Worthwhile Appraisals – Tips for Managers

Linda Aspey, Aspey Associates

Appraisals are the consolidation of a range of methods and techniques for use on an ongoing basis to manage, monitor and maximise the performance and potential of people. Like many things in life, it sounds straightforward, however many people – appraisers and appraisees alike – really dread appraisals and don’t always see them as worthwhile for either party, so here are a few tips you may find useful.

1. Prepare adequately.
Think about the best appraisal YOU ever had as an employee, and the worst. Think about how each one left you feeling about your manager, your job or your company. Then decide how you as a manager are going to conduct appraisals with your staff. Write down 5 or 6 words that sum up how you intend to be in the meeting - preparing your mindset is as important as preparing the meeting content.
Decide upon your meeting objectives and collate your evidence of successes, near misses, and learning opportunities. Where possible, seek the views of others for balance. An effective appraisal should be a genuine two-way discussion, so the appraisee will also need time to prepare and think about their performance, aspirations and development needs - it must feel like their appraisal, not yours.

2. Treat the meeting (and the person) as important. Be respectful.
Avoid cancelling the appraisal and avoid rushing it – and when you meet, make sure it feels private for both of you. Unless you are absolutely sure that the relationship can handle a public, informal setting, it’s best to keep the canteen or pub for social discussions, not performance or career development ones.
Set the scene positively, explaining that the meeting is going to be a two-way discussion and a chance for both parties to discuss performance and potential. There is always a risk that appraisal meetings can feel like a pupil getting a school report, so you need to establish adult to adult dialogue right at the start.

3. Focus on the whole performance over the period, not just last week or month, or just one issue.
It’s all too easy to remember the big, bad, great or recent things – you need to have some balance over time. If you keep notes on an ongoing basis (and encourage your staff to do the same) you’ll have more than just vague memories on which to base the discussion when it comes to appraisals.

4. Keep salary and bonus discussions separate wherever possible.
Whilst the outcome of appraisal can provide a useful benchmark for salary and bonus recommendations, a range of factors will influence monetary decisions (such as salary budget, market rates, business conditions, company performance etc), and if the appraisal has too much focus on money, it can hijack other parts of the conversation. Appraisal meetings should be motivational and it can be hard for a manager to provide motivation if they haven’t got any money in the kitty! Salary review meetings are largely about reward, appraisal meetings are largely about development – try and separate the meetings out.

5. As the appraiser, ask more questions than you give answers, and listen more than you talk.
The importance of questioning and then really listening (which means paying attention, making eye contact, waiting for their response, not interrupting, fidgeting, or finishing the person’s sentence) cannot be overemphasised. Many people ask us “Why is listening so important?” We think it’s because:
· We won’t know all the facts or understand if we don’t ask and don’t listen
· People expect to be listened to (we all do – it’s about being respected)
· People can get angry and frustrated when they aren’t listened to
· People can become uneasy, lose confidence or just give up when they are not listened to
· Listening shows we can handle what we hear rather than denying or becoming defensive
· We won’t get listened to if we’re not prepared to listen!


6. Look for opportunities to give thanks and genuine, motivational praise.
Be genuine and as specific as possible in your praise, using descriptive language that makes it very clear what’s been done well. The richer and more detailed you can make your description the better – vague comments such as “you were brilliant” may be temporarily motivational but don’t really mean much nor do they encourage the person to do that particular thing well again. They can also be interpreted as patronizing. It’s much better to say, for example, “Yes I agree you did do well on that project. In particular I felt that you handled the communication aspects with skill, you were tactful when it came to addressing the difficult issues with Jon and Lisa, you were clear about what everyone needed to do to deliver, and you were willing to listen to new ideas from everyone”.

7. Give critical feedback honestly but don’t expect them to take it positively - defensiveness is natural.
If you are having regular dialogue with your staff there shouldn’t be any big surprises in the form of very critical feedback. However, at the appraisal you may need to revisit something you’ve already discussed (and they may be expecting you to). So, again be specific, avoid being vague. But keep it shorter than your praise – people switch off from the negative much quicker! Get to the point and encourage an adult to adult conversation. “I’m disappointed that you still don’t seem to be willing to ask your colleagues for help because you’re overloaded and yet we have discussed this several times. What are your thoughts on it now?“ Stay quiet and let them think - your calmness may catch on. If they react “badly” you may need to ask them to think about it some more and come back to it later in the meeting, or even on another occasion. Do not take defensiveness personally – remember the last time you were criticized and you maybe reacted badly? It’s natural. For more information on Giving and Receiving Feedback, contact us for our separate guide.

8. Seek feedback from them about you. And be willing to take it on board.
Ask open questions that invite honesty – closed questions such as “do you have any feedback you’d like to give me?” will probably result in a “No” even if they mean “Yes”! Open questions could include:
· “What could I personally do more of or less of to support you in your role?”
· “I’d really like some feedback from you - what do I do that might hinder you or wind you up?”
· “What do I do that is most and least helpful to you?”
People rarely expect such openness – and despite what you may think on reading this, it doesn’t make you weak in their eyes, it will make you stronger and more human. Imagine how you would feel if your own manager asked you for such honest feedback. And was willing to listen to it! If you feel yourself getting defensive, force yourself to stay quiet and think about what they have said. You do not have to respond on the spot. Let them see you are thinking about it, not dismissing it offhand.

9. Think about Development as well as Assessment.
The appraisal meeting should result in a development plan. What does the business need them to get better at doing? What aspirations do they have for their career in the short and long term? What are they good at that you’d like to help them to build upon, what must they develop to do well in their current or potential role, what’s happening in the business? Avoid suggesting that you “send them on a course” as a knee jerk response to a development need – there are many routes to developing skills, attitude, knowledge and experience. Talk to your HR / L&D manager if you need ideas about development planning.

10. Agree specific objectives, actions and follow-throughs.
Agree meaningful stretch objectives at the end of the meeting, aiming for quality not quantity. Seek their own suggestions before you volunteer yours, and encourage them to make links with their objectives, the business needs and their development, to make them more meaningful.
After the appraisal, follow through on what you have promised to do and encourage them to do the same. People are often quickly absorbed back into operational demands after the appraisal and it’s important that the momentum isn’t lost - this can cause frustration and disappointment for both, making it unlikely that either will come to the next appraisal willing to participate with enthusiasm!
Good Luck!

Appraisals are the consolidation of a range of methods and techniques for use on an ongoing basis to manage, monitor and maximise the performance and potential of people. Like many things in life, it sounds straightforward, however many people – appraisers and appraisees alike – really dread appraisals and don’t always see them as worthwhile for either party, so here are a few tips you may find useful.

1. Prepare adequately.

Think about the best appraisal YOU ever had as an employee, and the worst. Think about how each one left you feeling about your manager, your job or your company. Then decide how you as a manager are going to conduct appraisals with your staff. Write down 5 or 6 words that sum up how you intend to be in the meeting - preparing your mindset is as important as preparing the meeting content.

Decide upon your meeting objectives and collate your evidence of successes, near misses, and learning opportunities. Where possible, seek the views of others for balance. An effective appraisal should be a genuine two-way discussion, so the appraisee will also need time to prepare and think about their performance, aspirations and development needs - it must feel like their appraisal, not yours.

2. Treat the meeting (and the person) as important. Be respectful.

Avoid cancelling the appraisal and avoid rushing it – and when you meet, make sure it feels private for both of you. Unless you are absolutely sure that the relationship can handle a public, informal setting, it’s best to keep the canteen or pub for social discussions, not performance or career development ones.

Set the scene positively, explaining that the meeting is going to be a two-way discussion and a chance for both parties to discuss performance and potential. There is always a risk that appraisal meetings can feel like a pupil getting a school report, so you need to establish adult to adult dialogue right at the start.

3. Focus on the whole performance over the period, not just last week or month, or just one issue.

It’s all too easy to remember the big, bad, great or recent things – you need to have some balance over time. If you keep notes on an ongoing basis (and encourage your staff to do the same) you’ll have more than just vague memories on which to base the discussion when it comes to appraisals.

4. Keep salary and bonus discussions separate wherever possible.

Whilst the outcome of appraisal can provide a useful benchmark for salary and bonus recommendations, a range of factors will influence monetary decisions (such as salary budget, market rates, business conditions, company performance etc), and if the appraisal has too much focus on money, it can hijack other parts of the conversation. Appraisal meetings should be motivational and it can be hard for a manager to provide motivation if they haven’t got any money in the kitty! Salary review meetings are largely about reward, appraisal meetings are largely about development – try and separate the meetings out.

5. As the appraiser, ask more questions than you give answers, and listen more than you talk.

The importance of questioning and then really listening (which means paying attention, making eye contact, waiting for their response, not interrupting, fidgeting, or finishing the person’s sentence) cannot be overemphasised. Many people ask us “Why is listening so important?” We think it’s because:

· We won’t know all the facts or understand if we don’t ask and don’t listen
· People expect to be listened to (we all do)
· People can get angry and frustrated when they aren’t listened to
· People can become uneasy, lose confidence or just give up when they are not listened to
· Listening shows we can handle what we hear rather than denying or becoming defensive
· We won’t get listened to if we’re not prepared to listen!

6. Look for opportunities to give thanks and genuine, motivational praise.

Be genuine and as specific as possible in your praise, using descriptive language that makes it very clear what’s been done well. The richer and more detailed you can make your description the better – vague comments such as “you were brilliant” may be temporarily motivational but don’t really mean much nor do they encourage the person to do that particular thing well again. They can also be interpreted as patronizing. It’s much better to say, for example, “Yes I agree you did do well on that project. In particular I felt that you handled the communication aspects with skill, you were tactful when it came to addressing the difficult issues with Jon and Lisa, you were clear about what everyone needed to do to deliver, and you were willing to listen to new ideas from everyone”.

7. Give critical feedback honestly but don’t expect them to take it positively - defensiveness is natural.

If you are having regular dialogue with your staff there shouldn’t be any big surprises in the form of very critical feedback. However, at the appraisal you may need to revisit something you’ve already discussed (and they may be expecting you to). So, again be specific, avoid being vague. But keep it shorter than your praise – people switch off from the negative much quicker! Get to the point and encourage an adult to adult conversation. “I’m disappointed that you still don’t seem to be willing to ask your colleagues for help because you’re overloaded and yet we have discussed this several times. What are your thoughts on it now?“ Stay quiet and let them think - your calmness may catch on. If they react “badly” you may need to ask them to think about it some more and come back to it later in the meeting, or even on another occasion. Do not take defensiveness personally – remember the last time you were criticized and you maybe reacted badly? It’s natural. For more information on Giving and Receiving Feedback, contact us for our separate guide.

8. Seek feedback from them about you. And be willing to take it on board.

Ask open questions that invite honesty – closed questions such as “do you have any feedback you’d like to give me?” will probably result in a “No” even if they mean “Yes”!

Open questions could include:

· “What could I personally do more of or less of to support you in your role?”
· “I’d really like some feedback from you - what might I do that hinders you or your work?”
· “What do I do that is most and least helpful to you?”

People rarely expect such openness – and despite what you may think on reading this, it doesn’t make you weak in their eyes, it will make you stronger and more human. Imagine how you would feel if your own manager asked you for such honest feedback. And was willing to listen to it! If you feel yourself getting defensive, force yourself to stay quiet and think about what they have said. You do not have to respond on the spot. Let them see you are thinking about it, not dismissing it offhand.

9. Think about Development as well as Assessment.

The appraisal meeting should result in a development plan. What does the business need them to get better at doing? What aspirations do they have for their career in the short and long term? What are they good at that you’d like to help them to build upon, what must they develop to do well in their current or potential role, what’s happening in the business? Avoid suggesting that you “send them on a course” as a knee jerk response to a development need – there are many routes to developing skills, attitude, knowledge and experience. Talk to your HR / L&D manager if you need ideas about development planning.

10. Agree specific objectives, actions and follow-throughs.

Agree meaningful stretch objectives at the end of the meeting, aiming for quality not quantity. Seek their own suggestions before you volunteer yours, and encourage them to make links with their objectives, the business needs and their development, to make them more meaningful.

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After the appraisal, follow through on what you have promised to do and encourage them to do the same. People are often quickly absorbed back into operational demands after the appraisal and it’s important that the momentum isn’t lost - this can cause frustration and disappointment for both, making it unlikely that either will come to the next appraisal willing to participate with enthusiasm!

Good Luck!