Karl Edwards presents Working Matters

Tag: performance evaluations

  • Clippings from Don: Dumping the Dreaded Performance Review

    Everybody hates performance reviews. As much is not news to anyone.

    More interesting is the lack of creativity in designing meaningful and effective alternatives. 

    In this morning’s Wall Street Journal, Rachel Emma Silverman takes a look at the fading allure of this rigid, intimidating and counter-productive time-waster.

    Teams need to be able to communicate about their work. Everyone needs to be able to give constructive and timely feedback to those with whom they work.

    The problem with most performance evaluation processes is that they function exclusively as a top-down tool for ineffective leaders to communicate the negative feedback they didn’t have the courage or grace to communicate throughout the year.

    Two major problems result. The climate of judgment and intimidation makes even the most competent employee reticent to be honest about their (more…)

  • Listen In -> Lies and Myths We Believe About Work #4: Hard Work Will Be Rewarded

    Hard work is not always noticed much less rewarded. If we are quietly going about our hard work thinking that our supervisors both are aware of it and ready to reward it appropriately, we are mistaken.

    In this week’s show, Claudia and I discuss the myth that hard work will be rewarded.

    This myth is most commonly believed by the most cooperative and hard-working among us. We don’t want to make waves, draw attention to ourselves or be accused of unfair politicking.

    We feel the noble route is to demonstrate exceptional performance and then let the rewards flow from the system functioning as it was intended. Our performance reviews will—of course—result in appropriate compensation increases and position advancement.

    But systems don’t work as they are designed, and however noble and cooperative such an approach may be, it will ultimately backfire on us. Is your hard work noticed? Appropriately rewarded?

    Listen in.

    Just now joining the conversation? Catch up on the entire series here.

  • Listen In -> Performance Management with Jeff Hunt #2: Managing

    Has it been an entire year since you’ve talked with anyone on your team about their job performance?

    Does it feel a bit awkward to bring up that negative encounter nine months ago?

    Did you miss an opportunity to provide needed resources simply because you didn’t know about the need at the time?

    We are in week 2 of our conversation with Jeff Hunt of Goalspan about performance management, and our topic this week is “managing.”

    After establishing expectations for results having planned, our next step is to establish an on-going conversation about how we work together. Instead of performance management being a single annual event, we are going to make it a process.

    Don’t miss Jeff’s insights into the three components of managing job performance:

    1. Coaching and feedback – Establishing the ongoing conversation.
    2. Supporting learning and development – Providing the resources and training.
    3. Proactively addressing issues as they arise instead of waiting 10 months to the next evaluation.

    What is your process? Do you engage early and often? Do your performance evaluations increase or decrease employee morale, motivation and engagement?

    Listen in.

  • Question of the Week

    How do you identify how well you performed today?

    The Question of the Week is offered to increase awareness of one’s personal leadership practices and encourage experimentation with creative alternatives.

  • Question of the Week

    In what ways is it not safe for your team to provide you with negative feedback? (Often information that, if you had it, would actually enhance your leadership.)

    The Question of the Week is offered to increase awareness of one’s personal leadership practices and encourage experimentation with creative alternatives.