Notice that we’ve phrased these questions in a “helping
way,” not in a way that might be construed as threatening.
That’s important. You don’t want to give the impression
that you are snooping or conducting some sort of sneaky
inquisition. Take the position that you are there to help.
That will encourage employees to tell you the truth and
give you the information you need to offer help.
It’s also important that you avoid “micromanaging” in
these conversations. That means that you should avoid
“looking over the employees’ shoulder” and telling them
howthey should be doing their work. It’s OK to offer occa-
sional suggestions, but if you micromanage in these infor-
mal conversations, staff are going to stop being open in
communicating with you.Using Goals for Evaluation and Appraisal
By the time performance reviews and evaluations roll around,
there should be nothing that you and the employees need to
discuss in those meetings that you haven’t been discussing
throughout the year. That brings us to the following suggestions
to help you use performance goals in the evaluation process.
Prepare for Appraisal Meetings
Appraisal meetings work best when both parties are prepared
and know what to expect. Proper preparation means that
appraisal meetings can be shorter and less stressful. There are
several ways of preparing.
First, ensure that employees understand the purpose of the
appraisal meetings. Most employees have had some unpleasant
experiences with performance review meetings and can bring
some unpleasant baggage to them that interferes with good
25Getting the Most from Performance Goals