Posted by SkyeTeam | December 10, 2013Performance Review or Performance Reveal?There’s  a chill in the air, a fire in the hearth, soup on the stove… what a wonderful time of the year.  And a perfect time for one of my favorite workplace traditions – the annual performance review (insert sarcasm here).  Why is it that this one event stirs such fear, anger, loathing and general dumbfoundedness (is that a word?) in employees and managers alike?  The simplest answer to that puzzle is that the performance review is treated more like a performance reveal.Let’s consult Merriam Webster for clarification:re·view  (verb  i-ˈvyü)to study or look at something againto describe or show a series of things or events from the pastre·veal  (transitive verb  i-ˈvēl)to make something knownto make something that was hidden able to be seenNote the difference.  To “review” is to study again.  To “reveal” is to make something known something that was previously unknown.   Surprise!!  A performance review should be a review of conversations held throughout the evaluation period.  There should be no new news – good or bad – and no surprises.  This approach actually makes managers’ lives easier.  By having regular conversations throughout the year, and keeping notes on those discussions, preparation for the performance review discussion should be a piece of cake.  It’s just a matter of gathering the information you already have.  Then the conversation can be more future-focused – where we go from here – and less time can be spent on discussions you’ve already had.This approach also involves the employee in a more meaningful way.  The employee has been an active participant in conversations throughout the evaluation period, he or she will also have notes to refer to when completing the self-evaluation portion of the performance review.  Both parties can come to the conversation prepared, knowing what to expect, and able to have a two-way discussion about what has happened and what should happen next.Remember, it’s a “performance review,” not a “performance reveal.”Related Articles Share