Performance Appraisal: 3 Steps to a Motivational Meeting

Motivational performance appraisal meetings

Many of the business owners, managers, team leaders and supervisors I work with struggle with how to ensure that the performance appraisal or review meetings they undertake are motivational for the employee (rather than the ‘box ticking exercise’ that some people experience). A simple approach is to craft the performance appaisal meeting agenda to ensure that your employee’s motivational needs are met. Here’s how. 

Step 1. Look at what would motivate you in a performance appraisal meeting

A start point is to put yourself in the shoes of the employee and answer the question: 

‘What would need to happen for you to find a performance appraisal meeting with your manager really motivational?’

The idea here is that you, me or anybody will have similar motivational needs in relation to a performance appraisal meeting. In short, if it motivates you it will probably motivate your employees. Here are some of the answers I’ve had to that same question from other managers:  

A motivational performance appraisal meeting is: 

• A fair and objective review
• A two-way discussion
• When my viewpoint is listened to and valued
• Not just about performance – it’s about my development and job satisfaction
• A chance to review my objectives
• Resulting in a clear plan of action

Step 2.  Think about your employee’s motivation needs

This step is about you using your knowledge of the employee to tailor the performance appraisal meeting towards their specific needs. For example, do you know that this particular employee wants and needs to hear a significant amount of praise? Or do they like to spend time exploring their career development options? Or do they prefer to focus on reviewing objectives?

Of course a very neat way to gain this level of understanding is, as part of your pre meeting preparation, to ask your employee the question ‘What will need to happen for you to find the performance appraisal meeting we are planning really motivational?’   

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