It is that time of the Year – Performance Management , Tips for the Boss

I promised I will be back with the tips for the Boss.

Over the past 2 decades of personally engaging in performance appraisals as a Boss, I have gathered few tips, these tips will make the appraisal discussion a lot easier on you as a Boss. I am sure you can relate to them and see both the sides (specially if you have read my earlier blog on the subject). 

Here are the tips for you as a Boss:

• Empathise...this is the single skill you need to have/learn to be the STAR in performance appraisal meetings
• Prepare and conduct  2 different meetings for the appraisal discussion, yes, 2 meetings for 1 subordinate; 1^st one for listening (no interruptions from your side and a wonderful opportunity for subordinate to present) and 2^nd one for sharing your observations, feelings and data...give constructive and not destructive feedback
• Gather data about your subordinate from his colleagues & customer (make it clear to the subordinate that you will be doing this). Data thus gathered is objective and has multiple perspectives and hence more acceptable
• Share Feeling s about the performance and the year (separately) & qualify these feelings, talk about your feelings, share your perspective(s) with out either being defensive or aggressive
• Summarise and headline subordinate’s strengths, spend considerable time on what you like about the person more that about his development areas
• Be crisp about the development area – help her see it through your eyes
• Be prepared for awkward situations and do not be surprised at the reactions on development areas, many times the person can not see it and this is a blind spot
• If you have the same subordinate for several years, do take care not to be repetitive, if you do not anything new to share...just share progress over last year and if subordinate has done some special efforts to overcome a development area...share your appreciation
• Share Progress over last year’s development plan & talk about it
• Do not share your rating in the first meeting, listening gives you better time to prepare for the 2^nd meeting where you can share the rating and the process to a rrive at it
• Share specific agreements  and disagreements on the KRAs and be specific for each KRA rather than being generic about the performance
• Show the path to development (please bounce off with HR before the meeting) with specific commitment from your side and gain one from her side
• Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen................................
• Gather & Present Data
• Above all “Be Fair”, even in the most trying circumstances ( you will sleep well at night)
• Subordinates will remember “How” you treat them for the rest of their lives
• Empathise

Happy Reviews!!

It is that time of the Year – Performance Management

Most managers I know dread this time of the year because it is time to review performance,  give feedback, take feedback and decide on bonuses & increments (this should not be that bad!).

The outcome (bonus/increment ) is pleasurable but the process; to be fair, transparent and judgmental to another human being, specially the ones who we see 8 hours of the day is not easy. Switching to an objective hat does not come naturally and many of us keep on postponing this crucial work till the last moment. When there is no choice and the last date is approaching (complete the inevitable), we sit down, try to remember vague details from the year gone by  and conjure up ratings basis recent memories (not all but most of us do follow this process).

I know I have been a little harsher than I should be but believe me that even the objective journalists, clinical doctors, surgeons, CEOs, lawyers & just about everyone shies away from this task. Corporate managers hate and abhor it.

Wouldn’t  it be nice if someone made the whole process easier  with a magic wand. The hard process should somehow disappear and the easy part of rewarding  simply happen. Alas!

Over the past 2 decades of personally engaging in this exercise, I have gathered few tips as a subordinate, these tips will make the appraisal task easier for your boss:

•  Gather & Present  Data
•  Share Feelings about the performance and the year (separately) & qualify these  feelings
• Summarise and headline your achievements (on top of your appraisal form, attach a separate sheet) 
• Be modest (supervisors hate it when you come with a chip on your shoulder)
• Show Progress over last year’s development plan & talk about it 
• Do not inflate your ratings, remember your boss is someone’s subordinate (& knows the same tricks) 
• Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen, Listen................................ 
• Gather & Present Data

I am sure you want a great appraisal rating and excellent feedback, take the initiative and write your appraisal with passion, sincerity and dedication (do not forget the data!!). 

Your boss is bound to notice it and be fair in return. Fair rating is a great rating, it will genuinely help you move up in your life.

I will be writing tips for the bosses in the next blog !!

Happy Reviews!!