ABSTRACT
Performance appraisal – or employee appraisal or simply appraisal – is a ubiquitous feature of modern management, and also of organisational systems. Performance appraisal enables an alignment of people to strategic objectives and priorities, which will mean getting them to commit to certain goals. The purpose of performance appraisal is really one thing and one thing only: to improve the employee’s performance. The most serious cause of discontent and demotivation in the appraisal process stems from the inadequacy of the appraiser; and organisations know this because that is why they spend huge amounts of money – billions in fact – training appraisers on how to conduct an appraisal interview. Most importantly, appraisals fail because managers are either psychologically compromised or have insufficient soft skills to persuade employees that the interview is meaningful. Motivational Maps reframes and recasts the appraisal discussion. Each appraisal discussion should be in three parts, reflecting the three Feel, Think, and Know elements of human communication.
