Pizza"? Well its nothing more than puffery: general, non-provable, inane claims. The problem is puffery is not only acceptable it's often expected. Phrases like "the biggest," "the best," "the cheapest," and so forth are so over used most people simply ignore them.
How to Save Money on Training
1) Use a live instructor. Adults learn best by doing, practicing, and experiencing. Effective instructors customize their programs to meet people's needs, provide counsel on individual challenges, and respond to questions. Videos, CDs, and E-learning are seldom effective for primary learning. Since the greatest cost of learning is the payroll cost of the participants, you want to make sure the program delivers results.
The Power of the Contract in Performance Management
An essential step in managing the performance of salespeople is that of establishing a sound and agreed contract between manager and the salesperson. A contract in this context is simply an agreement between the manager and the salesperson as to how best they are going to work together. It is a chance for each party to outline expectations, hopes and fears and is a superb opportunity for both the manager and salesperson to fully understand each other in terms of personality style, motivators and de-motivators. It is also an opportunity for the manager to ensure that the salesperson fully understands their role and their responsibilities as well as their sales and activity targets.
Innovation Management ? the power of decision makers
Creativity can be defined as problem identification and idea generation whilst innovation can be defined as idea selection, development and commercialisation.
Dialogue: the Four Dialogic Principles For Successful Communication
"But you don't understand!" exclaimed the manager, "this new initiative is vital for our team. If it doesn't work we could all be out of a job!"
|
