Tips for Fair Performance Evaluations

As a manager, do you think performance reviews are meant to ensure that the top performers receive the highest salary hikes and promotions? Or Is it about providing constructive input to team members about what they need to fix? Do you see yourself in any of the above scenarios? How do you feel as you go through the process of performance reviews? If words like stressed, fatigued, or anxious come to your mind, let me share a reframe that might help you. Performance review is not a once-in-a-year event but a continuous dialogue. As a manager, it is a way for you to give attention to your team. This attention includes – 𝐀𝐜𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲 𝐝𝐢𝐝 𝐰𝐞𝐥𝐥 and helping them lean into it for more self-discovery. What worked that resulted in good performance? What did they love about it? What were they challenged by? In what other scenarios can they replicate this performance? What does doing even better look like? Who can they help learn what they are good at? 𝐃𝐞𝐥𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐞𝐝 or overlooked when they did not get the optimal result. What were they hoping to achieve? What assumptions were they working on? Discussing what would have been optimal and double-clicking on the alternate behaviors or actions that might have worked. 𝐈𝐝𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 your team needs and how to facilitate that. 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐢𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 -  ⛔An assessment of the person. It is an assessment of the performance. ⛔Continuous attention to what needs to be fixed. If you adopt the abovementioned approach to give attention to your team members, the year-end performance review discussion will likely cause less stress. These reviews may be data points for who gets promoted and receives how much salary hike, but your data points would be based not only on your perception of team members' performance but evidence of results, consistency in performance, growth mindset displayed, improvement shown over the year and quality of interactions within and outside the team. It would align with your role as a manager to make each team member feel seen for who they are and help them do their best work.

Are your performance reviews based on facts or feelings? Over the weekend, I was co-mediating a case for the Community Mediation Centre (CMC) The respondent in the case was asking for evidence during the dispute resolution process He said that evidence will: ⚖️ Help stakeholders understand the issues & the real problem ⚖️ Avoid misinterpretations ⚖️ Build credibility ⚖️ Strengthen arguments in the case ⚖️ Save time as the evidence can lead towards settlement As I replayed the respondent’s words on my way home, I drew parallels with employees currently going through mid-year performance reviews Performance reviews can be uncomfortable for both managers & employees What often makes them hard is when they’re built on vague comments, selective memories, opinions or subjective feelings These conversations should be grounded in observable behaviours & measurable outcomes This means evidence! Evidence-based conversations, sticking to facts, are when meaningful performance reviews happen That’s where 360 feedback plays an important role 📃 The evidence! It’s not just about what the manager thinks It’s about how others have experienced working with you When you bring in feedback from peers, cross-functional collaborators, direct reports or other indirect managers, you start to paint a more complete, balanced picture of performance & impact 360 feedback helps shift the conversation from: ➡️ “I feel like you need to improve your collaboration” to ➡️ “Several of your colleagues shared specific examples of when collaboration was a strength & where it could be stronger” It turns a potentially defensive conversation into a developmental one 360’s are important because people are more likely to accept & act on feedback when it’s grounded in evidence It also helps reduce bias by incorporating multiple data points & is not just the manager’s perspective In my experience, the best performance conversations are built on: ✔️ Observable behaviours (the evidence) ✔️ Impact on team & outcomes ✔️ Multiple perspectives When done right, 360 feedback isn’t just a tool, it’s a powerful process to provide evidence & shift mindsets How do you ensure your performance reviews are rooted in evidence & fairness? Share your tips in the comments below 👇 📷: Photo taken at satellite mediation location that reminded me of a setup for a performance review conversation ---------- #Mediation #coaching #mentoring #Leadership #PeopleDevelopment #HR #career #careermanagment

You should be thinking more about your performance review than your boss. Average performers leave it up to chance. "Rockstars" take control of the performance. What do I mean by this? If you're banking on your boss accurately representing all your contributions for the hopes of getting a pay bump, chances are your boss has to do this exercise multiple times for other team members as well. Likely they'll carve out time to do these in one sitting, and in that moment, you need to stand out. Otherwise, you're not top of mind and the team "wins" will all be a blur. Back in corporate, I used my performance review as an opportunity to talk about areas I wanted to improve. That became the jumping off point for suggestions on where to use my learning and development funds for the following year. When you're proactive about your review, not only can it be an opportunity for celebrating your wins, but you can steer the direction of your growth as well. Here's what you should do to help your boss prepare for performance reviews: 𝗣𝗿𝗲-𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀. Send a quarterly "wins document" with specific metrics, project outcomes, and client feedback. Make it easy for your boss to advocate for you. 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗹𝗲 𝗶𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗶𝗻𝘀. Don't wait for the annual review. Monthly 15-minute syncs about your growth keep you visible year-round. 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁, 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀. "Managed social media" vs. "Increased engagement by 47% leading to 3 new enterprise clients" — which one gets you promoted? 𝗖𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 "𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗹𝗱𝗲𝗿." Screenshot praise emails. Save client testimonials. Track exceeded KPIs. When review time comes, you've got receipts. 𝗢𝘄𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗱𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹𝗼𝗽𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗻𝗮𝗿𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲. Come prepared with: "I want to grow in X area. Here's the training I've identified. Here's how it benefits the team." You're not asking for permission—you're presenting a plan. Your performance review isn't about proving your worth to your boss. It's about partnering with them to tell your story effectively. Because the person who should care most about your career? That's you.✨ What other tips would you give to nail the year-end review?

“How can I get visibility into how my employees spend their time?” Don’t.   This question has come up so many times with clients in the last few years. If your employee is performing well, let the rest go. Your role is to support their success, not direct their time.   And what if they are underperforming? Support, don't surveil.   Because what you need is impact, not busy-ness. Adhering to 40 hours’ worth of work-related activity per week does not inherently equate to good work product, and looking over employees’ shoulders literally or proverbially will be exceedingly damaging to culture and is shown to actually lead to decreased engagement and thus diminished performance.   So how do you support an employee who is underperforming? ·        Make sure there is a shared understanding of expectations and the key performance indicators you are using to evaluate success. ·        Inquire into the employee’s own perception of their performance. Listen for the perspective you might be missing in your own evaluation. ·        Share specific examples of what you see as going right and what you see as missing the mark. Seek the employee’s reflections on these examples – their take on what worked and what challenges they faced. ·        Ask what support the employee needs to be successful, and follow through on those supports. Reassure your staff that you want them to succeed and value their role on the team, and demonstrate that. ·        Stay in communication so you can collaboratively assess progress and modify supports and plans as needed. Performance evaluation should be an ongoing process not an annual gotcha moment.   With support will every employee find success? No, but a thoughtful process can help you: counter your biases in how you evaluate your team, increase the likelihood of employee success, and create a culture where there is room for course correction and continuous learning. (All of which are key indicators of your own performance as a manager.)   And isn’t successfully supporting your team -- rather than time tracking employees -- a better use of your own time?

Unlock the Power of High-Quality Performance Reviews 'Tis the season for annual performance reviews. They are dreaded by some (both managers and direct reports alike), but a GOLDEN opportunity for growth, alignment and acceleration when done right! When I became a people manager for the first time I had no formal training on how to do a formal performance evaluation which made it more an intimidating and time consuming process than effective. It took me a while to develop some best practices which I still use today. Here are some actionable tips for how to make these conversations transformative instead of transactional: Best Practices for Managers: 1️⃣ Make it a Dialogue, Not a Monologue: Listen as much as you speak. Performance reviews should be a two-way street. 2️⃣ Focus on Specifics: Give actionable, evidence-based feedback tied to clear examples—not vague generalizations. 3️⃣ Balance Praise with Growth Opportunities: Celebrate wins but also highlight areas for improvement with a clear path forward. 4️⃣ Set Goals, Not Just Grades: Use reviews to align on SMART goals for the future. 5️⃣ Document & Follow Up: Don’t let feedback vanish post-meeting. Document outcomes and revisit them regularly. Common Mistakes to Avoid: 🚫 Waiting Until Review Time: Feedback should be ongoing—not a once-a-year surprise. 🚫 Being Too General: Saying "Good job" or "Needs improvement" without specifics leaves employees guessing. 🚫 Avoiding Tough Conversations: Constructive feedback can be uncomfortable, but it’s essential for growth. 🚫 Ignoring Employee Input: This isn’t just your show—make space for their perspective! Tips for Employees: Get Better Feedback 1️⃣ Be Proactive: Ask for feedback regularly—not just during reviews. Questions like, “What’s one thing I could do better?” shows initiative and openness. 2️⃣ Come Prepared: Bring accomplishments, challenges, and goals to the table. Show ownership of your growth. 3️⃣ Clarify Expectations: Ask, “What does success look like in my role / on this project?" This helps align your work with manager expectations. Year-Round Impact ✔️ Schedule Regular Check-Ins: Quarterly or monthly conversations keep feedback fresh and actionable. ✔️ Use Tools to Track Progress: Utilize shared documents or platforms to monitor goals throughout the year. ✔️ Create a Feedback Culture: Encourage real-time recognition and coaching on a weekly basis. A high-quality performance review isn’t just a meeting—it’s a tool for growth, alignment, and stronger relationships. Let’s move away from the “annual checkbox” and toward continuous improvement! What’s your secret to impactful performance reviews? Drop your tips in the comments! #Leadership #Feedback #PerformanceManagement #CareerGrowth

I've never been surprised by a performance review, and you never have to be either. If you passively receive your performance review, you won’t get much from it. You have to drive the process to get the best review. Here is what to do before, during, and after your review for maximum results: Before the review (~2-3 months): -A few days before a routine 1:1, tell your manager that you would like some feedback. Give them a few days to think deeply and prepare. Don’t ambush them. -Ask them to provide feedback in terms of the score you would like to receive on your review. For example, ask “Am I performing at a top-tier level?” if that is the term your organization uses. -If you receive corrective feedback, begin addressing it immediately. -Line up your peer reviewers. Let key peers and peers of your manager know that you will ask them for feedback at review time. Get their feedback and begin to address it. Before the review (~3 weeks) -Send your reviewers a prep list. Throughout the year, maintain a list of your accomplishments and deliverables. Send this to your reviewers when they are preparing your review to help them remember what you have accomplished throughout the year. During the review -Reply to all feedback, positive or negative, beginning with “thank you.” -Don’t argue with feedback, even when you disagree. Instead, say “I respect what you are saying, but I am having trouble fully understanding it. Can you give me a specific example?” -For positive feedback, ask if you should seek to do more of that action. Ask where it would help the organization if you did it more. After the review: -Take immediate and visible action on the feedback. -Verify negative feedback with respected advisors if you don’t agree or understand it. If they support the criticism, revisit your objection. If they don’t, think about how you can work around that negative feedback rather than changing to address it. -If your review goes well, begin a discussion about how to grow your role or responsibility. If you want to read about each of these steps (and more) in greater depth, see this week’s newsletter: https://buff.ly/MR9Yooq Readers- How else can employees take charge of their annual reviews for maximum results?

It's performance review season at Apple. Years ago early in my time at Apple, my self-assessments were vague and modest. I assumed my manager already knew my contributions, big mistake. We all suffer from recency bias. My ratings were average because leadership couldn't see the full picture of my impact. Then, I changed my approach: I built a structured framework that clearly highlighted outcomes, leadership, and feedback. Of course, it all starts with great work but equally important is clearly articulating that impact. The results: better ratings, increased visibility, and accelerated career growth. Now I consistently earn top ratings. Here is how I approach my self assessments now. → 𝑫𝒐 𝑮𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑾𝒐𝒓𝒌 Bulletproof your results with clear and quantifiable impact. → 𝑨𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝑻𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝑮𝒐𝒂𝒍𝒔 Map your contributions directly to your team’s OKRs or strategic priorities. Show how you moved the needle. → 𝑹𝒆𝒇𝒍𝒆𝒄𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑳𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒉𝒊𝒑’𝒔 𝑽𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 Listen to what your senior leaders praise in All-Hands, town halls, and emails. These are your signals. If you contributed to those priorities, your impact becomes indisputable. → 𝑯𝒆𝒍𝒑 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒔 Clearly document how you supported peers, mentored teammates, and collaborated cross-functionally. → 𝑮𝒐 𝑩𝒆𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑱𝒐𝒃 Highlight extra initiatives like mentoring, hiring, onboarding, or culture-building. → 𝑺𝒕𝒖𝒅𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑹𝒐𝒍𝒆 𝑮𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆 Know the bar and beat the bar. Understanding what is expected is very important to exceed the expectations. → 𝑯𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒚 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 Don’t oversell. Don’t underplay. Acknowledge challenges and how you addressed them. → 𝑴𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝑰𝒕 𝑬𝒂𝒔𝒚 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒀𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝑴𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒈𝒆𝒓 Provide clear, concise, and copy-paste-ready statements to simplify your manager’s job in justifying your top rating. Full post https://lnkd.in/gd6bwk6X I’d love to learn from you too; please share your best practices and thoughts in the comments.

"Dear sir, kindly leave because you don't belong here" Oh, I was just addressing the elephant in the room. (His name is Performance Management.) But you don't have to treat performance management like that. It's fairly easy to turn it from a dreaded calendar event to an integral part of your work culture. How? Read on. 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘇𝗲 '𝗔𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗲' 𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀: Let's be real – it's absolutely fine if your goal is to 'meet expectations.' After all, we hired you for that very reason. Not everyone needs to be a 24/7 hustle machine. Being consistent and reliable is a superpower in itself. 𝗦𝗮𝘆 𝗚𝗼𝗼𝗱𝗯𝘆𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗕𝗲𝗹𝗹 𝗖𝘂𝗿𝘃𝗲𝘀: Scrap those relative ratings. Let's focus on what really matters - did you hit your personal targets? Did we, as a team, hit ours? It's not about being better than your colleague. It's about being your best self. 𝗕𝗲 𝗮 𝗖𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗝𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮 𝗖𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗰: Supervisors need to channel their inner football manager vibes. Be there on the sidelines, not just to observe but to guide, advise, and tweak strategies as the game unfolds. Remember, if you weren't there to guide your team during the match, you lose the right to criticize after it's over. 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗲, 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮𝗻 𝗘𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁: Why wait a whole year to talk about performance? Make feedback regular; it's like having pit stops in a race to ensure everything is running smoothly. 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 𝗢𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗚𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗲𝘀: Shift the spotlight from just grading past work to fostering future growth. Let's talk about upskilling, new goals, and maybe even some dream chasing. It’s about progress, not just performance. 𝗖𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲: Not everyone thrives under the same conditions. Some need a bit more sun; others prefer the shade. Tailor the review process to fit each person's growth needs and style. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗮 𝗧𝘄𝗼-𝗪𝗮𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗲𝘁: Encourage people to voice their thoughts. How do they think they’re doing? What support do they need? This isn’t just a monologue; it’s a dialogue. 𝗕𝗲 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗻𝘁: Be clear about how performance is measured and how it ties into people's career ambitions. No one likes to be in the dark, especially about their own career. Instead of just watching the game, influence the game. And yeah, the elephant in the room will probably walk away on his own. #PerformanceManagement #performance #Culture #TheCultureGuy

Ever delivered an #evaluation report only to receive negative feedback on the methods used? It can be disheartening, especially after putting in a lot of work. Managing the evaluation process to invite early input can reduce late-stage criticisms. Here are 5 tips to enhance stakeholder satisfaction and handle criticisms constructively, with a link to the full article. Tip 1: Invest in genuine relationships with stakeholders Building genuine relationships with stakeholders creates a foundation of trust and respect. This doesn't mean avoiding unpopular findings, but it does mean fostering an environment where feedback is productive. Knowing each other as people and colleagues helps in this regard. Tip 2: Involve stakeholders in the evaluation design process Engage stakeholders, rights-holders, and end-users in designing the evaluation. Their expertise strengthens the design and reduces criticisms downstream. Co-designing an evaluation ensures a shared understanding of the appropriate questions, criteria, and methods, leading to greater stakeholder ownership. Tip 3: Use #rubrics to increase understanding of how judgements are made Rubrics make evaluative judgements transparent. Collaboratively developing rubrics with stakeholders ensures that their values are reflected and understood, increasing validity and reducing the risk of feeling blindsided by findings. Rubrics also facilitate precise conversations if specific aspects of the evaluation are challenged. Tip 4: Get formal sign-off on the evaluation framework Draw a clear line between the design phase and implementation phase of the evaluation. Formal sign-off on the evaluation framework ensures agreement on the approach and allows any valid criticisms of the methods to be addressed before implementation or recorded in the limitations section. Tip 5: Pinpoint the reasons for criticism Despite best efforts, criticisms may still arise. It’s important to pinpoint exactly what aspects are being criticised. The article provides tips for addressing common criticisms about the reliability of evidence, criteria, standards, and evaluative judgements, including issues of buy-in to the use of rubrics. Bottom line: Evaluation isn't just about methods - it's about reasoning and power dynamics. Criticisms levelled at methods may sometimes stem from discomfort with the reasoning process or power structures in the evaluation. By investing in relationships, involving stakeholders, using rubrics, and securing formal sign-off, we can enhance the evaluation process and address criticisms effectively. Scroll down for the full article👇

I’m a big believer in OKRs (objective, key result) OKRs are an effective tool for driving alignment across levels within an organization and for establishing a more standard approach to performance management In several of my past companies, I’ve been part of the core team responsible for scaling OKR management from company level to leader to departmental to manager to IC A few tips: 1) max of 3-5 OKRs OKRs are not meant to measure everything you do; just the key intiatives to drive impact and focus 2) have clear company OKRs so that leaders can tie their OKRs to company for thread of alignment 3) implement a regular cadence (I recommend monthly) for reviewing progress to OKRs and challenges and plan to close gap. I would have a monthly team meeting where would review mine and my directs to see where trending 4) Establish what good looks like (generally OKRs should be aspirational so an 85% achievement is good across the board. 100% could suggest you had too easy OKRs or perhaps burnt out teams) 5) Link performance management to OKRs. This helps with having a standard for what good performance looks like across disparate teams. For example, in past companies where we had bonus tied to non quota achievement OKR achievement generally informed about 85%+of bonus with discretion from manager for things outside of it 6) Review OKRs to make sure OKRs link to core objectives of an org. Example, if you are in a CS org where retention is the name of the game, a large majority of your OKR should link to effective renewals management. Your function determines the focus. 7) A mix of outcome and process OKRs is fine, but ensure at least 50/50 are outcome focused (aka you impacted X metric - outcome, vs you did Y thing or delivered z) 8) implement calibrations across teams with leaders present to balance the different approaches and potential bias leaders have to rating teams Anything else you’d add? #okrs #performancemanagement