Oct 4th, 2023
·3 min read
If you've managed people, you know the drill: annual reviews, goal setting, and the occasional awkward conversation about performance. No one looks forward to it, but everyone recognizes its importance. Done right, performance reviews can be a critical tool for developing your team, cultivating a culture of feedback, and ensuring that both individuals and the team are growing and progressing.
Performance reviews aren't just a company-mandated ritual or a checkbox. They are about:
Imagine your favorite teacher from school. Chances are, you believed they had your best interests at heart. That trust made all the difference. As a manager, it's your job to establish that trust long before the review session.
A manager named Sarah always started her one-on-ones by asking about her report's weekend or the latest hobby they'd picked up. It wasn't idle chatter. It was a sincere effort to understand the human behind the employee. When it came time for reviews, this foundation of trust made difficult conversations easier and praises more meaningful.
Relying solely on the annual review to provide feedback? Rookie mistake. Effective performance management is an ongoing conversation.
Instead of waiting for the end-of-year review, pull Jake aside after a successful project completion in June and tell him, “The way you handled that project was stellar. Your initiative in tackling X problem was impressive. Keep that up.”
Generalized feedback – “You’re doing great!” or “You need to improve.” – is about as useful as a chocolate teapot. Specificity in feedback provides clarity.
Instead of saying, “You need to communicate better,” try, “During our team meetings, I’ve noticed you rarely voice your opinions. Your insights are valuable. I encourage you to speak up more.”
Remember, this isn't just a platform for you to talk at someone. It’s also an opportunity to listen. There might be factors affecting performance that you're unaware of.
A report named Mia was consistently missing her targets. During the review, her manager could have launched into a monologue about performance metrics. Instead, he asked open-ended questions. Turns out, Mia was struggling with tools that frequently crashed. The real issue was a technical one, not a performance one.
The classic praise-critique-praise method is well-intended but often transparent. If there's constructive feedback to give, provide it straightforwardly. No need to sugarcoat. Your reports will respect you more for it.
A review should always end with clear action points. What are the next steps? How will you, as a manager, support your report in their growth?
If Emily needs to improve her project management skills, set up a plan. Maybe it's a course she can take, or perhaps she can shadow someone exemplary in that role. But always have a tangible path forward.
Your primary role as a manager during a performance review isn't to judge but to guide. Your team's growth, both individually and collectively, should be at the heart of every review.
In the end, performance reviews, when done right, aren’t a dreaded task but an opportunity. An opportunity to recognize, recalibrate, and refocus. Be the manager who sees it that way.
Kevin is an experienced people manager with a track record of success at startups and Fortune 500 companies. He is dedicated to creating positive workplace cultures and fostering continuous learning and growth.