Beyond the Review: Setting 2025 Goals With The Best Viva Goals Alternative!

The end of the year is upon us, and with that, it's time for performance reviews! But what if we viewed this not just as a moment to reflect but as a launching pad for something bigger? Leveraging performance evaluations is the whole point of having them in the first place! And what better way to harness its essence than setting actionable goals inspired by your reviews?

It's also worth the mention that as Viva Goals is retiring this year, a chapter is definitely closing in the goal management scene but don't fret, Teamflect is still here! Let's break down the practical steps for you to go beyond the review with the best OKR management tool inside Microsoft Teams!

1. Move With Data, Not Gut Feelings

Every review generates valuable data that you can utilize. Look at performance metrics, peer feedback, and self-assessments. Identify the patterns:

• What were the consistent strengths?
• Where were the recurring challenges?
• Which metrics improved, stagnated, or declined?

Use these insights to create an objective base for your objectives. For instance, if a team member excelled in project ownership but struggled with meeting deadlines, 2025 goals could focus on balancing quality and timeliness.

2. Prioritize Growth Over Perfection

Annual reviews often highlight weaknesses, but focusing solely on the improvement points can be demotivating. Shift the conversation toward growth opportunities instead of just viewing them as weaknesses.

• For individuals: Align goals with career aspirations (e.g., learning a new skill or leading a project).
• For teams: Identify initiatives that challenge current capabilities while playing to collective strengths.

3. Connect Goals to Organizational Impact

People will engage much more deeply when they see how their work plays a role in the bigger picture. Tie individual goals to broader business outcomes to ensure they know. For example:

• How does improving client communication enhance customer retention?
• How does upskilling in analytics improve decision-making across departments?

Clarity in purpose ensures commitment and loyalty from the workforce.

4. Design SMARTER Goals

You’ve heard of SMART goals, but let’s break it down anyway:

• Specific: Who, what, where, why, and how.
• Measurable: Quantify success.
• Achievable: Ambitious but realistic.
• Relevant: Aligned with both individual and organizational priorities.
• Time-bound: Clear deadlines.
• Evaluated: Regular check-ins to assess progress.
• Reviewed: Adapt as priorities shift.

Make sure your goals align with this system and we promise you'll reap the rewards.

5. Incorporate Continuous Feedback Loops

The days of annual-only reviews are behind us. Establish systems to provide and receive regular feedback so you have consistent insight into where your efforts are taking you. More importantly, you have the chance to pivot or re-adjust when necessary.

• Monthly check-ins to align on progress.
• Peer recognition platforms to foster accountability and positivity.
• Surveys to gauge team sentiment and adjust goals dynamically.

6. Celebrate Milestones Along the Way

Acknowledging small wins sustains motivation, which is another aspect of not only focusing on the "weaknesses". In addition to focusing on improvement opportunities, celebrate individual and team progress at key intervals, not just at the finish line to boost morale.

• Recognize achievements in meetings or via team shoutouts.
• Tie rewards to milestone completions (e.g., training budgets or team outings).

7. Prepare for Roadblocks

Anticipate challenges that might derail goals. Proactively identify:

• Resource constraints.
• Skill gaps.
• Workflow inefficiencies.

Build contingency plans to address any issues head-on and you will either timely address them or be able to prevent them altogether, ensuring the path to success remains clear.

A New Year, A New Approach

Performance reviews are often seen as a conclusion, the period at the end of the sentence. But they’re merely the beginning. Using the insights from your assessments strategically, you can enter 2025 with clarity, purpose, and a roadmap for growth!

It's us against the mountain!

In this episode of The Team Check-in, we were thrilled to sit down with Anna Wildman, founder of the Cedar Feedback Model. From her years in the Royal Navy to leading global learning and development at KPMG, Anna has seen it all when it comes to performance conversations—and she’s rewriting the playbook.

Anna shared her thoughts on why traditional feedback models often miss the mark and how her Cedar Feedback Model helps managers and employees turn feedback into a collaborative process. Whether it’s focusing on successes or tackling challenges together, Anna’s approach emphasizes trust, empathy, and clarity.

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So, what stood out from our chat with Anna?

• Feedback isn’t about you vs. me. It’s about us vs. the mountain. Tackling tasks together fosters trust and makes feedback more productive.
• Positive feedback needs more love. A quick “Good job!” doesn’t cut it. Dive deeper. Ask how successes happen and what can be learned.
• The feedback sandwich is stale. Sandwiching criticism between two compliments just conditions people to dread the positive parts.
• Managers don’t have to know it all. Like a captain on a ship (or a submarine in the case of this episode), great leaders draw on the expertise of their team to navigate challenges.

We also explored how feedback is evolving in the workplace, with hybrid work and tools like 360-degree feedback reshaping how teams connect and collaborate.

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This conversation left us inspired to rethink how we approach feedback and we hope it does the same for you! Listen in!