What do you do if an employee becomes defensive during a performance evaluation?

?? Yes it all depends on the feedback you receive from your team, im not talking about how bad/ negative response or the discouraging behavior people show at times in a professional work environment, its their general demeanor. What i do in such condition is taking control of the situation by letting the team interact with me openly, I use to listen to them whatever my team has to say, this open discussion is the elixir of turning the team's mood to light and friendly. ?? Here i would like to add that keeping a record of the root cause of my team defensive attitude is vital, don't let that cause repeat itself so your team solely concentrate on the project in hand. ?? Human behavior is an unpredictable thing,so handle with care.

Stay cool. Remember this is about him/her. Listen well to what is being said. Remember to begin by letting the employee know what is working well before moving to what to improve. When you explain what to improve, don't use negative wording, e.g., "You didn't do...". Instead, use helpful words, e.g., "You may consider doing ...". It makes a difference.

Actually I agree to stay calm and cool when the employee is defensive. We need hear the concerns and make him understand the appraisal process and the evaluation. Listening to him will make him comfortable and will listen to us.

It is typical for feedback to trigger stress hormones in individuals. This can cause some people to withdraw and remain silent, while others become defensive. As a leader, your responsibility is to remain calm and composed during such situations. You should avoid reflecting their emotions. It is essential to have all the necessary facts and examples ready for the conversation. You should ask questions and allow them to think and respond. Above all, it is crucial to remain calm. If the discussion starts to become intense, offer a short break or suggest a different time to meet. Continuing the conversation while emotions are flying high is not helpful and will not aid the process.

You build trust by how you word the review. Attacking doesn't help. Being vague doesn't either. Be clear and use helpful wording to make a difference. Always begin with what is good, then to what needs to improve. Avoid, "You should..." That is a command. Try, "Consider..." it is a positive suggestion.

Understand the employee concerns and discuss them with related to their performance improvement and mentorship to success his defensive

Schedule follow up sessions with the employee to ensure if the employee is making progress in the performance and in case of any support