Based upon a startling article in the Wall Street Journal Dr. Sam Culbert, a professor at the prestigious UCLA Anderson School of Business summarised what most of us have known for years - that the annual corporate ritual of performance appraisals not only don't work, but cause more problems than they solve. In this short but powerful book, Culbert pinpoints how performance reviews destroy employee morale, are rarely helpful, fluctuate from one manager to the next, and actually have a negative impact on both the supervisor and his/her subordinate, often giving rise to emotional friction between the individuals that often can't be repaired.
By using real-life examples of how reviews are botched, screwed up and get in their own way, Culbert makes a strong case as to why performance reviews should be totally revised, or scrapped. Culbert then provides the solution: instead of performance reviews, he strongly advocates the adoption of performance previews. In effect, managers and bosses should address key issues in their subordinate's performance when those problems pop up right away - not at the end of the year.