WHAT MAKES A GOOD APPRAISAL INTERVIEW?

Here is a tip for supervisors that will contribute to a successful appraisal interview. Give advance notice. Employees like to have advance notice of the appraisal session so that they can think about the past evaluation period from their own perspective. The prepared employee may have any number of things to share about management, the department, or organization, or barriers to their effectiveness. Also, the employee who comes to the session with a list of accomplishments feels a part of the process in a positive way.

State the purpose of the session. The purpose of the session should be to talk about the employee's job performance. It should be an opportunity for the supervisor and the employee to determine where supportive action is needed. The performance appraisal should not be used as a disciplinary tool. Feedback about performance should be given at the time the behavior occurred. As a result, behavior deserving discipline or praise should have been dealt with previously. That is, the performance appraisal is a review, not a first notice for poor or above average performance.

Here are two tips for supervisors that will contribute to a successful appraisal interview. 1. Present documentation. The more facts and dates you have on file, the more acceptable and meaningful both your positive and negative feedback will be to the employee. 2. Stick to observed behavior. Evaluate only what you've seen and heard. Rely on the firsthand evidence. Don't make over-generalized statements or inferences.

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CEO, A.E. Schwartz & Associates, Boston, MA., a comprehensive organization which offers over 40 skills based management training programs. Mr. Schwartz conducts over 150 programs annually for clients in industry, research, technology, government, Fortune 100/500 companies, and nonprofit organizations worldwide. He is often found at conferences as a key note presenter and/or facilitator. His style is fast-paced, participatory, practical, and humorous. He has authored over 65 books and products, and taught/lectured at over a dozen colleges and universities throughout the United States.