MAKING PERFORMANCE REVIEWS LESS STRESSFUL – FOR EVERYONEINDIVIDUAL TASK EMM 219 KNOWLEDGE BASE MANAGEMENT LECTURER BY ANDRE V WENAS BY MUHAMMAD HANIF - EMBA MARCH 2015 CLASS

ContextMany managers responsible for writing evaluations view the process as an unenviable task fraught with the possibility of miscommunication and misinterpretationReviewer often set themselves up for trouble out of a desire to avoid offending employee sensibilities

ContextMost people are not comfortable being judged themselves and tend to err on the side of caution when they have to put their personal assessment of a colleague in writing.

An Excess of diplomacy can actually produce consequences just as damaging as those created by an unduly harsh approach. And turn the process into an exercise in futility and a time-consuming.

ExpectationValid criticism on performance that deliver in

Soft and clearFirm and flexibleCritical and encouragingHonest and politePersonal and professional

It shall create a positive improvementKeeping the focus on specific goals and desired results will make the experience less anxious and more productive for everyone involved

How to achieve that?Always Lead with the positives

Start out on positive note to makes him/her receptive to the recommendations for improvement that followProvides objective, tangible evidence of progress

Create a sense of fair play to make the employee understands in advance the specific criteria by which he is being assessed

How to achieve that?Summarise the deliverables and performance in numbers and checklists and combine it with the specifics accomplishments. It include

Personality traits and behaviours that made those result possible

Greater pride and incentive on the part of the employee

How to achieve that?The Sky’s not the limit

Stake out realistic targets for the next evaluation phase.Communicate and describe in balance specific, quantifiable objectives, overarching goalsPhase the target with range of potential accomplishmentsProvide an incentive to outperform achievement Provide and address areas to improve

How to achieve that?

Strategies; how to reach the target?Describe actions, resources and plans of action in terms as specific as possibleDevelop a philosophical overviews for the concluding summary and set up next review cycle

How to achieve that?

Areas to improve; Collaborate, Don’t Assassinate1. Emphasise the positive within the negative2. Couch your criticism in terms of the shared

greater good rather than framing it as a personal indictment

3. Enlist your employee as an ally in troubleshooting a vexing issue

4. Offer the employee flexible options in resolving a shortcoming

How to achieve that?Consequences and Incentives; Offer Carrots, but don’t be afraid to use a stick

It is reasonable to outline what the future might holdIf there is a largely negative job performance into shape, you should offer a note of encouragement but state unequivocally the range of possible outcomesIf there is largely to heap praise on an exemplary employee, this is the place to focus on incentives and longer-range career developmentIf there is a mixed bag of accolades and critiques, end it with a brief, balanced summeryThe writing of a review is not to punish nor to dispense empty praise, but to improve performance so that both the company and the employee benefit.