Evaluation: Directions for use
Who actually appreciates the “notorious” annual evaluation interview? It’s rare to find someone who perceives the event in a positive and constructive manner, whatever side of the table they may find themselves on. However, is it not the ultimate opportunity to lie the whole years activities out on the table and make a point of better planning the months to come? The annual evaluation is a busy time for companies rallying managers and their teams for several weeks. A moment so awaited by some and dreaded by others, the evaluation interview is often seen as a chore. “We waste time, we’re uncomfortable and what’s more we never say what we really want to” The majority of people see the exercise as a sanction. A verdict must come down on their performance. You have to admit that often, this evaluation leads to a bonus.
That leaves room for certain calculations which can end up influencing the exchange. “I have to be level 2 to get my bonus, so I’ll have to negotiate” or even “I’ll score him as level 3 to avoid giving them a bonus since they are allocated starting from level 2”. It’s the pitfall to avoid.
What if you could have a genuine exchange at your next meeting aimed at planning the coming year? Here are some useful tips for making your next evaluation a performance management tool!
Don’t suffer in the evaluation. It is neither a tribunal nor the guillotine. Remind yourself that even your superior will be evaluated by their boss. Think that you also have the right to evaluate them. Who’s to say they’re not as anxious as you? Giving feedback can be just as difficult as receiving it. Of course it’s easier when everything is going well and the results are achieved. Nevertheless even when things are going well, it’s important to give the employee more than a simple: “Good job, you’ve done well, carry-on!” If you’re done in two minutes you’ve wasted your time.
Don’t wait to be forced into it by the company calendar. If you have something to bring up whether it be positive or negative, do it as you go along. The annual interview is not designed to dwell on your bad actions or your achievements, it should formulate the recipe for building your next plan of action. The best bosses know full well that management is done on a daily basis and not just when it is called for. At the same time, it’s only up to you to request regular meetings with your superior!
Prepare in advance. Don’t wait until the day before the meeting to think about what you will discuss. Whether you are the one evaluating or the one being evaluated, reread the job description and go over the objectives which were set at the beginning of the year. Make a table of what was asked for and mark the resulting achievements and the failures. Memory often lets us down so take notes during the year.
What were your factors of success and failure? What were the causes of them and the big events? The more you prepare yourself by recording your thoughts, the better you will react faced with your interviewer and the more you will avoid surprises. You will make the discussion much more interesting by having with you, examples, statistics and facts. You will thus have the opportunity to structure the interview and close in on the real issues!
Choose the ideal moment in the day or the week. Don’t make the meeting whenever or wherever. If you decide to go out of the office, to a restaurant for example, don’t lose sight of the objective and don’t get distracted (personally, I strongly advise staying in the office, you can always go and eat together afterwards).
Be positive. You are there to look back at what has worked well and what has not. Even if the year has not been good, you must remain confident and learn from your mistakes to perform better in the future!
Show that you can listen. Know how to observe and let the other person express themselves. Even if it’s not pleasant to hear (don’t tell me you weren’t expecting it…), each person has the right to express their point of view. When you don’t agree, there is no point raising your voice or interrupting your interviewer. Take a deep breath in order to stay calm. You will be able to “plead” your case with so much more force, since by allowing them to reach the end of their explanation, the other person will have given you ammunition to defend yourself!
Be proactive. It is a work session which deserves a plan of action. I’m talking about presenting concrete ideas in terms of training, project development or improvements of working conditions or salary. Once the objectives are set, ensure a date for your next meeting before leaving.
Make notes and write a review following. Even if human resources often provide a formula, this does not always allow a review of all the proposals exchanged. This review will be useful to prepare yourself better the next time.