Performance appraisal is a means, not an end. The real objective of any performance management system is to make sure that the company’s strategic plan and vision and values are communicated and achieved.

Core competencies expected of all organization members should be included, described and assessed. If your mission statement isn’t clearly visible in the performance appraisal system, cynicism will likely result. Values become real only when people are held accountable for living up to them.

The easiest way to make sure that your new form supports your mission statement is to have one final assessment item that reads something like this: “What were the three most important contributions the individual made to _____________________________?” Then just plug the text of your mission statement into the blank. Everyone will now see that they’re being held accountable for helping to achieve the organization’s mission.

About the Author

Dick Grote has been a management consultant for almost thirty years, specializing exclusively in the field of employee performance appraisal and management. As a consultant, he has created employee performance management systems for several hundred of the world’s best known and most respected companies, including Texas Instruments, JCPenney, Miller Brewing Company, American Airlines, Macy’s, Raytheon, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and Herman Miller. His company, Grote Consulting, specializes in employee performance appraisal, employee performance improvement and talent management.

The appraisal form is a lightning rod that will attract everyone’s attention. Design the form early and get lots of feedback on it. Don’t believe anybody who tells you that the form isn’t really important. They’re wrong.

Human performance is made up of two factors: Behaviors and Results. Make sure the form assesses both dimensions.

About the Author

Dick Grote has been a management consultant for almost thirty years, specializing exclusively in the field of employee performance appraisal and management. As a consultant, he has created employee performance management systems for several hundred of the world’s best known and most respected companies, including Texas Instruments, JCPenney, Miller Brewing Company, American Airlines, Macy’s, Raytheon, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and Herman Miller. His company, Grote Consulting, specializes in employee performance appraisal, employee performance improvement and talent management.

Using a task force that is made up of appraisers and appraisees from different levels and functions in the organization builds user support and acceptance. The Implementation Team has two main jobs. One, developing the appraisal forms, policies and procedures. Two, assuring a successful deployment.

It’s helpful to divide the Implementation Teams into two subgroups:

3P — “Policies, Practices, Procedures”

This task force works with the internal or external performance management experts to guide the design of the appraisal forms and recommend workable policies and procedures.

USA — “Understanding, Support, Acceptance”

This task force works as a mini-advertising agency for the new system. They create communication plans and programs to assure understanding and support by everyone who will be affected by the new process.

About the Author

Dick Grote has been a management consultant for almost thirty years, specializing exclusively in the field of employee performance appraisal and management. As a consultant, he has created employee performance management systems for several hundred of the world’s best known and most respected companies, including Texas Instruments, JCPenney, Miller Brewing Company, American Airlines, Macy’s, Raytheon, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and Herman Miller. His company, Grote Consulting, specializes in employee performance appraisal, employee performance improvement and talent management.

Yes, these tips are obvious, and yes, whole books could be (and have been) written on each one of them. But too often something simple gets overlooked, and sometimes a straightforward, step-by-step guide can prove invaluable.

Tip #1 — Get top management actively involved right from the start.

Without top management’s commitment and visible support, no program can succeed. Top management must establish strategic plans, identify values and core competencies, appoint an appropriate Implementation Team, demonstrate the importance of performance management by being active participants in the process, and use appraisal results in management decisions.

About the Author

Dick Grote has been a management consultant for almost thirty years, specializing exclusively in the field of employee performance appraisal and management. As a consultant, he has created employee performance management systems for several hundred of the world’s best known and most respected companies, including Texas Instruments, JCPenney, Miller Brewing Company, American Airlines, Macy’s, Raytheon, Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad, and Herman Miller. His company, Grote Consulting, specializes in employee performance appraisal, employee performance improvement and talent management.

Performance appraisal is one of the most common management practices around. But I’m always surprised that so few people know the answer to the simple question, “What is a performance appraisal?”

Here’s the answer: A performance appraisal is a formal record of a supervisor’s opinion of the quality of an employee’s work.

The operant word here is opinion. A performance appraisal records the opinion of Harry’s boss about just how well Harry has performed over the past year. A performance appraisal isn’t a document that can be empirically tested and proven. It’s not a negotiation between the manager and the individual to come up with something that both agree on. It’s a record of the manager’s judgment about how well the individual is performing.

Of course that opinion needs to be supported by facts. It must be objective. But one of the requirements of leadership is that the leader must assess just how well each of his or her people has done. And that’s what a performance appraisal is — a record of the opinion of the leader about just how well each team member has performed.

About the Author

Dick Grote is one of America’s most successful and best-known authors, consultants, and business keynote speakers on employee performance management consulting. He is the Chairman and CEO of Grote Consulting Corporation – www.GroteConsulting.com.