Performance reviews sometimes are approached as part of a routine, without much effort involved. However, when you approach performance reviews with care and intention, your employees can perform better and feel valued and engaged, according to Harvard Business Review.
The following five steps can help you lead a productive conversation during performance reviews.
- Convey positive intent. Whether speaking with a star employee or a chronic underachiever, start by making it clear your goal is to set the employee up for future success.
- Describe what you have observed. Be specific and descriptive with your feedback so your employee can understand your expectations.
- State the effects of their behaviors and actions. Lay out the cause and effect. For example, rather than saying, “You didn’t connect with the client,” try, “You interrupted people during the meeting, and this resulted in the client being less open to listening to your ideas.”
- Ask for a response to your feedback. This allows your direct report to challenge your comments, add relevant context and communicate important information you may not have known.
- Address what comes next. Be clear about next steps and be specific about what you will be tracking and assessing during the coming year, as well as how you will support the employee moving forward.
