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Summary
Does your team actually look forward to performance appraisals? Or do they brace themselves for an awkward, box-ticking exercise that feels like a waste of time?
If you’re in the second camp—you’re not alone. For many leaders and teams, performance reviews are uncomfortable, ineffective, and do little to drive real improvement.
But they should be one of the most valuable conversations you have.
In this episode, we’re breaking down 15 reasons why appraisals fail to deliver and, more importantly, what you can do to fix them. Whether you’re a leader or a team member, you’ll walk away with practical ideas to turn dreaded reviews into genuine growth conversations.
Let’s dive in.
Links and resources mentioned in the show
The Real Cost of Poor Performance (downloadable infographic)
5 Conversations Every Manager Must Master (downloadabale PDF)
Is Your Leadership Style Enabling Accountability - or Making Underperformance Comfortable? (self-assessment questionnaire)
Plenty in 20: Managing Poor Performance (free, on-demand webinar with actionable strategies and tips)
The Culture Nerds Newsletter, a free monthly summary of subscriber resouces
Managing Poor Performance & Inspiring High Performance – a product page for those who want to explore the services we offer
What's next?
Talk to one of our culture and leadership experts - a free 30 minute consultation to problem solve any issue you are facing.
Detailed show description
Performance appraisals can feel like a futile pain in the backside. Many leaders view them as administrative burdens rather than developmental opportunities. When conducted effectively, performance reviews are transformative tools for growth, alignment, and improved team dynamics.
The fundamental problem with many appraisals is they're approached as tick-and-flick exercises rather than meaningful conversations. The opportunity to build connection, provide direction, and foster growth is missed. The most effective appraisals balance reflection on past performance with planning for future development. This pairing is essential – looking back without planning forward leaves team members without direction, while planning development without addressing current performance issues ignores potential barriers to growth.
Some key topics from this episode:
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Thanks to our producer, Josh at JCALdigital.org
