Most performance reviews tend to revolve around whether goals were met or why an “exceeds expectations” rating wasn’t achieved. Such meetings rarely leave us feeling invigorated. In essence, the most common question is, “How can I make my quarterly, end-of-year or spur-of-the-moment reviews into worthwhile feedback conversations?” I bet you have the same question.
Avoid surprises
Strive for there to be no surprises at any performance review. If surprises arise, it likely means expectations weren’t clear, or feedback wasn’t frequent enough. In these situations, negative surprises are always seen as unfair. If there are going to be surprises in your review, own them. Surprises are not the team member’s fault — they’re yours.
Reduce the monologue
Most performance reviews are backward-looking, dominated by a supervisor’s statements. This one-sided approach requires the manager do all the talking and thinking. If you’ve followed the no-surprise rule, both sides should already know the past performance. This creates an opportunity to focus on learning through dialogue instead of a one-way conversation.
Positive reviews often suffer from platitudes like, “Good job this year,” which lack specifics to reinforce successful behaviors. When giving negative feedback, supervisors tend to control the conversation with statements or rhetorical questions like “Does that make sense?” Whether positive or negative, a one-sided approach limits learning. A genuine dialogue can unlock deeper insights and growth.
Don’t ask questions if already know the answer
Unless you are giving a test, questions in which only one person learns often damage the relationship and diminish the potential of the feedback. Negative feedback situations more naturally lend themselves to questions, but we must avoid the trap of asking questions in which only one person is learning. If you are asking a question to which you already have your own answer, then you are not learning anything new. If your question requires someone to defend their behavior, then they are not learning anything new. They are merely recalling their already known reasons.
Use generative questions to create a learning dialogue
Effective performance reviews use generative questions that promote dialogue and mutual learning. These questions align with the purpose of reviews and foster growth for both parties.
I encourage you to try one of more the following questions to replace your traditional performance review.
Generative questions to open a performance review:
- What skills do you feel you’ve developed most this period?
- Are there skills or knowledge areas you’d like to improve or expand on?
- What types of projects energize you, and how can we align more of your work with those?
Generative questions encourage employees to take ownership of their performance and develop self-awareness:
- What accomplishments are you most proud of, and why?
- What challenges did you face, and how did you overcome them?
- If you could approach this project differently, what would you change?
Generative questions help you understand what motivates and engages:
- What aspects of your role are most fulfilling for you?
- Are there ways we can better support you in achieving your goals?
- What would make you feel more empowered in your role?
Dialogue creates a connection between individual’s contributions and your team’s goals.
- How do you see your role contributing to the team’s success?
- Are there changes you’d suggest to improve collaboration?
- How can I better support you and the team?
Generative questions encourage forward-thinking and aligns career development with organizational needs
- What opportunities would you like to pursue in the next six months?
- How can we better align your role with your career aspirations?
- What steps should you take to achieve your next career goal?
Not all feedback is positive. Generative questions shift the focus from criticism to solutions and improvement.
- What obstacles have been most challenging for you, and how can we address them together?
- What support or resources would help you overcome these challenges?
- How do you handle setbacks, and what strategies have been most effective?
For your end-of-year, or any feedback conversations, incorporating these types of questions will ensure performance reviews are truly worth having.
