Four Secrets to Pain-free Performance Reviews

Copyright (c) 2008 Shona Garner

Most of us, managers and staff alike, appreciate the value of monitoring peformance and encouraging development. However, sometimes, the whole appraisal process can become just another hoop to jump through, with laborious form filling, and a sense of "fait accompli" to the whole procedure.

Outstanding performance doesn't usually happen as a result of a once a year performance review.

The word "appraisal" often means, in reality, a "tricky" conversation, for both manager and employee. For the manager it often coincides with one of the busiest planning times of the year, so also often means a hectic schedule of individual meetings, preparation and writing up copious notes and forms which will need to be slotted in somewhere between all the other competing tasks. Moreover, there is often a sense that this rather stilted process concludes with both parties feeling it has been less than satisfactory, and rather de-motivating or "unhelpful".

So how can managers best structure such reviews and opportunity for feedback, iIf the desired outcome of reviewing performance is to ensure individuals recognise and play to their strengths, support development of skills and knowledge, and motivate staff?

The most effective managers have a performance management routine.

Recent studies show the most effective managers ensured that, no matter how busy their schedule, they found time in their diaries to follow a routine of meetings and conversations which were focused on the progress of each person's performance. The objectives for these managers were simple:

Keep these meetings simple, frequent, future focused and an opportunity for the employee to keep track of his/her own performance

1. Simple No complex forms to fill in; no alien terms or beaurocracy. Focus on what to say to each employee - and how to say it. If your organisation does have complex forms, when it comes to form filling at the end of the year, if you've followed the next steps, completing this will become far easier, and will hold no nasty surprises for the employee. 2. Frequent Once a year is not enough! No sportsman would wait until they'd done their race or completed their competition, before seeking feedback from their coach! Rather too late by then! Feedback needs to be timely, to allow opportunity to understand and discuss talents and strengths, to consider personal goals, to understand recognition needs and consider how best to support growth and development which will maximise that individual's engagement and motivation.

Meet at least once a quarter; sometimes more frequently. And always try to follow up significant successes (or concerning behaviours) as close to the specific event as possible.

The research showed, the best managers took only an hour per quarter, per person, discussing performance. Not too much to ask for busting the targets!

3. Future focused Great managers revealed they did do a brief review of past performance at these meetings - but only to highlight discoveries about that individual's style or needs. They focused on what "could be" , rather than allowing discussion to focus on recriminations or blame which leads nowhere.

4. Employee tracking In many companies, performance appraisal is something that just "happens" to the employee. They sit relatively passively, waiting for judgement from their manager. They react.

Even if they are asked to review their own performance prior to the meeting, it becomes a bit like a negotiation rather than a genuine and helpful discussion! The employee, knowing the scoring system, ranks themselves high hoping to end up somewhere in the middle!

Great managers seem to realise this is less than productive. They encourage each employee to keep a personal record of their own performance and learnings; their goals, successes, challenges and discoveries. This personal record is not designed to be evaluated formally or critiqued. Rather, it is to allow the individual to take responsibility and feel a sense of accountability for their own performance.

Short term performance goals can still clearly be agreed, but the rest of the record is part of a private document, which the employee can choose whether or not they share.

Follow these four rules and performance management can become less of a chore, and more an opportunity to motivate and develop your people!

For some further tips on how to prepare for these meetings, and some good questions to ask, look out for future articles!