Chapter 15. The Formal Appraisal

After you have finished reading this chapter, you should be able to apply the techniques (1) to improve noticeably the next time if you have already done a formal appraisal, or (2) do a better than average job on your first formal appraisal.

In most sizable organizations, supervisors appraise each individual in their departments every six months or once a year. If you have been on the receiving end of such an appraisal, you probably still remember the supervisor, the printed instrument, the interview, and the results. The purpose of this chapter is to prepare you to administer such evaluations for the first time or to help you improve upon the way you have handled them in the past.

Appraisals give you an opportunity to improve your counseling techniques. They permit you to apply the five Rs of counseling you learned in Chapter 10. As such, they should be viewed as a positive experience—something you can learn to do well now that will stand you in good stead as you move into higher management roles.