comments on their performance. Others will respond fiercely to a critical assessment - although if they defend themselves passionately, that is no bad thing!
Finally, it is important to regard appraisals as part of a continuing process. (12) C They should not be forgotten as soon as they are over.
Instead, they should be followed up with friendly questions from time to time, making it clear to employees that new goals and strategies suggested in them are to be taken seriously and are to be acted upon.
lf these pieces of advice are followed, it is hoped that both the employees und the company us 0 whole will benefit from the experience.
第3辑阅读【TEXT 1】『part 2』 Evaluating the performance of the board
Few employees escape the annual or twice-yearly performance review. (0) G However, one wonders how many companies have in place a formal appraisal process for their board of directors. The answer is not a great number. And the smaller the company, the fewer checks there are on how well the directors are doing. Some of the largest companies
formally assess the performance of their board, but very few new or growing companies have managed to get round to establishing any such procedure.
Many business experts believe, however, that it is important for
all companies to review the performance of the board. (8) B The rest of the workforce sees it as unfair if the directors are the only members of the company to escape appraisal. Another reason is that the board itself needs information on how well it is doing, just as much as other employees do. For the chief executive, appraisal of some sort is absolutely essential for his or her own sake and for the good of the company. Indeed, many of those who have reached this level remark on (评论；谈论；议论(v))how lonely the job of chief executive is and how few opportunities they get to discuss issues relating to it.
There is some evidence to show that once smaller companies put a board appraisal process in place,( Have/put sth in place把…放在适当位置;使准备
妥当/就绪(v) Be going places事业顺利/春风得意(v) Out of place位置不当；不得体/不恰当 (adv)Feel out of place(在某活动/群体/场合等)感到拘束/尴尬/不自然/不自在（v）
Have a/no place(in) 在…中出现/在…占有一席之地(v) Keep/know one’s place知趣/识相;保持自己的地) they find this process relatively easy to operate. (9) A It is
often the case that the directors of such companies are even happy to receive criticism, as this can prevent them from making basic mistakes. Their counterparts in larger organisations, however, are often afraid that appraisals could be a challenge to their status. So, how should companies assess their board? (10) F It is generally agreed that it is the
chairman's responsibility to ensure the regular appraisal of each member of the board. At a very basic level, this could simply mean getting all the directors to write down what they have achieved and how they can improve on it. At the other end of the scale is the full '360-degree' appraisal. Here, each director is appraised in a systematic manner by a combination of the chairman and fellow directors.
In the largest companies there are many methods for assessing
the board. A number of such companies have self-assessment schemes. The chairman may meet each board member individually to ask how things are going, in a fairly informal way. The whole board might also meet to talk about its progress in open session. (11) D Alternatively, questionnaires might be distributed to directors, forming the basis for future discussion. These might ask for people's opinions on the board's main tasks or on how well the committees are working. Research indicates there has been some improvement in the way the appraisal of board members is conducted. (12) E One issue remains, however, when all the others have been dealt with. The chairman will have been involved directly or indirectly in the appraisal of all members of the board. Whose job is it, then, to appraise the chairman? 第3辑阅读【TEXT 2】『part 2』 Staff appraisals
Good preparation for staff appraisals can pay dividends （分红；产生好的结果(v)）in terms of staff loyalty and satisfaction.
Many managers, particularly those running smaller companies, feel they are too busy to give their employees appraisals, and many staff clearly dread them. (0) G. But this can be avoided and, given a more positive attitude from participants, appraisals can prove enormously useful for all involved. ★ They provide the opportunity for the manager to have one-to-one discussions with an employee and find out about
any concerns, as well as identifying training needs and discovering career aspirations. They can make a staff member feel valued and so build loyalty. The annual appraisal can either be a rewarding or painful experience. According to research carried out among 500 employees, the standard office appraisal is far from perfect.(8) C. Problems such as rushing through the appraisal and being appraised by a manager who doesn't understand the employee's role were common concerns. The possible outcome for the company is even worse; up to a quarter of employees（最多三分之一的员工(n) ） will look for a new job within two weeks of a bad appraisal and 40% within a month.
The quality of the appraisal lies with how the boss decides to carry it out. When it is done well, employees are able to use the feedback they receive to improve their performance. (9) F. But all too often, the
format of the appraisal doesn't allow this. So how should a constructive appraisal be carried out? According to Andrew Gillingham, a consultant trainer, appraisals can be manager-led, with the appraiser preparing a document and sharing it with the employee. Establishing training needs and motivating the employee towards bigger and better things are part of this process. (10) A . Alternatively, managers may want the employees themselves to evaluate their work performance. In both cases, Gillingham believes that the effectiveness of the appraisal discussion can determine the performance of the company.
Gillingham believes that anyone who thinks it's just the employee who doesn't like the appraisal experience has got it wrong. Too many managers regard appraisals as a waste of time.(11) E. This is mainly because they have not been shown how to carry out appraisals properly. Managing people is a difficult matter, and without the necessary training, many managers try to avoid the uncomfortable issues that often need to be discussed at appraisals.
Gillingham believes that calling the process an appraisal may be unhelpful.(12) D. Arguably, 'performance review' is more appropriate since it helps create correct expectations from the meeting and indicates what will happen. In either case, it is important to ensure that the meeting is successful and results in better quality management. Gillingham firmly believes that the main thing is to emphasise an open