Comments on: The Truth About Performance Appraisals http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/ It's not a lesson in learning to be nice to people. Management is about leverage and impact. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 02:40:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Tom Foster http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3940 Tom Foster Wed, 06 Feb 2008 11:44:56 +0000 http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3940 Garold and David, Thank you very much for your insight in this area. This was all prompted by a reader question on Monday, but it is an area of great concern for most of my readers. Your suggestions should be very helpful. Garold and David,
Thank you very much for your insight in this area. This was all prompted by a reader question on Monday, but it is an area of great concern for most of my readers. Your suggestions should be very helpful.

]]> By: Garold Markle http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3939 Garold Markle Wed, 06 Feb 2008 02:27:15 +0000 http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3939 Great question, Tom, and one that I have thought a lot about. In fact, I wrote a book called "Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review" that focuses on that problem and describes an alternative. I believe traditional performance evaluations are broken and can't be fixed. They're rotten at the core of the paradigm. During my 17 years as an HR professional leader for large companies (like Exxon, Shell, and Phelps Dodge)I became so unhappy with traditional performance evaluations that I could no longer require managers to use them. In two of my incarnations I held executive level positions that allowed me control over the HR systems. In keeping with the ideas suggested by Mr. Roepnack in the comment above, our coaching system focuses on the future instead of the past. It is designed to obtain five outcomes: - Change Behavior - Increase Motivation - Decrease Turnover - Increase Promotions - Minimize Legal Exposure The system employs no labels or grades, nor does it attempt to justify this year's three percent salary adjustment with last year's performance. It is conducted using three pieces of paper and four short meetings. And it's being used successfully in hundreds of companies across the US and Canada. Anyway, those interested can check out my book and some free videos on our website at www.energage.com. Great question, Tom, and one that I have thought a lot about. In fact, I wrote a book called "Catalytic Coaching: The End of the Performance Review" that focuses on that problem and describes an alternative. I believe traditional performance evaluations are broken and can't be fixed. They're rotten at the core of the paradigm.

During my 17 years as an HR professional leader for large companies (like Exxon, Shell, and Phelps Dodge)I became so unhappy with traditional performance evaluations that I could no longer require managers to use them. In two of my incarnations I held executive level positions that allowed me control over the HR systems. In keeping with the ideas suggested by Mr. Roepnack in the comment above, our coaching system focuses on the future instead of the past. It is designed to obtain five outcomes:

- Change Behavior
- Increase Motivation
- Decrease Turnover
- Increase Promotions
- Minimize Legal Exposure

The system employs no labels or grades, nor does it attempt to justify this year's three percent salary adjustment with last year's performance. It is conducted using three pieces of paper and four short meetings. And it's being used successfully in hundreds of companies across the US and Canada.

Anyway, those interested can check out my book and some free videos on our website at http://www.energage.com.

]]> By: David Roepnack http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3938 David Roepnack Tue, 05 Feb 2008 23:13:19 +0000 http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3938 Rather than calling it a performance appraisal, why not call it a Personal Planning Session? I have found that staff members are very interested in helping to plan their future. Whenever you plan the future, you have to look at the past and decide what skills sets have been providing the greatest results and which ones could be or should be improved. Asking a staff member to get involved deciding what are their strengths, successess, weaknesses, failures, and opportunities for the future gets them invested in the Personal Planning Session (Performance Appraisal). Performance Appraisals only measure what has happened in the past. Planning Sessions measure what has been happening and lays the framework for improvement. Rather than calling it a performance appraisal, why not call it a Personal Planning Session? I have found that staff members are very interested in helping to plan their future. Whenever you plan the future, you have to look at the past and decide what skills sets have been providing the greatest results and which ones could be or should be improved. Asking a staff member to get involved deciding what are their strengths, successess, weaknesses, failures, and opportunities for the future gets them invested in the Personal Planning Session (Performance Appraisal). Performance Appraisals only measure what has happened in the past. Planning Sessions measure what has been happening and lays the framework for improvement.

]]> By: Allen http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3937 Allen Tue, 05 Feb 2008 15:13:48 +0000 http://www.managementblog.org/archives/2008/02/05/the-truth-about-performance-appraisals/#comment-3937 Something that the employees had buyin and thought was important to them. Something that the employees had buyin and thought was important to them.

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