The primary rule of performance management is that there should
be no surprises. When an employee feels ambushed by stored-up
complaints that his manager has been withholding over long periods
of time, that manager has failed to communicate properly. Since
communication is the bedrock of business, that manager needs to
be trained more effectively in dealing with adversity, delivering bad
news, and managing conflict.

That being said, remember that the path of least resistance is
avoidance. Even the best managers will attempt at times to avoid
broaching uncomfortable topics if they feel that bringing them up
will only make matters worse. Maybe avoidance allows the work to
get done with minimal friction. But when it’s time for the annual
performance review, that manager will be hard pressed to articulate
on paper the subordinate’s multiple shortcomings. Many managers
deny the problem even further by doling out ‘‘satisfactory’’ scores
(much to their later chagrin when they wish to terminate the employee for cause). On the other hand, there is a way to gently
communicate the ongoing problems at review time while still aggressively dealing with the problem. Let’s look at how it’s done.

Tell Me More
First, the manager in question should assume responsibility for failing
to communicate properly when speaking with the employee about the review. Second, the manager should qualify written comments
with statements like, ‘‘Although Laura and I didn’t discuss this issue during the review period . . .’’ or ‘‘This was not formally brought to Laura’s attention at the time it occurred.’’ Yes, your statements
diminish the impact of the message you’re making when you include such disclaimers. Still, it’s only fair to do so, and your employee will have an easier time accepting your criticism if it’s not perceived as an ambush.

Taken From : The Hiring and Firing Quention and Answer Book