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!!