[font=Arial","sans-serif]STOP THE LEADERSHIP MALPRACTICE:[/font]
[font=Arial","sans-serif]We Must Replace the Typical PerformanceAppraisal[/font]
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[justify][font=Arial","sans-serif] [/font][font=Arial","sans-serif]Today’s leaders face daunting challenges andthe most popular tool to address those challenges, the typical performance appraisal, is at best ineffective and often makes things worse. Furthermore, it's equally dreaded by both managers and employees because they are both consistently disappointed in the results and frustrated by the return on the time they must invest. It can and must be replaced.[/font][/justify]
[justify][font=Arial","sans-serif]Inthe summer of 2001, 15 of the September 11 terrorists completed a simple two-page application at the Saudi Arabian consulate for a visa to come to the United States. According to expert analysis of these visa application forms, all 15 of the applications should have been flatly denied under the existing law. The law holds that the applicant must convince the officer that the visa will be used only for travel, work, or school and not a stepping stone to immigration.(Mowbray, 2002) Under the law, all applicants are to be assumed to be an immigrant unless otherwise established.[/font][/justify]
[justify][font=Arial","sans-serif]Accordingto the experts the consular officers ignored this provision of the law in order to approve the applications. Why? The experts familiar with the visa approvals did not fault the consular officers – “theyfault the policies and guidelines under which the officers were forced to operate.” (Mowbray, 2002)[/font][/justify]
[justify][font=Arial","sans-serif]During2001 the permissive culture in the consulate in Saudi Arabia had denied less than 2% of visas whereas the average denial rate in consulates was 25%. The rate of approval of Saudi applications was factored into the consular officer’s performance appraisal. Consulate leadership sent clear messages of courtesy and permissiveness for Saudi applicants. This message contradicted the guidelines of refusal the consular officers were obliged to follow, denied their freedom to exercise their best discretion, and damaged their willingness to speak the truth. The result, four months later, was 3,000 American deaths. This is leadership malpractice at its worst. The use of the typical appraisal process at the consulate was a major contributing factor. It’s time for this malpractice to stop. [/font][/justify]
[justify][font=Arial","sans-serif]Malpracticeis failure of a professional person to do his or her job. This failure results in some injury to others. Malpractice generally occurs through ignorance, incompetence, neglect, or carelessness. Malpractice can also be characterized by criminal behavior but this problem is about how the purposeful use of the typical appraisal process is a major cause of malpractice which won’t stop until it is replaced. We must convince leaders of this premise and to offer a proven replacement. Unless this change is made the policy will continue to be a barrier to achieving optimum results in organizations and will cause us to fail to be competitive in the global marketplace.[/font][/justify]
[justify]Mowbray, J. (2002, October 28). Visas forTerrorists. National Review, pp. 32-37.[/justify]
