DThe local Dehe was in his twenties and was the manager of the local court in Brandenburg. He had to conduct interviews with employees. This was brand new at the time, and their superiors were convinced: We must do this now. Qualified forensic staff conducted these conversations based on intuition. That was twenty years ago. Today, she heads a department of the Munich Higher Regional Court, which is responsible for topics such as leadership, personnel development, and crisis intervention. At the same time, Dehe studied psychology and a doctorate degree, firmly believing that “employee assessment can really change the rules of the game and elevate the relationship between superiors and employees to a completely different level.
She explained this with an example. She often advises young executives who are more or less desperate for employees’ suspicious behavior. They in turn complained about too much work, lack of recognition, and burnout. Young bosses take tasks away from them in order to relieve their stress, but the result makes employees feel less recognized. In this difficult situation, executives hope to find a quick and effective solution. Instead, Dörte Dehe recommends regular employee evaluations. Separate from evaluation, salary or feedback interviews. “So there is no conversation for a specific reason, but to experience each other in an approachable way in an official environment. I promise: you will discover more,” she said to the impatient boss.
