Which performance appraisal method identifies significant events marking high or low employee performance?

The critical incident method of performance appraisal is designed to identify and analyze specific events that significantly illustrate an employee's performance, both positive and negative. This approach focuses on observable behaviors and outcomes during particular occurrences, which can provide a clear picture of an employee's strengths and areas for improvement.

By emphasizing these critical incidents, managers can assess and discuss performance in a way that is grounded in real examples, helping to create more effective performance evaluations. These incidents serve as concrete evidence of an employee's capabilities in handling their job responsibilities, making the appraisals more relevant and actionable.

In contrast, the other methods listed tend to focus on different aspects of performance evaluation. Behavior observation scales involve rating specific behaviors over time rather than specific incidents. The balanced scorecard is a strategic planning and management system that measures organizational performance from various perspectives but does not zero in on individual performance events. Stretch goals pertain to setting challenging targets but do not provide a framework for assessing performance through significant incidents.