Whether you put a fancy web interface on top of it or still do it with paper and spreadsheets, the conclusion is unavoidable: the performance appraisal was designed for machines, not people. Focus on people, not process and everyone will be happier and more productive. Speak up now, before it's too late...

1. Performance appraisals are for robots
http://rypple.com RyppleNOW! @rypple

2. “People aren’t machines, and
trying to fix them as if they were
simply doesn’t work.”
Source: http://gmj.gallup.com/content/124214/driving-engagement-focusing-strengths.aspx

3. Performance appraisals assume
We remember everything
We’re really quick thinkers
We’re super-logical

4. Have you ever?...
Suffered a bad review despite
mostly good work all year?
Thought of something to say
after your review meeting?
Felt confused, stressed or
frustrated after your appraisal?

5. Welcome to the machine

6. Appraisals are frustrating
It’s amazing…
When we’re frustrated at work
we do things like complain and disengage
even with our paychecks
on the line!

7. You can program robots to be
good at (and even enjoy) appraisals!

8. Robots can remember everything that
happens between appraisals… we can’t.
Robots can consume and process a ton
of feedback at once… we can’t.
Robots always react logically to
information they receive… we don’t.

9. Solution
Focus on people not process
Performance appraisals might seem logical but they
don’t help us because they don’t work the way we
work

10. Add some human
Share feedback often
Ongoing dialogue
Recognize achievements when they happen
Meet 1-on-1 regularly
Make feedback social

11. Frequent, actionable feedback
We can remember, consume and act on feedback
when it’s shared in bite-sized chunks
It’s what humans do

12. So speak up, or else…
“Robots of the world, you are ordered to
exterminate the human race…Preserve only the
factories, railroads, machines, mines, and raw
materials. Destroy everything else. Then return to
work. Work must not cease.”
- Karel Kapek, R.U.R.

13. Further Reading
“Yes, Everybody Really Does Hate Performance Reviews.” Samuel Culbert in Wall Street Journal:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB127093422486175363.html
“Time to Review Workplace Reviews?” Tara Parker-Pope in New York Times blogs:
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/05/17/time-to-review-workplace-reviews/
“Leadership is a Contact Sport.” Marshall Goldsmith and Howard Morgan:
http://www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com/docs/articles/LeaderContactSport.pdf
“3 Steps to a Totally Awesome Team.” Daniel Debow in Rypple blog:
http://blog.rypple.com/2010/08/3-steps-to-a-totally-awesome-team-inspired-by-switch/
R.U.R. by Karel Kapek:
http://www.amazon.com/R-U-R-Rossums-Universal-Penguin-Classics/dp/0141182083
http://rypple.com RyppleNOW! @rypple