New Impact Achievement Group Webcast Assists HR Executives with Training Package for the "Five Traps of Performance Management"

Tips avoid common pitfalls that lead to difficult and painful performance reviews

SEATTLE – October 1, 2007 – Experienced HR professionals know the importance of effective performance review processes and conversations. Likewise, they report that their managers’ discomfort with this leadership competency leads to recurring problems. In response, Impact Achievement Group produced a new webinar, “The Five Traps of Performance Management,” presented by Julie White , Ph.D., senior managing partner.

First delivered at Halogen Software’s User Conference on September 17-19, 2007, the presentation debuted online at HR.com’s September 25 webcast and is available to view at www.HR.com in the Webcast archives.

“Unfortunately, many performance review or appraisal systems are fraught with difficulties,” explains Lee Klepinger, president and chief executive officer of Impact Achievement. “Over the years, managers and employees alike have told us that reviews are frequently a difficult and painful process. Problems range from failing to set clear performance expectations ahead of time to difficulties with conducting performance discussions. However, all can easily be avoided by recognizing the common traps and taking action.”

The key performance management “traps” include:

No News is Good News – When managers avoid providing regular feedback and employees report that the only feedback they get is when “things are not going well.” This is compounded with ambiguity regarding performance expectations.

Punishing Good Performers – When managers base their reviews on the high expectations of the individual, not the standards of the job.

Assuming a Dog is a Dog – It’s common for terms like “initiative,” “loyalty,” “integrity,” “communication” and “teamwork” to be part of the rating process in performance management without clearly defining the standards of performance for these traits.

The Dog Ate My Homework – Dealing with performance problems by setting aside excuses and judgments and cutting to the heart of the issue: the gaps and their subsequent impact.

Using a Crystal Ball – When managers use judgmental statements that ascribe motive or personal characteristics to the employee during performance problem discussions.

"Impact Achievement Group shares our dedication to performance management, and to increasing the bottom-line impact of employee performance," said Paul Loucks, president & CEO of Halogen Software. "The ‘Five Traps’ session that Impact Achievement presented at our recent User Conference is a great example of how to develop the skills required to effectively execute on performance management in conjunction with our solutions."

About Impact Achievement Group

Impact Achievement Group provides assessment, coaching, customer loyalty and leadership development training that focuses on employee selection, retention, employee engagement and customer engagement. By integrating and blending the world's best assessment and recruiting processes, workshops and eLearning training, coaching and measurement programs, Impact Achievement Group helps organizations improve human performance to achieve bottom line results.