Performance reviews not cutting it? Read on for a new approach.
“Feedback is not an objective truth, but a perspective.” - Gustavo Razzetti
When was the last time you looked forward to a performance review?
When was the last time you found one helpful or life-changing?
Research is showing that performance reviews - while still a longstanding practice in many companies - are not very effective and in fact can cause more harm than good. Turns out that, we are not reliable judges of others and that more than 50% of our assessment of someone else reflects our perception of their abilities, rather than the abilities themselves.
In the new world of work, where people are working remotely and in hybrid settings, creating a culture for ongoing feedback is essential to keeping staff engaged, and addressing wins and challenges on the go, rather than once or twice a year.
I've been reading the book Remote by Gustavo Razzetti and he offers these five shifts to consider when it comes to feedback in a remote setting.
Ditch annual performance reviews and integrate more regular, casual feedback.
Research shows that performance reviews don't improve behaviour, in fact, they make people feel intimidated and promote toxic cultures such as individualism and hinder collaboration.
Receive more feedback than you give.
As a leader, focus more of your attention on what you can improve rather than what others should do. When you model what it looks like to be a good receiver of feedback, you encourage others to ask for feedback too.
Leverage and encourage peer feedback.
As more teams are moving towards agile and matrix structures to working, the role of the manager to provide feedback is less relevant. Not only can peers provide more accurate feedback but creating the relationships to provide it boosts performance too.
Focus on the team, rather than the individual.
Build a culture of learning and growth by engaging your team in what's going well, and what's not. Focus on building the trust and relationships to have ongoing conversations around collective feedback so that the team can work more effectively together, and improve as a whole.
Stay future-focused, don't re-hash the past.
When we focus on the past, feedback becomes a process of re-living our mistakes and feeling unworthy or less than. How can you spend more time and energy on where you're headed and what's needed to get there?
What comes up when you consider these shifts?
One thing I notice throughout - is the importance of having strong, trusting and open relationships as a foundation in order to support this kind of transition.
Feedback can't be something that we push to the side, but instead, needs the time and space to be offered through ongoing connections with your team.
If you are on this journey, of looking at how to upgrade your feedback models and to build relationships with your teams where these kinds of shifts can really take place, get in touch.
I work with remote and hybrid teams to do just that.
