Some performance review require a special attention on our side, because of the emotional charge they bring, both on our and the feedback receiver side.
The emotional charge is related to resistances in accepting the review, resistances that leave us with the feeling that our role is under discussion when not our persona as well.
There are at least two types of resistance: the sincere request to understand the feedback and the argumentative request coming from a deceptive collaborator.
The sincere request might be related to low self-confidence or the need to better understand the examples that led us to our evaluation. In this case, timely feedback along the year together with an explanation of the situations in which we have observed a certain behavior and how it is related to our final rating, will go a long way.
Managing a deceptive collaborator is trickier because the direct report is fully aware of their shortcomings but is not willing to agree with you. Their excuses may sound like this: “I don’t agree, I’m very good at managing clients” or “It’s not my fault, the systems are always so slow” or even “No one has ever raised the issue with me”.
In these case one of the possible solutions, in my view, a very effective one, is to avoid playing the game that your direct report is proposing. Use the “broken record” technique to keep the focus on the issue, like this: “You say that you are very good in managing clients but I have received formal complaints from clients who were disappointed of your service”. Ask your collaborator: “If there was one thing that you would want to change in your working behavior, what would that be?” Chance is that you might go through their armor and start on a clean sheet.
However, if after 15 minutes you haven’t cracked the armor, I strongly suggest ending the conversation by pointing out our conclusions. Tell your direct report to think about the conversation for two days and after that, if nothing happens, confirm your rating. I know, this approach might sound radical nevertheless, you owe it to the team and yourself to be firm.
Once you are able to manage your own and your direct reports emotions, you will feel more effective in your role and you will increase the trust of your collaborators. And the objectives for the new year will be accepted easier.