A performance appraisal is a record of a manager’s opinion about how well an individual has performed. But if you’re setting tough standards and have high expectations, the chances are good that not everyone on your team will agree with your opinion.
Here’s a question I hear often from managers. They say, “Dick, I’m getting ready to have a performance review discussion with Jason. I think he’s done a good job and I’ve rated him Fully Successful — our middle rating — but I’m sure that he’s expecting a Superior or an Outstanding rating. How do I get him to agree with my assessment?”
Stop! That’s the wrong question. It’s not his agreement you’re after. The chances are good that if you set the bar high and have tough and demanding standards, people won’t agree with your assessment. That’s OK. In the performance review discussion, your goal isn’t to gain agreement. It’s to gain understanding. Jason may well not agree. But if he understands what you expect and how you went about evaluating his performance, you’ve done your job.
Now having said that, you’ve got a responsibility to render your opinion objectively. If people don’t agree, that’s OK. What’s important is that they understand.
About the Author
Dick Grote is a management consultant in Dallas, Texas and the author of several books. His most recent book, How to Be Good at Performance Appraisals, was published by the Harvard Business Review Press in July 2011.
