The First-Time Manager’s Guide to Performance Appraisals

The First-Time Manager’s Guide to Performance Appraisals

Released August 2007
Publisher(s): AMACOM
ISBN: 9780814474402

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Book description

Conducting performance appraisals can be a daunting prospect, especially for new managers. With the same brand of accessible and sage advice readers have come to rely on from The First-Time Manager, this helpful guide provides straightforward, useful information that will enable anyone to take on this important task with confidence and skill. Filled with ready-to-use tools including sample dialogues, phrases, and documents, as well as plenty of useful tips,

The First-Time Manager’s Guide to Performance Appraisals

shows readers how to:

* review an employee’s past performance * prepare for the face-to-face meeting * assess how successful the employee has been at meeting goals * set new objectives * help develop career plans * evaluate performers at every level * understand the importance of coaching and counseling throughout the year * write up the appraisal and use ratings * follow up effectively

This book is an essential resource for managers who want to get the most from the performance appraisal process . . . and from their people.

Table of contents

  1. Copyright
    1. Dedication
  2.  
    1. Other Books by Diane Arthur
    2. Also by Diane Arthur
  3. Preface
  4. I. Performance Appraisal: What It’s All About
    1. 1. Performance Appraisals: An Overview
      1. Objectives
        1. Primary Objective of a Performance Appraisal
          1. Scenario Number One: Lorie
          2. Scenario Number Two: Vincent
        2. Secondary Performance-Appraisal Objectives
      2. Benefits and Uses
        1. Benefits and Uses for Managers
        2. Benefits and Uses for Employees
        3. Benefits and Uses for the Organization
      3. Responsibilities
      4. Criteria
        1. Job-Related
        2. Reliable and Valid
        3. Standardized
        4. Practical and Workable
        5. Acceptable
        6. Managerial Style
      5. Suggestions for Improved Performance
    2. 2. Managers as Coaches
      1. Coaching Characteristics
        1. Approachability
        2. Consistency
        3. Dependability
        4. Empathy
        5. Honesty
        6. Knowledge
        7. Respect
      2. Spontaneous Coaching
        1. Positive Spontaneous Coaching
        2. Performance-Improvement Spontaneous Coaching
      3. Planned Coaching
    3. 3. Managers as Counselors
      1. Counseling Characteristics
        1. Attentiveness
        2. Broad-Mindedness
        3. Commitment
        4. Conscientiousness
        5. Focus
        6. Interest
        7. Realism
      2. Directive Counseling
      3. Nondirective Counseling
  5. II. Getting Ready
    1. 4. The Golden Rules of Performance Appraisals
      1. This Should Come as No Surprise . . .
      2. Praise and Criticism
      3. Documentation
    2. 5. Gathering Information
      1. Job Descriptions
        1. Job Requirements
        2. Duties and Responsibilities
        3. Using the Job Description as a Reference Point
      2. 360-Degree Evaluation
      3. Self-Appraisals
    3. 6. Preparing to Conduct Appraisals on Former Coworkers
      1. Clarify Respective Roles
        1. Coaching
          1. Trait: Approachability
          2. Trait: Honesty
          3. Trait: Respectfulness
        2. Counseling
      2. Establish Expectations
        1. Reasonable Employee Expectations
        2. Questionable Employee Expectations
      3. Guidelines for Conducting Appraisals on Former Coworkers
  6. III. The Power of the Pen
    1. 7. Forms and Ratings
      1. How Forms Are Used and Misused
        1. Ways in Which Appraisal Forms Are Effectively Used
        2. Ways In Which Appraisal Forms Are Misused
      2. Rating Terminology
        1. Five Grouping Terms
        2. Four Grouping Terms
        3. Three Grouping Terms
        4. Definitions of Terms
      3. Factors to Be Evaluated
    2. 8. Writing Guidelines
      1. Selecting Objective Language
        1. Effective Terminology
        2. Objective Evaluations of Varying Levels of Performance
      2. Writing Dos and Don’ts
        1. Writing Dos
        2. Writing Don’ts
      3. A Seven-Step Writing Format
        1. Step 1: Overview
        2. Step 2: Strengths
        3. Step 3: Areas Requiring Improvement
        4. Step 4: Meeting Previously Agreed-Upon Goals
        5. Step 5: Setting New Goals
        6. Step 6: Career Development
        7. Step 7: Employee Feedback
  7. IV. The Face-to-Face Meeting
    1. 9. How to Begin
      1. Questions to Ask Yourself
      2. Create a Suitable Environment
        1. Privacy
        2. Minimum Number of Distractions
        3. Comfort
        4. Sufficient Time for the Interview
          1. Scheduling Guidelines
      3. Put Employees at Ease
        1. Icebreakers
        2. Opening Remarks
    2. 10. What to Discuss
      1. Past Performance
      2. Goals
        1. Previous Goals
        2. Future Goals
          1. What Happens If . . .
        3. Goal-Setting Components
      3. Career Development
    3. 11. How to Listen Actively
      1. Active Listening Guidelines
      2. Talking and Active Listening
      3. Thought Speed
      4. The Power of Silence
    4. 12. How to Act: The Importance of Body Language
      1. Effective Nonverbal Messages
        1. Positive Body Language
        2. Negative Body Language
        3. Mixed Body Language
      2. Accurately Interpreting Body Language
      3. Consistency Between Nonverbal and Verbal Messages
        1. Project Consistency
        2. Seek Consistency
  8. V. What to Look Out For
    1. 13. How to Handle Challenging Performance-Appraisal Situations
      1. Possible Employee Reactions to Performance Reviews
        1. Agreement
        2. Argument
        3. Defensiveness
        4. Nervousness
        5. Overconfidence
        6. Silence
      2. Recommended Approaches
        1. Agreement
        2. Argument
        3. Defensiveness
        4. Nervousness
        5. Overconfidence
        6. Silence
      3. Potential Outcomes
      4. Disciplinary Action
        1. Verbal Warning
        2. First Written Warning
        3. Second Written Warning
        4. Suspension
        5. Termination
    2. 14. How to Avoid Typical Performance-Appraisal Pitfalls
      1. Legal Pitfalls
        1. Discriminatory Language
        2. Implied Contracts
      2. The Top-Ten Performance-Appraisal Pitfalls
      3. Performance-Appraisal Syndromes
        1. The Good/Bad Past-Performance Syndrome
        2. The Recency Syndrome
        3. The “You’re the Best” Syndrome
        4. The Blind-Spot Syndrome
        5. The Assumption Syndrome
        6. The “I Don’t Like” Syndrome
      4. Trying to Remember What to Cover
        1. Summary of Past Performance
        2. Review of Previously Set Performance Objectives
        3. Working Together to Set New Performance Objectives
        4. Working with the Employee on a Career-Development Plan
        5. Reinforcing Praise and Ending on a Positive Note
        6. Delivering Criticism Constructively
        7. Encouraging Employees to Make Comments and Ask Questions
        8. Reiterating Your Availability for Help and Support
  9. VI. Evaluating Various Types of Employees
    1. 15. How to Conduct Appraisals on Different-Performance-Level Employees
      1. Average Performers
        1. Words to Describe Average Performers
        2. Developing Goals
      2. Top Performers
        1. Mentoring
      3. Marginal Performers
    2. 16. Performance Appraisals for Employees Who Telecommute
      1. Performance Monitoring
      2. Communication
        1. Telephone Communication
        2. Electronic Communication
        3. Face-to-Face Communication
        4. Building a Relationship with Telecommuting Employees
      3. Performance Measurement
        1. Measurement Criteria
  10. A. List of Performance-Appraisal Tips
  11. B. Key Federal Legislation

Product information

  • Title: The First-Time Manager’s Guide to Performance Appraisals
  • Author(s):
  • Release date: August 2007
  • Publisher(s): AMACOM
  • ISBN: 9780814474402