No worries mate!

Is this your attitude towards your staff? Are you so easy going you assume your team will bumble along rudderless, knowing instinctively which direction to take?

Top heavy leadership can be counter-productive. But setting goals is essential. All employees need to feel they are consulted and involved. They must be given the opportunity to contribute their ideas to ensure a successful and cohesively run operation.

So how do you do this?

The words “Performance appraisal” can send employees running for cover, and cause managers to raise their hands in horror! But they are essential if you want the company to stay one step ahead.

Through a performance appraisal you can get to know each of your staff, and where they fit into the organisation. You can identify areas where they need to be developed and you can help align their goals with the company’s vision.

Sometimes I am invited into an organisation to support a manager who is struggling with her team. I begin by developing a performance appraisal based upon the culture of the company.

I try to pinpoint the value of the individual by looking at his strengths and weaknesses, and where he may benefit from further training. I set challenges for him, pushing him out of his comfort zone. Initially, I will guide the manager through these performance reviews, until she feels confident to conduct them on her own.

As she develops these skills, a good manager will be able to support and encourage the individual, empowering him to improve and extend his career prospects.

Performance appraisals often get a bad rap. They are seen by staff purely as a disciplinary tool, whilst managers regard them as a waste of time. But if they are conducted regularly- at least quarterly - they will ensure that staff feel recognized, are challenged, and get the opportunity to develop as individuals.

Thorough preparation for each review, both on the part of the manager and the individual, ensures a positive outcome. The manager can ask how she may support the individual to achieve his goal. The individual can ask for a better understanding of the direction of the company.

Feedback is important, both with the individual, and also with the staff as a whole. Talk to all your employees, maybe in a staff forum. Take this opportunity to emphasise the value of staff appraisals.

A company which rejects performance reviews will stagnate. To overtake your rival in the market place implement a programme of performance appraisals. You will soon be ahead of the game, with a confident and happy staff.

By Julianne Kuhlmann
Personal & Leadership Coach
Kool Results
"Putting You First"
Personal & Business Coaching, Leadership Development, Individual Training Programs,Work/life balance, Mentoring & Induction, Organisational performance

Email: info@koolresults.com.au Web: www.koolresults.com.au