12 Apr Performance Review Meeting

Posted at 14:45h in 5. eLeadership Academy, Performance Management by

We immediately relate to a Performance Review being negative – when it really doesn’t have to be.

A performance review meeting isn’t a one way conversation that has to be dreaded. It is a cooperative formal conversation where challenges and successes are discussed, along with future career prospects. This meeting should come with no surprise, as informal conversation regarding performance should be had consistently throughout the year. The main aim of this annual or by-annual meeting is to produce an outcome that benefits both parties; employee and company/manager.

Manager approach

  • Prior to the meeting it could be beneficial to ask employee to do a Self-Appraisal
  • Put the employee at ease; make eye contact, listen, engage with what they have to say and have attentive body language
  • Give negative feedback if necessary – but not the main focus
  • Emphasize their strengths as much as the areas they need to improve on
  • Conduct a bigger emphasis on the future, instead of the past
  • Think – What message do you want them to leave with?
  • Summarise the session by highlighting main aspects and end on a positive note

Employee approach

  • Know what you want to get out of the meeting
  • Ask questions, ask for feedback, ask for examples
  • Avoid using a defensive tone if you disagree
  • Maybe suggest to meet in the near future to evaluate progress
  • Possible opportunity to discuss future career prospects and personal goals

These meetings are most successful when the manager and employee work together in evaluating how far the employee has got in achieving set goals and how they can overcome any challenge faced.

In summary, a performance review meeting is a formal follow up of informal regular feedback and coaching encounters with a manager. Employee and manager discuss any ongoing difficulties and brainstorm how to resolve concerns. They discuss any successes and highlight their purpose and value they add to the business. It is incredibly important to highlight not just where you see room for improvement but also what was successful in a project. If there is room for improvement, help that team member understand how then can learn and develop those skills, what resources to use and if there is a team member that could provide help.