on quarterly evals

Quarterly evaluations are meta-scrums.

Managers should be guided by the simple principles of scrum when assessing each of their team members, which are:

• What did you do yesterday?
• What will you be doing today?
• What are your roadblocks?

If you’re reading off of an elaborate, lengthy list of file folder filler, instead ask:

• What did you do last quarter?
• What will you do this quarter?
• What are your roadblocks?

Then comes you: manage from this point, and evaluate on these at next quarter’s end.

Here’s a few bonus questions to learn more about what they thought about their work:

• What did you do best?
• What can you do better?

Consider highlighting each member’s personal wins at your quarterly dinner.
(Yes, that does set a goal for you: complete all evaluations between quarter end and quarterly dinner.)
It’s good to have goals.

Now you’ve learned more about them, their goals and what they know are their strengths and weaknesses.

Manage by their self-management.