Let’s face it, this is the time of year many of us are
responsible for completing those dreadful annual performance evaluations. I don’t know about each of you but I can find
a million other things I would rather be doing than participating in this
disengaging, ineffective process. And if
you ask your employees how they feel I can almost guarantee a very similar
response. Unless, their salary increase
is tied directly to the process and then you may see a glimpse of excitement if
they believe they are getting a big fat raise.
Let’s stop and really think about this for a minute. Many of you probably have a team of talented
individuals who have worked hard over the past 12 months. Now, unless you are having continuous discussions
about their performance or using some form of a social performance solution,
you probably don’t have a good handle on all the things they did over the past
year. Don’t beat yourself up for
it. It’s reality. Many of us have a hard time remembering what
we wore to work last week let alone remember the wins of our people over such a
broad timeframe. Especially when we have
numerous people on our team.
Add to this the fact these people are individuals. They all do their job differently based on
their work style. Not everyone has the
same talents or skillset yet we try to measure them all against the same set of
competencies. We struggle to maintain
clarity between each person when we are asked to rate them on 10-12 areas. Things become clouded, we grasp for any
resemblance of a performance that could relate to one of these models. Let’s just call it what it is, an outdated,
archaic process that should be thrown out with the turning of the year.
Now I realize this may sound crazy to some of you but there
are better ways of measuring contributions.
And what better time to start over than the start of a new year. We all make resolutions for our personal
lives. Why not make a resolution that will have a profound impact on many
people? Isn’t that what this time of the year is all about? Thinking about others before ourselves? Plus, wouldn’t you be much happier if you
didn’t have to go through this experience next year?
So, how do you get started?
Well it just so happens I have a few suggestions for you.
·
Move to a more continuous experience – meaning,
have more than one or two conversations a year.
At a minimum at least four.
·
Let each individual set no more than 2-3 goals
for the coming year – buy-in is key – let them own this experience.
·
Get rid of all numeric rating scales – does
being a 3.26 really mean anything to your people? I think not.
·
Take a strengths based approach rather than all
encompassing. Let’s be honest, no two
people are alike so why do we measure them all the same?
·
Disconnect compensation from contributions.
·
Build a strengths based development plan not a
remedial focused plan.
This is going to take time, commitment and buy-in just like
any other resolution. Think about all
the goals of losing weight in a new year.
The fitness centers love us because we bring them a lot of business in
the first month or two of a new year.
But their business strategy doesn’t rely on us. They know it will fade out quickly and they
need something bigger. Don’t let that be
the feeling your people get with this change.
Make it part of your “lifestyle”.
It needs to become part of who your organization is versus just another
great idea.
Here’s to dropping the “weight” of performance reviews in
2013. Good luck to each of you!
