Analyzing Michelle Neely Martinez's article “Rewards Given the Right Way” Have you ever dreaded the annual performance review? Once a year companies try to evaluate their workforce with a standard form containing general information that should define whether each employee has been successful compared to the previous year. Rating systems, one-way communication, and lack of collaborative commitment create a dreaded process for all parties involved. To combat this hateful process, Michelle Neely Martinez, in her article “Rewards Given the Right Way,” explores a new performance appraisal design that promotes open conversation about personal and business goals, avoids negative reactions caused by constructive criticism, and creates positive responses. assessing employee strengths and weaknesses to inspire “development and improvement.” (p. 2) To encourage open conversation, managers must remove their subordinates' preconceptions that the review process is a one-way dialogue. The use of rating scales caused employees to focus primarily on the grades they were receiving instead of engaging with what the grades meant. This led to employees only discussing their position when their performance was assigned a lower value than they expected, thus eliminating a productive conversation. The elimination of the appraisal system and the introduction of the Socratic Method to encourage constructive collaboration between manager and subordinate creates a constructive and positive performance evaluation. The aim of “wider bilateral exchanges,” Martinez explains, is to “focus more on development, as well as start more open and honest conversations.” (p. 2) After removing evaluation systems and encouraging open dialogue, evaluation meetings are… halfway through the document...” (p. 106) The innovative approach to employee reviews provided by Martinez creates a positive way to evaluate employee strengths and weaknesses. The process promotes open conversations, empowered by the Socratic Method, to generate enthusiasm in both manager and subordinate. The fear of negative reactions becomes almost non-existent thanks to collaborative dialogue. Martinez has successfully created a performance appraisal system that eliminates the fear of employee evaluations. Works CitedChamberlin, J. (2011). Who included ART in SMART goals? Management Review, 55(3), 22-27.Huse, E. F. (1966). Put in place a management development program that works. California Management Review. 9(2) 73-80.Martinez, M. N. (1997). Press data the right way. HR Magazine, 42(5), 109-115. Welch, J. (2005). Winning (first edition). New York, New York: HarperCollins