Evaluating Employees | Origin: ML130
This is a general discussion forum for the following learning topic:
Evaluating Employees
Post what you've learned about this topic and how you intend to apply it. Feel free to post questions and comments too.
Comment on Kary Weybrew's post: Beautifully said. The language we choose in performance conversations really does shape whether the employee walks away motivated to grow or defensive and demoralized. I love how you framed it — giving everyone the opportunity to do better. When feedback is grounded in specific behaviors and their impact (rather than shaming or blaming), it becomes an invitation to grow rather than a verdict on who someone is. That small shift in wording can change the entire trajectory of a team member's development.
Comment on Anita Mork's post: Great to hear. The shift from treating appraisals as an annual event to treating them as the summary of ongoing coaching conversations is one of the most practical takeaways from this course. When that mindset lands, the preparation becomes easier and the conversations themselves become more meaningful. Wishing you well as you apply these concepts with your team — they'll benefit from the care you bring to the process.
This course reshaped how I think about performance appraisal. The biggest shift for me was recognizing that evaluation isn't an annual event — it's the summary of a year of ongoing coaching and feedback. When I provide feedback consistently throughout the year, the formal appraisal becomes a natural conversation rather than a surprise. I was especially struck by the reminder that signs of low trust often point back to the leader, and that performance gaps are frequently caused by unclear expectations or direction from the manager — not just by the employee.
Moving forward, I want to build a year-round documentation system rather than relying on memory at review time. I want to prepare for each appraisal by reviewing multiple sources — self-appraisal, 360-degree feedback, documented observations, and job history — so my evaluations are grounded in a complete picture rather than recent impressions. I also want to distill each appraisal down to one core message that captures the single most important takeaway for my team member to carry forward. Done well, performance appraisal isn't a verdict — it's a conversation that honors the past while building toward the future.
It is important to have an employee take an assessment and keep notes throughout the year on positives and negative performance.
It makes a difference in the terms that you use when trying to bring forward a concern to an employee about their performance.
Steps for giving employees more stake in improving performance
The training concepts will be very helpful in completing performance appraisals for my team members.
It was a really good training
Enjoyed the lesson. Liked the 360 approach.
Spending a little time between appraisal timelines set by the company will help employees succeed in their goals.
Comment on Christy Foster Bollman's post: Same. I really like the 360 approach.
I learned that you have to stay on target while acknowledging the employee's feeling
Terminology/Words used when having conversations with employees/subordinates regarding performance that is not shaming or blaming is something I took away from this. I feel this is important to give everyone opportunity to do better.
I will better prepare staff prior to the first meeting to inform them of the purpose and role of the evaluation and invite staff to become more interactive and confident of the entire process
The six steps for conducting a performance appraisal meeting was helpful to be consistent with the process of evaluating staff. I liked the dialog they suggest to ease the nerves of both parties involved.
