Providing people with the right level of support and challenge will determine how happy and productive they are in their roles. Too much or little of either can lead to a lack of motivation, laziness or stress.

Appraisals and performance reviews are invaluable opportunities for ensuring both you and your people are delivering in order for you both to excel.

Holding a mock performance review with a professional roleplayer, as part of appraisal training, is a great way of preparing for the real thing and practising the specific skills you need to make it a successful meeting. These may include finding out what makes people tick, opening up an honest dialogue, nipping performance issues in the bud and rewarding high performance.