Giving someone their annual performance appraisal can be tricky if you aren’t mentally prepared.  My first crack at debriefing someone was an eye opening experience!  I had plenty of years on the opposite side of the desk (getting told how I was performing) and thought I knew how I wanted it to go but found myself ill-prepared when it came down to executing it properly.  I quickly got a system down and, after hundreds of practice runs, here’s what you need to know:

1.   Perception is NOT reality! People’s perceptions of what they do and how they do are much different from yours.  A good way to check this is to simply ask, “how do you feel things are going for you here, Bob?”  (I just used Bob because we all know a Bob).  Doing this allows you to assess where they “think” they are versus where they might actually be.  If they are the same…..FANDAMNTASTIC!  If not, chances are you’ve done a poor job of communicating how they’re doing through the year.

2.  Be Prepared! I absolutely HATED when my bosses would ask me for my input on my annual evaluation but really wanted me to write it for them.  On one hand, it was great to toot my own horn but, on the other, it was somewhat disheartening to think that the person I had pledged my loyalty to for a year couldn’t take an hour to recap all of my great accomplishments.  Keep a log book or accomplishments folder on each team member to record noteworthy things (and some other not so noteworthy things).  Let them know about it and also contribute to it if they’d like to (also let them see it when asked so you don’t have to visit HR unnecessarily).  Prior to your debrief meeting, go through EVERYTHING to make sure you haven’t missed anything (it will also help you NOT rely on your memory…..that can JACK you up!).

3.  Be Personable! Make people comfortable!  Getting debriefed on your performance can be some stressful stuff.  I always knew I worked hard but always wondered how things were going to go on the evaluation debrief.  Pick a quiet spot, welcome your person with a smile and make some small talk before lunging into the crux of the debrief.

4.  Be Honest! I hated it when the person debriefing me would “talk around” a subject and not about what I needed to work on.  Give it straight!  Would you torture someone by slowly pulling off a band aid or would you yank it off quickly?  Hit it quick, honest and forthright.  Trust me, they’ll respect you MORE in the morning for it.

5.  Use the Goldilock’s Principle for Targets (Keep Them Just Right)! I like a good challenge but too many (or too few) can have an opposite effect on my long term performance.  Keep performance targets “just right” when thinking about personal and professional goals.  Ask your team member to give you a few, you contribute a few, come to a consensus on timelines and then document it .  Targets without action steps to get there is like being on the right track but just sitting there (eventually you’ll get run over).

6.  Give it like YOU’D want it. We’ve all been there, done that and have the war wounds to prove it.  We’ve gotten great appraisals and some that were like giving birth (I’m speculating) so we should know how we’d want to receive one.  Think through the process as if you were giving it to yourself and treat the other person accordingly…fair, consistent, and factual.

These aren’t the ONLY things needed to give a great performance review but they are SIX things that helped me make the most of the one’s I did (and, like I said, I’ve done a lot of them).  Keep it real and remember that you’ve been on the other side of the desk.