"Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They
Backfire And What To Do Instead"
By Tom Coens and Mary Jenkins
****
The standard
bell-curve-mentality approach to performance
appraisals has been a source of discontent for me for
a long time, and I will read anything endorsed by
Peter Block.
While the title is somewhat of an
oversell, I was not disappointed with the book. In
fact, I enjoyed it very much and value the way it
made me re-examine the topic of personnel evaluation.
The book is organized in a logical, traditional
three-part manner of here’s the problem,
here’s the solution and here’s how to get
there. The authors kick things off by laying out
their case for “good intentions that never
deliver.”
In the beginning, the authors present
the five functions of appraisal and point out that
one of the major problems with traditional
performance appraisal rests with confusion over
purposes. They also do an excellent job of arguing
that traditional performance appraisals reinforce
paternalism and are out of step with today’s
emerging workplace that emphasizes partnership. In
Part II of the book they take each of the five
functions and discuss what to do instead.
Best Feature of the Book: The major tactic
used in the book is to contrast conventional
assumptions with alternative assumptions. The
summaries at the end of each chapter are a very
helpful feature. Each chapter concludes with a
summary of the two sets of assumptions. My
interpretation of the title of the book is that to
change performance appraisal, “abolish”
in the authors’ terms, we need to establish a
radically different culture based on newer, healthier
assumptions. The authors present over 30
“healthier” assumptions, all laid on the
bedrock assumption that “employees want to be
and are fully capable of being responsible for
themselves.”
Favorite Quotes: “The pain of
performance appraisal is like a low-grade fever. It
doesn’t prevent you from working, but you have
this vague sense that something is not right.”
(quote by Peter Scholtes.)
Favorite Story: A most enjoyable feature of
the book is the use of case studies sprinkled
throughout. I especially liked the A.P.O.P. (Annual
Piece of Paper) process developed by Memorial
Hospital in Fremont, Ohio and adopted and modified by
Michigan State University. The University emphasizes
quality of conversations rather than traditional
rating scales. The conversations are structured
around eight topics and a closing assessment as to
whether or not (yes or no) the employee meets or
exceeds current expectations.
A Disappointment: A minor letdown with the
book came in Part III when the authors present a
16-step program to “recovery from
appraisal.” I was hoping for deeper insights
into building a new culture. The list was somewhat
tiresome, but a small price to pay for a book that
has much to offer overall. The authors did comment on
some practical “half steps” that could be
taken.
Reviewed by David Cox, Professor of Education,
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro, Ark.
Abolishing Performance Appraisals: Why They
Backfire and What To Do Instead, Tom Coens and Mary
Jenkins, 2000, Berrett-Koehler, San Francisco, CA,
ISBN 1-57675-076-0, 338 pages
Book Ratings:
*****
=
Pick it up today
**** = Overnight
it
*** = Snail mail
it
** = At a library?
* = Never mind
July 2001 News
for a Change Homepage
