I was very pleased to have a CEO client tell me he was considering tossing out their whole performance appraisal system.  They hired a firm to help them build it several years ago, modified it for all departments, trained all managers and supervisors in using it and felt really good about it.  But it doesn’t work!  As with most of these systems, it was coupled with raises, creates havoc, fear and resistance and is far too complex.  Tweaking it won’t work!  What will work is making sure the right employees are in the right spots, organizational goals are clear and cascaded and employees understand their role in the overall organizational goals.  Without this and a relentless pursuit of engaging employees in the vision of the organization, performance appraisals are bureaucratic time-wasters that breed cynicism. Throw out performance appraisals and develop focused, measurable performance conversations.