Performance Reviews – Yes or No?
I read an interesting article online from the Wall Street Journal about performance reviews. I find performance reviews useful when used as part of a total program including immediate behaviorally based feedback and positive reinforcement. I don’t believe reviews are the end all be all when used alone. Like a friend of mine in OD said, it’s like bowling and waiting a year to know what pins fell. Working with service organizations in the senior care industry and with firms going through culture change as I do, I’m see and consult about changing a lot of soft fuzzy subjective performance “measures” for example, leadership, teamwork, and engagement so while a yearly review is better than nothing when taking seriously, much needs to be done in getting metrics that matter. Technology is making this a real possibility. Click here for the link to the article.
Here is a quote from Samuel Culbert, author of this article, “Get rid of the Performance Review! It destroys morale, kills teamwork and hurts the bottom line. And that’s just for starters.”
…And yet in a performance review, employees are supposed to be measured along some predetermined checklist. In almost every instance what’s being “measured” has less to do with what an individual was focusing on in attempting to perform competently and more to do with a checklist expert’s assumptions about what competent people do. This is why pleasing the boss so often becomes more important than doing a good job. Create a positive impression and the boss will score you high on any dimension presented.
By the way I picked up this article on the ASTD National LinkedIn Group. Trainers, coaches, etc. you might want to join us.
Filed Under: Business Development • Consultant Leadership Training • Jobs and Careers • Leadership • Online Business, Promotion and Marketing • Technology
About the Author: Author and Consultant with over 20 years of executive coaching, workforce development and building leadership development programs around the world.
