Some human resources people claim that annual pay and performance reviews aren’t good for morale, kill teamwork and hurt an organization’s bottom line. Human resources expert Samuel A. Culbert says it’s impossible to be truly objective, especially when the boss bases the review on feedback from others who may have political interests involved. He notes that two different bosses can have entirely different views of the same person.
He recommends a performance preview instead. It features discussions about how the boss and employee are going to work together more effectively than they did in the past. This makes the boss partially responsible for the employee’s performance rather than placing the entire responsibility on the employee.
The boss’s assignment is to guide, coach, tutor and assist a subordinate to help him or her perform successfully. Look interested, stay awake. Long meetings can sometimes become boring. Clowns on the Internet have suggestions for you, but most are humorous; the rest will insult the speaker, and none will do your image any good.
Business writer Tony Reiman has these more constructive suggestions.
- Tilt your head to the right to indicate you are listening.
- Smile occasionally at the speaker.
- Keep blinking so you don’t have a glazed look.
- Nod in agreement from time to time.
