A valuable exercise is to ask individuals to evaluate a performance appraisal they experienced personally (or the performance appraisal process) at their current employer or their former place of employment against the principles outlined in this chapter. They are asked to consider the following information in their evaluation:

1. What are the dimensions of performance on which they were rated? Were these dimensions defined?

2. Were the standards of performance made clear to them and were they defined?

3. Did their boss only provide the appraisal or were alternative sources also considered?

4. Describe the performance appraisal instrument.

5. Describe the process of how the performance appraisal was communicated to them.