Ok, you worked out through performance of your collaborators the entire year.
You also gave some interim support to them. Now comes that time of the year most of the managers do not like: preparing the performance review.
First of all you need to understand that, rather that a monologue, is a dialog: doing a performance evaluation is a conversation, not a one-way indication but a comparison with a view in order to achieve a mutual growth. Do this way and will become a nice step of an even nicer path, don’t do it and the risk is that will be an exercise of power finalised at itself.
I think it is clear that up to the moment in which the evaluation is positive, the interview is easily manageable (but can be tricky as well), instead when different complexities appear or when the evaluation is negative or in any case different from the expectations of the evaluated person, the discussion can become slippery.
In any case of the above, to steer the conversation along the tracks of mutual “profitability” it is important to prepare the ground for a good conversation, knowing, as already mentioned on other occasions, when to ask the correct questions and which issues to focus on.
It is therefore necessary to consider at least the following:
A) Start with the good ones: what were the successes?
An evaluation interview consists of transferring one’s opinion, but also avoiding focusing exclusively on things that can be improved. During the observation period, everyone achieved positive goals, even small ones, which it is important to “celebrate” and to be noted. But stick to the facts: do not try to create good results when they are missing, because you would get the undesirable effect of not being credible anymore. Rather than cheating, try to be methodic in taking notes when things go as you expect. Weight the successes against the person in front of you. For example, having learned the use of an IT procedure has different weight if done by a resource with poor aptitudes or by another with specific skills
B) Analyse the process and the person for good and bad: what works well?
It is important that you have the clarity to identify what works well in the person’s work and contextualise it with facts. It is different to have a generic indication and instead one that adheres and describes everyday life. Be fair in giving your resource, if any, credit for what they did to make the process work well and instead state clearly what happened because of you. Never ever give your successes to those who have not contributed: is a matter of credibility.
C) Continue to stay on the process without losing sight on the person: what isn’t working ?
Clearly define what is not working, at the cost of being direct. Hiding the problem or sugarcoating it will only make it worse. Jointly identify a solution that minimises the impact on both parties. Remember: the objective is not to “survive” the performance review, but rather to create trust, a growth path and solve the problems.
D) Be open to change: what could you do differently?
Even the best relationship can need fine tuning, so always remember to look critically at what can be done differently
E) Set exact expectations: clearly identify what benefits are expected for you and your employee
