It is that time of year when managers are getting ready to review the performance of their employees. Most managers must assign a performance rating to each employee, and no one wants to give or get the middle rating.

It doesn’t matter whether you call it “meets expectations,” “solid performer,” “satisfactory,” or “achieves performance standards.” Each of these is heard as, “You are average.”

And none of us believe we are average.

There is no way to dress this up and make it feel good.

Here is the reality. Most of us think we perform better than we do.

“The bottom 80% of performers believe that they perform better than they do. Even worse, the lowest performers are the least aware of how poorly they perform.” (Source: Justin Kruger and David Dunning)

So, what does it take to believe that your performance review is fair?

1. It is being provided by someone I trust and that wants me to be successful.

2. I am being evaluated against a clear set of performance standards. And those were communicated at the beginning of the performance period.

3. The person who is evaluating my performance saw me perform. They based the review on facts.

As you prepare to have these conversations, know that you aren’t alone in feeling like it’s painful.

In the real world and in a fictional world, we all think we are above average.

Garrison Keillor opened A Prairie Home Companion with the following: “Welcome to Lake Wobegon, where all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.”

Source: Talent Strategy Group

#performance #performanceratings #performancefeedback #performancereview #garrisonkeillor #hr #humanresources #feedback #aboveaverage