Sherrie Suski talks about Delivering Effective Performance Appraisals.

1. Delivering an Effective
Performance Appraisal

2. Provide Examples
 When writing the Performance Appraisal, try to stay away from generic
phrases such as:
 Does a good job
 Always tries his/her best
 DO provide specific examples such as:
 Completed the XYZ project 20% faster than expected
 Saved the company over 12% by contracting with the new vendor

3. Be Thoughtful
 Spend the necessary time to think about and prepare the appraisal
 It is common to think about performance over the last 3 months, but spend the
time to go back through the year and reference accomplishments from the
beginning of the period
 Think about what makes this employee stand out
 What special talents or knowledge does this employee have

4. Rating
 Not everyone is a star
 Although many managers have difficulty giving less than glowing reviews, it is
important that you rate your subordinates honestly
 Giving everyone a 5 is the same as giving everyone a 3. It devalues the meaning of
outstanding.
 Realize and help your subordinates realize that a 3 is satisfactory performance
 Be ready to explain how they need to improve to move to a 4 or 5 rating

5. Poor Ratings
 Be honest when delivering ratings that are poor
 DO have examples ready and be willing to discuss
 DON’T back down from your statements or try to sugar coat them
 DON’T offer to change the review
 DO have an action plan ready to discuss to help the employee to improve

6. Provide a Copy
 It is best to provide each subordinate with a copy of the Performance
appraisal prior to the face to face meeting
 This gives them a chance to:
 process the information
 formulate any questions they may have
 Absorb the information and think about it before they react, especially if there is some
negative feedback that needs to be delivered

7. Meeting with the Employee
 DO provide a summary- whether at the beginning or at the end
 DO review each point and ask if there are any questions
 DO encourage an open dialogue
 DO schedule uninterrupted time where you are not multi-tasking and taking
phone calls
 DO talk about growth opportunities and goals they may have for themselves

8. Conclusion
 Done correctly, the performance appraisal can open the door to better
communication year round between you and your team!