This guide belongs to 100 Ways To Be Being Remarkable  Series, a special project that brings you business and self-development advice from The Success Manual.

Rulers see through spies, as cows through smell, Brahmins through scriptures and the rest of the people their normal eyes.
– Kautilya, Indian Philosopher, Third Century B.C.

Before you criticize someone, you should walk a mile in their shoes. That way, when you criticize them, you're a mile away and you have their shoes.
- Anon

People ask you for criticism but they only want praise.
- W. Somerset Maugham

Say something complimentary before you criticize.
- Anon

Oaths are but words, and words are but wind.
- Samuel Butler

In his private heart no man much respects himself.
- Mark Twain

All looks yellow to the jaundiced eye.
- Alexander Pope

The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.
- Norman Vincent Peale

appraise, v.
1. To set a value on; to estimate the worth of; to value officially.
2. to estimate the quality of.
3. to judge the quality or worth of.
4. to praise; to speak well of. (Rare)

ONE ‘BAD APPLE’ REALLY CAN KILL THE COMPANY

Whether it’s an office bully, team slacker or a chronic pessimist, a single employee can seriously damage an entire company.
- William Felps and Terence Mitchell of the University of Washington Business School.

HOW TO DO A GOOD PERFORMANCE REVIEW
A good manager will show the employee why he/she what for oneself what one’s manager wants for him/hr. An employee knows
right away how well prepared the manager is for the performance review., so the manager should not fake it. Lack of preparation means that the manager does not take the review seriously and it is sure the employee will ignore what the manager says. Lack of Preparation shows that mentoring and leading are not high priorities for the manager. Thus, the manager risks having dismal employees.

One good way for the manager would be to prepare detailed ‘Strengths an Weaknesses’ lists for each employee detailing all good an Bad Performances and present the same to the employee when the time for the Performance Review comes. The Manager must also give tips on dealing with the shortcomings and offer genuine Praise for work well done. If you can’t reward your employees with promotions and bonuses, give them a well-prepared review. The manager’s insights will re-enforce the idea that the manager is indeed Mentoring and Leading the employees. It also helps if the review does not work on the rating system ( it has a negative notion to it). Finally, treat the Performance Review as a responsibility-do not shirk, postpone or generalize. A Simple ‘You were Great/You were pathetic” doesn’t work.

SET KEY OBJECTIVES FOR YOUR PEOPLE
- What the person is accountable for.
- Agreeing on measures and standards to be obtained.
- Assigning time scales and priorities.

ASSESS PEOPLE BY
1. Assessing personality
2. Reviewing job-related activities
3. Using a Rating Scale
4. Evaluating individual results
5. Testing competencies

HOW TO TEST PEOPLE'S MANAGERIAL SKILLS
Initially score yourself out of 10 for each skill in the self-assess column for the job concerned. Then validate or revise your scores in discussion with your boss or someone who knows you. Put these scores in the '2nd view' column - this is your actual assessment. At the same time confirm with the other person the importance of each skill (A, B or C, A = most important) for the job concerned.

1. Planning, prioritizing and organizing tasks and activities, time management, self and team.
2. Motivation and leadership of team and individual team members.
3. Communication skills, questioning and active listening, building trust, empathy and mutual understanding.
4. Performance appraisals planning, conducting, and follow-up, for team, and self.
5. One-to-one counseling, handling grievances, discipline, helping and enabling others with their challenges.
6. Training and developing others, coaching and mentoring, assessing training needs.
7. Delegation, identifying and agreeing tasks, measuring, follow-up, management by objectives (MBO's).
8. Effective use of IT and equipment, esp. communication, planning and reporting systems.
9. Financial and commercial understanding (eg, budgets, profit & loss, cash flow, etc)
10. Managing relationships, inter-department, peers, upwards, obtaining approval for projects, changes etc.
11. Planning and running meetings, effective follow-up.
12. Business writing, eg, letters, reports, plans, project plans.
13. Recruitment interviewing and selection, and effective induction of new people.
14. Administration; financial/performance reporting, monitoring, maintaining and developing reporting systems.
15. Creating and giving effective presentations to groups.
16. Innovation, vision, creativity, taking initiative, problem-solving and decision-making.
17. Quality awareness and managing, according to quality standards and procedures.
18. Employment and HR policy awareness and managing, according to policies (equality, disability, harassment,
etc)
19 Environmental and duty of care awareness and managing according to standards and procedures.
20 Customer care and customer service management - external and internal.
21 Self-development, self-control, compassion and humanity, seeking responsibility and personal growth.
22 Appreciation/application of social responsibility, sustainability, humanity and ethical considerations.
- Source: Alan Chapman

HOW TO DO GENERAL PERFORMANCE APPRAISAL

1. Identifying data of the person being appraised:

Organization, division and department
Year or period covered
Name
Position
Location/site/based at/contact details (e.g., email)
months in present position
Length of service

2. Capability or knowledge in the following areas in terms of current (and if known, next) role requirements [this may be done by the appraisee and the appraiser independently and they can compare notes later]

Examples of a typical commercial or management skill set:
Commercial judgment
Product/technical knowledge
Time management
Planning, budgeting and forecasting
Reporting and administration
Communication skills
Delegation skills
IT/equipment/machinery skills
Meeting expectations, deadlines and commitments
creativity
Problem-solving and decision-making
Team-working and developing/helping others
Energy, determination and work-rate
Steadiness under pressure
Leadership and integrity
Adaptability, flexibility, and mobility
Personal appearance and image
Appreciation and application of social responsibility, sustainability, and ethical considerations

3. Discussion points during appraisal interview
Has the past year been good/bad/satisfactory or otherwise for you, and why?
What do you consider to be your most important achievements of the past year?
What do you like and dislike about working for this organization?
What elements of your job do you find most difficult?
What elements of your job interest you the most, and least?
What do you consider to be your most important tasks in the next year?
What action could be taken to improve your performance in your current position by you, and your boss?
What kind of work or job would you like to be doing in one/two/five years time?
What sort of training/experience would benefit you in the next year?

Broaden this question to include 'whole-person development' beyond job skills - for example: What do you have a personal passion for that we might help you to pursue?

Ensure you identify clear definitions for the scoring, particularly if comparing or analyzing different people's scores, where consistency of measurement is important, e.g.:
1 = little or no competence
2 = some competence, but below level required for role
3 = competence at required level for role
4 = competence exceeds level required for role

Or:

1 = never meets standard
2 = sometimes meets standard
3 = often meets standard
4 = always meets standard

Final scoring: A way of making a 1-3 scale acceptable is:
1 - needs improving
2 - good
3 - excellent

360 DEGREE APPRAISAL
Modern appraisal theories also promote ‘Upward Appraisal’. Basically, it is the practice of managers being evaluated by their subordinates. Often, completed questionnaires are shown to the managers. The questionnaires are used to develop a set of company norms. These allow each manager to compare themselves to their equivalents in the organization.

A 360 degree appraisal template typically contains these column headings or fields, also shown in the template example below:

1. Key skill/capability type (e.g. communications, planning, reporting, creativity and problem solving, etc - whatever the relevant key skills and capabilities are for the role in question).
2. Skill component/element (e.g. 'active listening and understanding' [within a 'communications' key skill], or 'generates ideas/options' [within a 'creativity/problem solving' key skill]).

The number of elements per key skill varies depending on the skill.

Break down the key skill if there are more than six elements - big lists and groups are less easy to work with.

3. Question number (purely for reference and ease of analysis)
4. Specific feedback question (relating to skill component, eg does the person take care to listen and understand properly when you/others are speaking to him/her? [for the active listening skill])
5. Tick-box or grade box (ideally a,b,c,d or excellent, good, not good, poor, or rate out of 5 or 10 - N.B. clarification and definitions of ratings system to participants and respondents is crucial, especially if analysing or comparing results within a group, when obviously consistency of interpretation of scoring is important)

360 degree Appraisal Feedback Form headings and instructions: Appraisee name, date, feedback respondent name, position (if applicable) plus local instructions and guidelines for completion, etc.

key skill/capability area skill/capability element question number feedback question feedback score

Related Idea: Team Appraisals - Members comment on the group’s performance and sometimes on each other’s contribution.

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