The First-Time Manager’s Guide to Performance Appraisals

Chapter 4. The Golden Rules of Performance Appraisals

Witness the contrast between two new managers, each of whom is about to conduct a performance review for the first time. Ted views the process as overwhelming and fraught with pitfalls. He’s attended a workshop and read several books on the subject, none of which has alleviated his high level of anxiety. Despite all that he’s learned, he worries that he’ll make mistakes. What if he says the wrong thing? How should he communicate that the employee has been performing poorly? What if he has nothing whatsoever to say that’s positive? Should he bring up past mistakes the employee has made? Won’t that upset the employee and taint the climate of the meeting? And what about the superstar in his department—how ...