Leesburg SHRM
April 2011
Performance Appraisals:
Blunders, Bloopers & Brilliance:
10 Strategies for Success
Presented by
Sharon Armstrong
Sharon Armstrong and Associates
And
Alice K. Waagen, Ph.D.
Workforce Learning LLC
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Performance Management
Cycle
1) New Employee Orientation
5) Annual Salary
Review
2) Training and
Development Plan
4) Annual Performance
and Development Review
3) Regular Coaching and
Mentoring
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
What is a
Performance Appraisal?
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One of the most important responsibilities of a manager
An ongoing process, not a one-time event
A culmination of mini-meetings between manager and
employee during the entire performance period
An objective way of determining the quality of an
employee’s performance in accordance with
predetermined expectations
A tool for clarifying present expectations, setting new
expectations and developing new responsibilities
Part of an entire Performance Management Process
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Let’s Get Started …
What is one word that describes your
most memorable performance appraisal?
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Bad Press
Copyright ©
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
10 Strategies for Success
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Drop the word “annual” from your planning process
Admit that appraisals will always have an element of
subjectivity to them
Annual and midyear are the MINIMUM number of
conversations managers should have on performance
Make managing performance a shared responsibility
between managers and staff
Beware of making links between Performance
Appraisals and compensation / salary increases
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
10 Strategies for Success
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Plan & Prep
Meeting Magic
Discussion & Dialogue
Wrapping it Up
Kick Start the New Year
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Annual Plans
In today’s chaotic world, plans have the
“shelf life” of a few months at best
 Performance plans need to be reviewed
and revised at least quarterly
 Good performance plans are a decision
support tool and guide time management
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© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Appraisal Subjectivity
The WHAT of performance plans should
be as objective as possible
 The HOW of performance appraisal will
always have an element of subjective
judgment
 Assessing and providing feedback on both
the WHAT and the HOW is criticial
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© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
More than Once a Year
Assessing performance is not an event
 It is part of an ongoing process of
feedback and coaching
 When we focus communication solely
around when forms are due, we create the
belief that those are the only performance
conversations that are needed
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© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Shared Responsibility
Managing performance should be a
collaborative partnership between
managers and staff
 Have staff draft their own goals and
perform self-assessments
 Managers then become more guides and
coaches than bosses
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© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Appraisals and Compensation
With merit pools / salary budgets so small,
linking pay with performance can be
troublesome
 Focus on the purpose of performance
appraisals being improving performance
not as a way to make pay decisions
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© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
5 Components
1) Planning &
Preparation
2) Starting
the Meeting
5) Follow-up
Performance
Appraisals
4) Closing the
Meeting
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
3) The Discussion
Planning and Preparation
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Planning & Preparation
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Familiarize yourself with the form and the ratings
Think about the goals each employee has been working
on
Collect objective information
Fill out the form privately
Be sure to add specific examples
Plan your discussion in detail
Schedule the meeting
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Meeting Magic /
Starting the Meeting
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Starting the Meeting
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Conduct a warm-up/set the tone
Outline what you want to cover
Clearly explain the purpose/importance of the meeting
Allow the employee sufficient time to read
Encourage the employee to participate in the discussion
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Discussion and Dialogue
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
The Discussion
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Talk about the purpose of the position
Go over the ratings
Start with the positives
Ask open ended questions
Discuss areas where performance falls short
Listen
Work for understanding
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Wrapping it Up /
Closing the Meeting
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Closing the Meeting
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Summarize what was discussed
Settle on a plan for the future
Write goals together
Offer your help
Close on a friendly note
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Kick Start the New Year /
Follow-up
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Follow-up
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Follow-up on commitments you've made
Review your notes and evaluate yourself
Begin observations for the next performance discussion
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Coaching
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
“Lack of feedback is the number one reason
for performance problems.”
– Leigh Branham
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Positive Feedback
F = Frequent
A = Accurate
S = Specific
T = Timely
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
100
mph
Redirection Feedback
B = Behavior
E = Effect
E = Expectation
R = Result
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
“People say that motivation doesn’t last.
Neither does bathing – that’s why we
recommend it daily.”
– Zig Ziglar
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
More on Motivation…
The Enthusiastic Employee
(David Sirota et al)
1.
2.
3.
To be treated equitably
Achievement
Camaraderie
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
More on Motivation…
Drive: The Surprising truth about What
Motivates Us
(Dan Pink)
1. Autonomy
2. Mastery
3. Purpose
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
More on Motivation…
The Three Signs of a Miserable Job
(Patrick Lencioni)
1.
2.
3.
Anonymity
Irrelevance
Immeasurement
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Questions?
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Sharon Armstrong has over 20 years of experience as a Human Resources
consultant, trainer and career counselor. Since launching her own consulting
business in 1998, Sharon Armstrong and Associates, she has consulted with many
large corporations, small businesses, and individuals. She has facilitated training,
completed HR projects and provided career transition services for a wide variety of
clients in the profit and non-profit sectors.
She is known for her ability to listen compassionately, ask relevant questions and
offer guidance that reflects her wealth of knowledge of the business world and
career issues. Her easy-going style and responsiveness are instrumental in
establishing rapport with her clients.
Sharon received her Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Southern Maine and her Masters Degree in
Counseling from George Washington University. She is a certified Professional in Human Resources
(PHR).
Sharon is the co-author of a humor book, published by Random House. Heeling the Canine Within: The
Dog’s Self-Help Companion was published in 1998. Her first “serious” book, Stress-Free Performance
Appraisals – Turn Your Most Painful Management Duty into a Powerful Motivational Tool was published by
Career Press in July, 2003. Her next book, The Essential HR Handbook – A Quick and Handy Resource
for Any Manager or HR Professional, co-authored with Barbara Mitchell, was published by Career Press in
July, 2008. Her latest book, The Essential Performance Review Handbook was published in May, 2010.
She has designed and conducted workshops on Supervisory Skills, Time Management, Delegating,
Performance Management, Managing Your Boss, Effective Feedback and Behavioral Interviewing.
For additional information, contact Sharon at:
202.333.0644
Sharon@sharonarmstrongandassociates.com
www.sharonarmstrongandassociates.com
www.theessentialhrhandbook.com
www.theessentialperformancereviewhandbook.com
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC
Alice Waagen, Ph.D. is president and founder of WORKFORCE LEARNING LLC., a
leading provider of learning programs that support business strategies.
Since earning a BS in Art Education from the New York State College at Buffalo, and
MS and PhD degrees in Art Education from the Pennsylvania State University, Alice
has been providing leadership development and executive coaching for numerous
organizations in the Metro DC area. In the past three years, more than 150 leaders
from 24 different organizations have graduated from Alice’s unique leadership
development workshop series.
Giving back to the community is also important to Alice. She currently serves on The Board of Directors for
Habitat for Humanity, Northern VA as well as on the Advisory Board for Marymount University Reston Campus
Graduate and Adult Education Programs.
About Workforce Learning
Workforce Learning LLC provides organizational learning consulting services for all sizes of organizations.
Founded by Alice K. Waagen, PhD, Workforce Learning is in its 13th year of profitable business.
The Workforce Learning‘s service offerings are tailored to the specific needs of each client. We approach each
engagement as an opportunity to partner with our client on solving their challenges in workforce development.
We bring to each engagement years of experience working with all kinds of business organizations: public and
private, non-profit and government.
Workforce Learning's services provide organizations with the skills, knowledge and experience to build a
positive and productive work climate that supports the people side of business. Individual and organizational
learning is our passion. We excel at providing programs and services that educate people who are
knowledgeable experts of their chosen field or profession to be equally successful in their interpersonal
relations at work.
For more information, visit our website www.workforcelearning.com or contact us at 703-834-7580 or
info@workforcelearning.com.
© 2010 Sharon Armstrong and Associates and Workforce Learning LLC