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Reflections on Leadership

Evaluations should lead to learning. Without learning, there is little hope for change in performance and without change the evaluation has no purpose.

Evaluations flow downhill. Few bosses are evaluated by staff and when they are, the results are seldom authentic. Evaluations tend to magnify differences in status.

Understand you motives. What are you hoping to achieve with this evaluation? Are you open to learn things you might not want to hear or only that you’re doing things right?

Guide lines for positive outcomes

1. Focus on the future, not the past. Traditional evaluations have dealt primarily with past actions and activities. Reviewing the past only makes sense if it tends to improve performance in the future (this may be needed). By concentrating on what a person can do well in the future, everyone can work toward what you want to see happen.

2. Find the benefits. People change only when they recognize the personal benefits of doing so. Those benefits have to be something positive, not just the removal of something negative. When it works well, an evaluation can be a search for the positive reasons for someone to consider change. If you can inform a person of a new direction and place confidence in their part in the plan, you have a better chance of stimulating the change you’re looking for.

3. Offer solutions. People want feedback, but they don’t like criticism. What’s the difference? Feedback is information about progress toward their own personal goals. If a person has no goals, feedback is not possible. You need to know the goals (of the program, of the person) to offer real feedback.

4. Involve all the parties in the evaluation. If your objective is to produce learning that leads to change, all the voices need to be heard and appreciated for the information and ideas they can bring.

5. Make it personal. The evaluation process, even when flawed, can be an opportunity to build relationships. If changes are indicated, offer to be a resource or a touchstone for progress. Emphasize the value of the effort to improve, and the benefits to all involved.