Let 'Em Know How They're Doin' ...
Deliver Painless Performance Appraisals
As kids, it seemed that no matter what we did, we were always getting “report cards.” Of course, there were the usual report cards from school, but we also received feedback in many other forms that told us how well we were performing in various areas of our lives.
For example, in games and sports, our individual report card was the order in which we were chosen for the team or whether we played first or second string. Of course, the final score was the team’s report card. There was even a subtle grading system involved with dates and parties.
But looking back, the most significant report card I got came from my dad each night when he arrived home from work. That was when he assessed how well I’d done that day in terms of homework, chores, behavior and attitude. It wasn’t enough to simply do what needed to be done. I had to pay careful attention to how I said and did things.
My father’s frequent and consistent appraisal of my performance kept me on the right track. If I’d been a wise guy with my grandmother that afternoon or had forgotten to take out the trash, you can bet he straightened me out in no uncertain terms. He knew if I was having trouble in math or slacking off in citizenship because we talked about school every night at the dinner table. As a result, my school report cards were anticlimactic.
Some of my friends’ parents weren’t as on top of things as my dad was. They didn’t talk about school much. Although their meals might have been more pleasant, my buddies often dreaded getting their school report cards because there were sure to be a few surprises for their parents and, as a result, a few consequences for them.
Surprises...unexpected feedback...
Perhaps those are the same reasons why performance appraisal – the “workplace report card.” We don’t like surprises and uncertainty when it comes to our performance reviews.
Most commonly used performance assessment methods – self-appraisal, 360-degree feedback, elaborate forms, simple forms – focus on one or two summary events each year. However, any performance appraisal system worth its salt includes ongoing, regular feedback (aka your father’s nightly dinner-table assessments). In other words, employees shouldn’t be surprised at review time.
And yet all too often, they are.
Employees think they’re doing fairly well – at least no one has said anything to indicate otherwise – and suddenly in the middle of the annual performance review, they find out there’s a problem. It’s like being blindsided by a truck. And it only has to happen once for employees to become wary of the entire review process.
Employees aren’t the only ones not fond of performance appraisal. Over the years, scores of leaders have told me it’s their least favorite part of the job – and that’s putting it mildly! In my experience, the only performance appraisal systems leaders like are the ones they haven’t used yet!
Many leaders are simply frustrated with their organization’s performance appraisal systems. Yes, that’s right – systems, plural. Most organizations understand the inherent importance of performance appraisal. As a result, they are engaged in a never-ending search for the “holy grail” of performance assessment. It seems that as soon as managers get familiar with the current assessment, the organization switches to something “better.” Consequently, leaders spend their valuable time learning the mechanics of the system instead of investing time providing valuable feedback to employees.
Furthermore, performance appraisal systems are often voluminous and overwhelming. When I ask leaders how much time it takes them to complete performance reviews, they tell me they spend anywhere from 45 minutes to three hours gathering information and writing the review. The “sit down” as they call it, typically lasts from 15 minutes to an hour. Almost all of them say, “I try to get it over and done with as quickly as possible.”
If your organization’s policy is to complete reviews on the anniversary of the hire date, it’s not too bad. But if your organization requires that all reviews be done at the same time each year and you have a significant number of employees on your team, you could spend weeks completing forms here and there in between the other pressing requirements of your job.
But there’s a fascinating dichotomy with performance appraisal: what can be voluminous for leaders is woefully inadequate for employees. Consider that the typical employee works an average of 2000 hours a year, and yet we usually only spend between one and four hours a year reviewing and assessing that employee’s performance!
Am I the only one who sees a problem here?
It seems to me that we could do away with a lot of the pain and suffering associated with performance assessment if we as leaders commit to giving employees ongoing performance feedback throughout the year...and then actually did it!
Now, I realize that giving negative or constructive feedback can be uncomfortable, and I understand it’s human nature to want to avoid an activity that we anticipate will be unpleasant. The irony is that performance assessment truly isn’t unpleasant...if we do it right!
The majority of feedback encounters should be positive since most employees’ overall performance is acceptable. When you don’t provide regular feedback, you’re missing a huge opportunity to reinforce solid performance.
And after all, isn’t that what we want from employees – consistent, solid performance?
Perhaps if more leaders saw performance appraisal as a means to a better end – to better bottom-line results – instead of just one more thing they have to do, it could shed its maligned reputation and become the powerful tool it has the potential to be.
As a child and an adolescent, I was fortunate in that my parents acknowledged and reinforced my positive accomplishments. They also let me know – quickly, clearly and respectfully – when I wasn’t performing to their expectations and guided me to improve. Honestly, I appreciated the feedback…both the good and the bad (and sometimes even the ugly). It’s clear to me now why I looked forward to my father coming through the door after a day at work...at least most nights.
Since most employees generally meet or exceed performance standards, performance assessment should primarily be an opportunity to provide positive reinforcement. Recognize and acknowledge positive performance every day, and your employees will be more satisfied and engaged. And who knows...they might even begin to look forward to seeing you “coming through the door.”
How You Doin’ when it comes to letting people know How They're Doin'?
- Do you spend more time preparing employees’ annual reviews than you do talking with them about their performance throughout the year?
StreetSavvy Techniques
Make frequent performance feedback for employees a priority.
As a leader, you’re incredibly busy and likely stuck with your organization’s performance appraisal process and forms. So keep feedback quick and simple! Keep assessment forms for team members nearby at all times and make plenty of notes about their performance. This simple act not only reminds you and encourages you to provide regular feedback, but also shortens the time it takes to prepare forms for the annual review.
Excerpt from The StreetSavvy Leader: Get Real. Get Results. Want more StreetSavvy Leadership tips and techniques for resolving your most pressing leadership challenges? Click here.
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