Wes Read explains how dental practices can use an open-book test for employee evaluations. The manager sets clear expectations, gives 60 days for the employee to ask questions and improve, then closes the evaluation based on results. It's designed to motivate rather than punish.
What's an open book test? Open book test is where the teacher says, use all your resources. Take all the time you need, and if you work hard enough and use all your resources, you'll get an A. So now we say to the employee, okay, look, here are areas that we're not on the same page. And it all comes down to expectations. So many employees say, if I had only known. Well, okay, now we're going to spell it out. We're going to close that gap. So we're going to meet again in 60 days. And during those 60 days, it's an open book test. You can come back to me as many times as you want. Am I doing it right now? Do you need me to emphasize this? Do you need me to prioritize that? And if you show improvement, and they will, because they're getting guidance on the specific things they need improvement on, then we'll raise your ranking, we'll give you a higher mark for this particular parameter, and then we'll close out your evaluation. So that's the open book test. It's more of a learning tool and a motivational tool than an awkward sort of not to be looked forward to experience.
