Performance Previews

How do you feel about performance reviews?

In an ideal world, your manager is an effective communicator and mentor, guiding you through obstacles, surrounding you with the right tools, people, and environment, to hit key goals.

On top of that, your manager leads by example, inspires you to level up, and truly cares for your emotional and physical health.

In this ideal case, performance reviews could be fine.  There are no surprises.

But how often have you had an inspirational manager?

I’ve been on both sides of the tabe.  I did not like receiving performance reviews or giving them. And I was lucky with incredible managers!

At best, I felt a bit uncomfortable receiving a lot praise.  At worst, I felt very uncomfortable bringing up challenges that had real consequences on a person’s business, financial, and personal life.

The problem is, performance reviews are all about the past.  You can’t change the past.

What would happen if you had performance previews instead?

Where the focus is on what actionable steps you can take, so that you earn that raise or promotion in the future?

Where the manager and junior co-worker are on the same side of the table roadmapping the future?

Thanks for caring!

With gratitude,

Anwell Tsai