An Exercise to Teach Performance Review Skills and an Analysis of its Efficacy

Abstract

From the perspectives of both the manager and the employee, a fair and helpful performance review requires the manager to possess two skill sets. First, managers need the skills to provide accurate (evidence-based) ratings. Second, they need the interpersonal skills to facilitate a constructive performance review conversation. But how can undergraduate students develop these skills before they are working in a management role? The multi-part (including a role-play of a performance review meeting) experiential exercise described in this article is designed to help upper-level students develop both of these skills. I used an experimental design to evaluate the efficacy of the exercise. The results show that the exercise enhances students’ skills at facilitating a performance review meeting and provides detailed documentation to support their ratings of an employee.