In my last blog post on performance appraisals I noted that
- PAs are mostly backwards minded and deficit oriented
- and that if you want an increased performance of your employees then you should use the tool “performance appraisal” in a solution focused and motivating way and look into the future
It was a pleasure to read all the great comments and to feel the interest this topic created. This and my analysis of the 70 PAs show that there is a huge potential in using PAs to improve performance.
Chris Scott brought up two concerns that I want to answer here:
1) PAs are event based – (at the end of the year) – rather than a process to create a coaching environment
2) they are outcome focused versus a balance of outcomes, responsibilities and behaviors. For example, someone can achieve a goal but in a way that is not aligned with the desired behaviors of the company.
1) In the companies that I know, PAs are usually event based. That’s why we work with their leaders to generally create an environment that enhances performance, solutions, and progress (see e.g. the Ten secrets of successful leadership). The interesting experience I have made so far in companies where we introduced the proposed solution focused PAs was that the leaders realized how useful this kind of conversation is and that they used it in other conversations with their employees too. So, I suggest to try these question out either in your next PA or in an other conversation with your employees to find out how they work and how useful they are.
2) The proposed solution focused PAs is focusing on performance and treats the employee as the expert of his own performance. Treating her as an expert also means that you trust your employee that she knows what responsibilities she has and what behavior is expected. If this isn’t the case, you as a leader can either talk about your expectations first or trust her that her way will also be successful and in line with the companies goals and strategies. I have made very successful experiences with both ways. But this only works if you acknowledge that your employees are experts in what and how they are doing it. If everything exactly has to be the way you want it, it might be better just to say what you want instead of letting your employees develop their own solutions.
Further reading material:
- Peter Szabo’s – S.U.R.F. – A refreshing model for sustainable change with a section on multi-scaling in performance appraisals
- The Powerful Performance Program with questions that enhance progress and performance
- Solution-Focused Management with articles about “making performance rating relevant, informative and meaningful” and “Using SF to accelerate a performance and development culture”
