How To Think About Performance Appraisals

Employee reviews, performance appraisals...they're enough to raise the hair on the back of your neck...unless...

While I didn't meet John Porcaro while I worked at Microsoft, here he offers his 15-year Microsoft-centric view on approaching reviews (from his own perspective):

1. Take time to reflect
2. Think of your review as a living resume
3. Be thorough
4. Go with metrics
5. Make it about YOU
6. Don’t worry too much about missing an agreed-upon deadline
7. Don’t forget the “extra credit.”
8. If there’s something negative to say, bring it up yourself
9. Sometimes mistakes can be the best thing
10. Realize that half the equation is perception
11. Don’t sweat the review
12. Ask your manager to edit some of their negative comments
13. Don’t put it off until the last minute

BOTTOMLINE: What if...you used an intuitive Internet-based tool (every day) that made the entire process of doing weekly status reports, monthly performance updates, and annual performance appraisals -- a "no-brainer"? The Six Disciplines People Suite offers small businesses a practical way to approach this important HR activity.

(Thanks to Max at SuccessFactors for the tip)