Having successful review conversations

Whether you’re reviewing an employee who has reported to you for a while or someone who is brand new, just the thought of having the conversation can be overwhelming. You might be asking yourself… 

How do I start? What if the person disagrees about some of the feedback? What do I do after the review is over? 

Unfortunately, there’s no “one size fits all,” approach. Fortunately, you already have two helpful pieces of the puzzle: PI behavioral data and Perform. In this article, we’ll share best practices for facilitating productive review conversations with employees—so you can give them the tools they need to thrive.

Fostering a healthy coaching environment

When having a review conversation, much of the discussion will rely on groundwork you’ve already laid to show you’re a great coach. If your organization has values it uses to get work done together, don’t be afraid to tie your conversation back to those core principles. 

Not sure where to start? Per Harvard Business Review, here are some universal values worth encouraging:   

Active listening: What you say is less important than your intention to clear your mind, listen with your full attention, and create a high-quality connection that allows your team members to open up and think creatively. 

Asking open-ended questions: Open-ended questions are the tools of effective coaching. Though your first instinct may be to provide answers, you succeed as a coach by helping your team members articulate their goals and challenges and find their own answers. 

Creating and sustaining a developmental relationship: The more you follow through on supporting your team’s developmental plans, the more productive your coaching becomes, the more trust you build, and the more successful you all become. 

Focusing on the future: The purpose of this conversation is to help employees grow.. So, don’t get too caught up in venting. It doesn’t get your team members where they want to go in the long run. Encourage them to move forward through strong inquiry that is connected to the person and the challenge they’re trying to solve.

Building accountability: Accountability increases the positive impact of coaching conversations. Make sure everyone knows the plan, meets at an appropriate cadence, knows their action items, and knows what to do if they’re blocked, need guidance, or feel as though they’re going to miss a deadline. Establish regular check-ins to make sure everyone is on track. 

The anatomy of a structured review conversation

You’ve reviewed the feedback and given the employee a chance to review it as well. Now, it’s time to have the conversation. A structured approach helps ensure both parties stay focused and cover all important points. 

Here are the most important aspects of a review:

Two-way communication: Foster an open dialogue where the employee feels comfortable sharing their perspective. Active listening and empathy are crucial.

Specific and actionable feedback: Provide feedback that is specific, constructive, and actionable. Avoid vague comments and focus on how the employee can improve and continue to succeed.

Focus on future development: Emphasize future development and career planning. Discuss training opportunities, skill development, and potential career paths within the organization.

Timely follow-up: Set a plan for follow-up meetings to review progress and provide continuous feedback. This reinforces the importance of performance management as an ongoing process.

Tip: Use a goal-focused approach.

Reviews are meant to help check in on the employee’s development to ensure their continued success at your organization. One way to keep the focus on those initiatives is to review, align on, and provide clarity around the employee’s goals. 

Here are some questions you can ask yourself (or your employee) around goals:

What to do when there’s misalignment

In the course of the conversation, you may come across feedback or action items where you aren’t aligned. It’s vital that you dig into these areas from a place of curiosity with the goal of exploring the situation together to move forward. It’s a two-way conversation that should feel like a discussion rather than an interrogation. 

Here are some questions and statements designed to help you and the employee find common ground: 

(Source: The Fifth Discipline Fieldbook)

There may be times when you are unable to resolve a point and will need to return to it at a later time. In these instances, reach out to your manager or your HR/People Operations team for further guidance.