Setting and Achieving Goals -
How to Eliminate Doubt
by Thomas M. Crea  Along with the inherent tension with many annual reviews, even more stressful is the debate about whether the performance deserved a higher, or the highest rating. Quite often, evaluation systems are inflated. They reach the point where they become a subjective assessment of how the manager views the employee relative to other staff within the division instead of an objective measurement of performance. How do you change the paradigm? Is there a way to make your employee performance evaluations increasingly objective while eliminating as much subjectivity as possible?
Pausch’s Performance Standards
The late Dr. Randy Pausch, former professor at University of Virginia and Carnegie Mellon University and author of the 2008 National Best Seller The Last Lecture, was known to provide his students contracts. When he gave assignments, he presented the conditions and standards required for students to earn the grade of their choice. Neither Randy nor his students ever had any doubt about a grade on any assignment. For each project, he would set the minimum acceptable standard to be a “C,” then add additional requirements for those who wanted to earn a “B.” As you might imagine, the standard to achieve an “A” was the highest, and you had to work to earn it.
Eliminating Doubt
From the beginning, the requirements were clear and there was never any doubt about the grade. By eliminating the subjective element, Randy was able to make better use of everyone’s time. The individual chose the grade they would earn and Randy would breeze through the grading, leaving more time to mentor his students. Because the standards were never easy, those who did not earn the “A” grade still felt a sense of accomplishment because they were challenged, they had done their best, and they learned something along the way. By establishing standards for satisfactory, above average, and performance clearly above the rest, he provided incentive for those most capable. Instead of discouraging the better students from giving their best, he raised the bar and instilled a sense of accomplishment in everyone while ensuring the top performers were rewarded for their efforts.
Translating Performance Standards to Your Business
Many business leaders achieve the same results. They establish challenging standards that instill pride of accomplishment and they make the evaluation criteria clear to everyone from the onset. Randy’s method was brilliant; imagine motivating employees in this way. Those who clearly demonstrate above average or exceptional performance become the recipients of the greatest merit raises. Objective performance standards eliminate doubt and reduce much anxiety and negative energy associated with annual review process. When employees know they will be evaluated based upon objective standards, they focus their energy on accomplishing organizational goals. In addition to the reducing annual employee performance review stress, objective standards challenge and motive employees to give their best. 
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