Leadership Tip

How to conduct a performance review in 10 minutes

There is growing evidence that conventional performance reviews are not working. One major issue is the time commitment they require: When many employees already get feedback regularly, formal reviews just take too long. A faster, but still effective, method is the “10-minute review":

  • Create a spreadsheet with two columns: "laudable," a few phrases about where the employee is doing well, and "adverse," a few phrases where he/she is falling short.
     
  • During the review, explain that your goal is to identify both positive traits and areas for improvement. Tailor your message to show that the review is about helping the employee. Then ask the employee how he/she prefers feedback: Kind and nurturing? Pointed and direct? Use their answer to decide whether to start with  "laudable" or "adverse".
     
  • After talking through the points on your spreadsheet, use the last few minutes to let the employee respond to what you have said.

The above leadership tip...
was sent in response to a question from a participant on our acclaimed 10/10 leadership development and mentoring programme and adapted from Tough Love Performance Reviews in 10 Minutes by Mona Patel. Whether you're a first time manager or an experienced leader, straightforward, practical advice on best practice is hard to find. Until now. To find out how you, your team or your organisation can benefit, please join us on our next complimentary webinar or contact us.

Learn how to lead effectively

Gleaned from wisdom acquired by working with hundreds of highly successful leaders from the world of business, media and sport, our workshops are fortified with practical tips to help you better lead yourself, your team and your business.

Read More

Leadership Articles

10 questions leaders should never ask

Leadership is often portrayed as having the right answers. In reality, great leadership is more about asking the right questions. Questions can open minds, build trust and encourage innovation. Equally, they can shut down discussion, create... read more

10 ways to build your team

Everyone would like to be part of a dream team - a group of people, each skilled in their own discipline, pulling together to achieve more than they ever could alone. Yet while most organisations talk about teamwork, they still tend to reward individual... read more

10 weekend habits of purposeful leaders

The most impactful leaders know that success doesn’t come from working around the clock - it comes from working with intention. And that includes how we spend our weekends. While weekdays often revolve around performance, the weekend is a chance to reset... read more

Leadership Tips

HOW TO LEAD WHEN UNDER PRESSURE

Pressure reveals how you instinctively respond when decisions matter most. Some leaders rush. Others hesitate. Some become controlling, while others retreat. The challenge is not to eliminate those instincts, but to recognise them and develop the... read more

HOW TO CREATE OWNERSHIP

You cannot force accountability, but you can make it easier for people to choose it. When pressure rises, the instinct is often to tighten control. Better leaders create the conditions in which ownership becomes the natural response. When people... read more

HOW TO READ THE ROOM

Good leaders notice what is said, and what is not. Eye contact, facial expression, posture and physical distance can all offer clues about how someone is feeling, but no single signal tells the whole story. The trick is to observe patterns without... read more