The four most common mistakes in the performance appraisal

As a manager, I can’t say that I was effective in giving feedback; and I discovered I made more than one mistake when designing my training courses focused on the topic.

Now I am going to tell you about some mistakes I made; I will talk about the feedback the boss gives to the staff member, but what I am going to tell you is also valid between colleagues.

Hear me out.

1. The first great enemy is the tendency to confirm our ideas, which occurs when the boss has made up his mind about the staff member’s performance and all he/she seeks are behaviours that confirm it, ignoring all the rest: nice to be right, isn’t it?
2. Prejudice follows, which can negatively influence performance evaluation in the shape of political, religious or football faith: and if someone is on the opposite side of the fence, how can he/she be a worthy person?
3. Then we have the emotional reaction, which leads the boss to reach conclusions hastily, with the risk of making serious mistakes accompanied by let’s say… inappropriate behaviours.
4. Finally, the most widespread and least conscious error: the mirror mistake. The leader values better the performance of people he feels similar to himself, or he is bound by respect or affection; in short, he appraises himself not the staff member’s performance.

So, the next time you evaluate a person’s performance, keep in mind two things:

• seeking yourself in people you work with is nonsense and can harm you, because diversity brings value;
• your staff member could be familiar with your behaviour (… perhaps he/she has read this post…) and use it to influence you.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced these kinds of behaviours?

If you want to know more, you can find useful these training courses:

• Improving staff performance
• Managing the performance appraisal interview