| - Why are employee performance evaluations so | | | | the outcome of your grade, because everyone |
| stressful? | | | | understood the "contract" beforehand. |
| - When you think of the annual review, what is your | | | | Randy's approach reduced student stress because |
| first reaction? Management and staff shudder at the | | | | everyone knew their grade before they turned in the |
| thought. Supervisors dread writing the report, but they | | | | assignment. It also reduced his workload because the |
| want to get the job done. Employees don't like | | | | student determined their own grade and this minimized |
| surprises in their annual evaluation, but they want to | | | | stress for both parties. |
| get a good review. | | | | Employee Goal Setting |
| Why not satisfy both? | | | | Similar to achieving a grade for a particular course |
| Annual reviews tend to be stressful experiences for | | | | project, management and staff can achieve common |
| management and staff. | | | | objectives. |
| However, if both parties are committed to achieving | | | | Management can define minimum standards and staff |
| goals, it is simply a matter of establishing clear | | | | will feel valued because they are meeting company |
| expectations while continuing to provide the coaching | | | | goals. |
| and mentoring necessary to help employees succeed. | | | | Those above average and top performers who are |
| - Why do so many managers forget their critical role in | | | | most capable and inspired to do more will demonstrate |
| mentoring employees? | | | | greater initiative if they know they will be rewarded for |
| - Why do both forget to assess whether they are | | | | their efforts. |
| meeting interim objectives along the way? Imagine | | | | Feedback |
| employee performance evaluations that assess actual | | | | Leaders who provide regular feedback find employee |
| results with both parties being accountable for their | | | | performance evaluations much less stressful. |
| part. | | | | The idea is to help your team succeed. Create a |
| Employees could grow and develop in a more positive | | | | positive environment. Address, but downplay the |
| environment and supervisors would achieve the | | | | shortcomings. Catch them doing something right and |
| desired results more quickly. | | | | expand upon the smaller victories on a daily or weekly |
| Goal Setting Exercises | | | | basis. |
| Dr. Randy Pausch, author of the 2008 National Best | | | | Periodically before the annual review, conduct one or |
| Seller The Last Lecture, would assign projects where | | | | more semi-formal reviews so everyone knows what |
| he provided students with a contract to earn the | | | | to expect or what behavior to change prior. |
| grade of their choice. | | | | During the semi-formal review, both parties can |
| From the beginning, it was clear to students whether | | | | discuss differences openly without the stress of the |
| they would earn a "C", "B" or an "A," and as you might | | | | final report, while working toward common agreement |
| imagine, the requirements were increasingly more | | | | on any tasks not being performed correctly. |
| difficult. If you wanted an "A," you had to earn it. | | | | Be open - it may not be the employee who needs to |
| With his approach, there was never any doubt about | | | | change! |