It’s that season again. And I’m not referring to the holidays! Performance reviews are here for many organizations.

So, why is it so hard sometimes? It might be that:

• They take time, and I don’t have a lot of that.
• Top performers want feedback, and all I can think of is: Keep doing what you’re doing.
• It feels like the mid-level performers will always be just that – middle-of-the-road.
• I don’t want to confront the lower performers, and they won’t agree with what I have to say.  

So, yea, sign me up for this!

What if, though, we had even a slight mindset shift?

What if you were determined to get the most out of these reviews?

Here are three possible compelling reasons why you should leverage these. You decide if they resonate with you.

1. Responsibility to Leverage Resources: As with all company resources, we have a responsibility to make the most of them. Honest discussions about a person’s performance and career ambitions are one of the key ways we can motivate employees.
2. Show that You Care About Them: Employees want to know that you, as their leader, genuinely care. They need to know that you are thinking about their performance and future success. A well-thought-out review is one of the best ways to show this.
3. Nobody But You Can Assess Their Performance: There is no person on the face of planet earth more suited to conduct your employees’ performance reviews than YOU. Not even their spouse/partner or parents are more suited for this. So, if not you….then who?

Your Top Performers:

Increasingly, I believe that this is where we need to spend our best energies as leaders. Talk to them. Find out what motivates them. Ask what’s missing. And, yes, give them that needed feedback they often crave. Do not be passive or evasive with these key players.[1]

Mid-Level Performers:

What if you were to get even one of these employees to the next level? Pick one, maybe two, areas where these employees need to really zero in on for the next six months to raise the bar. Stick with them. Check in. Focus with them. Don’t let up. I’d love to hear what impact this makes!

Lower Performers:

I’m convinced that failure to address poor performers is virtually an epidemic. Too many people are afraid of these conversations and avoid them like the plague! Don’t be one of those leaders.

What you tolerate, you are approving. What you admit in practice, you are accepting in principle. 

For some reading this, now is the time to address those performance issues. People (including the performer in question) are counting on it!

The 25/75 Rule 

Finally, consider this practical framework: 

• 25% of your energy (time, conversations, thought) goes to managing weaker performers.  Support them with clear expectations, coaching, and accountability. State and hold to your expectations.
• 75% of your energy goes to top performers and mid-level players who are willing to work it. Invest in your best people. Amplify their strengths. Remove barriers. Recognize their contributions. 

Invest where there will be payoffs!

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[1] I remember a high potential in one of my organizations when I was in HR. The company had its eye on this guy. He came by my office one day and told me he was resigning. When I asked why, he quickly noted, I never get any feedback from my manager. Star performers want to know where they stand and why.