Mastering Performance Reviews: Proven Strategies to Boost Future Employee Success

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You do things all the time you don't like to do.?There is a good chance that either conducting or participating in an annual performance review is one of them.?

The managers that complain most about them say things like, "They take me a long time to complete," or "I don't want to jeopardize the relationship by being critical of their performance," or "I don't like giving difficult feedback."

Whether you have said things like this before, performance reviews are a struggle for managers and employees a like.??

However, the reason most performance reviews aren't good is they detail past performance but fail to focus on future behavior.?

The best performance reviews detail the past performance but focus on future behavior.??

But most managers get this wrong. Only 14% of employees strongly agree that the performance reviews they receive inspire them to improve. And according to Gallup, Only 29% of employees say their performance reviews are fair.

Clearly, there is room for improvement.

Where Do Performance Reviews Originate?

The concept of performance reviews began during World War I, when US Military leaders created a system to identify officers for promotions based on merit rather than seniority alone.

Following the war, many retired military reentered the workforce, and in the 1920s, companies like General Electric started adopting similar methods to assess their employees' productivity and efficiency. Eventually, performance reviews became more formalized and widespread in Corporate America thanks to the work of people like Peter Drucker.??

Over the decades, performance reviews haven't evolved significantly. For the vast majority of companies, the purpose of their performance reviews is to hold employees accountable for their output from the previous year and define compensation adjustments.?

Whether you believe performance reviews should find themselves in the graveyard motel or you think they are the greatest thing since sliced bread, we can all agree that measuring performance is a part of being a professional.??

How to Deliver Effective Performance Reviews

You might also be heavily influenced or impacted by strict organizational standards around the structure and cadence of performance reviews that you might or might not agree with.?It's important to note that there isn't only one way to be highly effective when it comes to performance reviews.?

The purpose of this column is to provide you with the best practices from highly effective leaders to help you be more successful.?

1. Prepare Every Time

It's time for managers to stop winging it in annual performance reviews. I get it, you work closely with many of your employees, but take the time to gather accurate data and insights from various sources other than your own impression.? The best leaders complete 360- Assessments, gather peer or even customer feedback, and look heavily at performance metrics in a variety of ways.?

If the real purpose of performance reviews is to help employees improve moving forward, you must know:?

All improvement starts with the truth.?

You may get to the truth by simply providing your initial assessment. However, it's more likely you get to the truth, by preparing well and getting a comprehensive view.?

2. Increase the Frequency of "Performance Points"

Imagine playing on an NFL team and only finding out how the team is doing once a year.? It would make the games less meaningful and make it challenging to determine what adjustments must be made.? Unfortunately, the annual performance review is a lot like this.?

Said differently:

Managers who coach or provide feedback once a year in a performance review aren't coaching, they are practicing negligence.?

The best leaders are committed to dedicated time on the calendar, with what I call "Performance Points." While the cadence of weekly, monthly or quarterly is important, it isn't nearly as important as having dedicated time to review current winning behavior in a start, stop, and continue conversation.?

3. Focus on the Future

While initially assessing past performance and using traditional performance review tools to objectively rate how well an employee is performing in his or her position is essential, the best leaders focus their attention on the future. They lean into goal setting, personal development, and career planning.

This type of approach ensures the focus is on continual improvement and a growth mindset. If that wasn't enough, the highest performers already know they performed well; what they might not know is what else they can do to improve moving forward.??

High performers already know how they are performing, what they might not know is what they can do to improve moving forward.

Closing

Whether you hate or love performance reviews, there is a good chance they aren't magically going away.? By embracing these strategies, you will open up communication lines and make performance reviews a more positive and constructive experience.?

What would you add?

About the Author: John Eades is the CEO of LearnLoft and the creator of the Accelerate Leadership System . He was named one of LinkedIn’s Top Voices. John is also the author of Building the Best: 8 Proven Leadership Principles to Elevate Others to Success . You can follow him on Instagram @johngeades .

Leadership Communication Cadence Template: Are you responsible for having consistence cadence with a team.? You can download the Communication Cadence Tool Here.

Accelerate Leadership Program: Looking to turn your managers into highly effective leaders? Instead of having high expectations, now is the time to also provide a high level of support. Leverage the Accelerate Leadership System for managers in your organization. Learn more here.

Skill Mastery Workshops: Sometimes, your managers don’t need transformation, they need a transaction. They are struggling in one skill area essential to performance and productivity, and providing them with a learning opportunity is all they need. Now is an excellent time to develop key leadership skills. In addition to performance reviews, you can learn more about the various skills that we cover here .