Painless Performance Evaluations, 1st edition

 1. Introduction to Performance Management.

How is performance management used on the job?

Who drives the performance management process?

Why do supervisors avoid their performance management duties?

Why is performance management so necessary?

What are the trends in performance management?

 2. Navigating the Performance Management Process.

                What steps should I take to effectively manage employee performance?

                What roles do the supervisor, employee human resources, and others play?

                What if my organization’s performance management cycle is different?

                What’s the performance evaluation form got to do with it?

                What’s money got to do with it?

 3. Clarifying Performance Expectations and Setting Goals.

                How can I make my performance expectations clear?

How can I help the employee better understand my expectations?
Why does my organization require me to establish written goals with employees?

                What is the best way to establish goals with an employee?

                How can I use the SMAART concept to set clear and measurable goals?

                What kinds of activities make effective performance goals?

  4. Documenting Performance Fairly and Legally.

                Why should I keep complete performance documentation?

                What kinds of documentation should I maintain?

                What are the elements of effective documentation?

                What does good documentation look like?

                How can a performance log make documenting easier?

                How do I use a performance log?

 5. Making Performance Management a Priority.

                Why should performance management be a priority for me?

                How can I become a more disciplined performance manager?

How can I foster day-to-day performance discussions with my employees?

 

 6. Identifying and Addressing Performance Issues.

                Are your concerns legitimate performance issues or personal pet peeves?

                How can I tell the difference between behaviors and attitudes?

What is the best way to prepare for a performance-related discussion?

                How can I make sure that performance-related discussions do not get derailed?

How can I improve my listening skills?

 7. Rating Performance Objectively.

                Is there one best rating scale for a performance evaluation system?

                How do I explain the rating categories to employees?

                What should rating definitions look like?

                How can I help employees better understand the differences in each rating category?

                How can I ensure that my ratings are defensible if they are ever challenged?

 8. Writing the Performance Evaluation Document.

Where does the information to be included in the performance evaluation come from?
What about employee’s self-evaluation?
How can I make sure I write a clear and effective performance evaluation document?

What do effectively written performance evaluations have in common?
What are some helpful words to get the process started?
How can the poor performance be described diplomatically?
What are the dos and don’ts for writing performance evaluation comments?
What do good performance evaluation comments look like?

How do I avoid surprising the employee in the performance evaluation document?

 

 9. Conducting the Evaluation Meeting.

                What are the key rules for conducting a performance evaluation meeting?

                What should happen before you and the employee meet?

How can I ensure that the employee knows that I’m taking the meeting seriously?

What kinds of questions should I ask the employee during the performance evaluation discussion?

                What is the best format to follow for the performance evaluation meeting?

How can you create an environment where the employee will not become defensive?

What does a painless performance evaluation sound like?

10. Encouraging Employees to Participate in the Performance Management Process.

                How do I encourage my employees to participate in the management of their own performance?

How can I encourage employees to keep me informed of their performance progress throughout the rating period?

How can I encourage employees to write useful and meaningful comments on the performance evaluation document?

How do I encourage employees to fully participate in the entire performance management process?

 

Appendix.

Important terms.

What Did You Learn? Answer key and case study responses.

Sample performance management process.
Three Month Employee Orientation Feedback Summary.

Orientation Period Performance Evaluation.

Employee Performance Evaluation.

Performance Improvement Plan.