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Annual Performance Reviews Are Not Effective (And What to Do Instead)
When was the last time you walked into an annual performance review feeling excited, seen, and supported?
If your answer is “never”…you’re not alone.
In this solo episode of People Success Circle, I’m making the case that the traditional once-a-year performance review is no longer serving employees, managers, or the business—and it’s time we stop pretending it is.
After 28+ years in HR and leadership, I’ve read thousands of reviews across industries and company sizes. What I see over and over again is this: we’re putting incredible pressure on a single conversation that happens once a year in a world that changes weekly. Goals are outdated, memories are fuzzy, and employees often feel blindsided instead of supported.
So what does work?
A modern, human approach built on quarterly reviews, meaningful one on one meetings, and clear, living performance goals.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Why the traditional performance review is “dead” (and how it actually hurts engagement)
- The real purpose of performance evaluation beyond “filling out a form”
- How to review performance in a way that feels timely, specific, and fair
- A simple 3-layer system: quarterly check-ins, semi-annual summaries, and weekly/bi-weekly 1 on 1s
- What to cover in a quarterly performance review (and why quarterly is the sweet spot)
- How to run effective one on one meetings with employees (agenda, notes, next steps)
- Practical performance review tips so employees don’t feel blindsided
- How to create goals and write SMART goals that actually match today’s work
- Using workplace feedback as a leadership superpower—not a once-a-year event
- What to do if your company still requires an annual employee appraisal (and how to layer in better performance tracking anyway)
My goal in this episode is simple:
To help you move from “dreaded annual task” to an ongoing rhythm of employee feedback and leadership conversations that improve performance and trust.
If you’ve been wondering how to conduct a performance review people actually find helpful—this is your roadmap.
✨ Interested in modernizing your performance review process?
My team at Lime Rock Consulting helps organizations build simple, sustainable systems with quarterly reviews, effective one on one meetings, and clear performance goals that align with business strategy.
If this episode resonated with you:
Share it with a fellow leader or HR partner, leave a 5-star review, and subscribe so more workplaces can replace check-the-box reviews with conversations that truly help people grow.
People Success Playbook: https://limerockconsulting.myflodesk.com/peoplesuccessplaybook
Company Website: www.limerockcareerco.com
Speaking Website: www.mindyeast.com
View all episodes
By Mindy EastWhen was the last time you walked into an annual performance review feeling excited, seen, and supported?
If your answer is “never”…you’re not alone.
In this solo episode of People Success Circle, I’m making the case that the traditional once-a-year performance review is no longer serving employees, managers, or the business—and it’s time we stop pretending it is.
After 28+ years in HR and leadership, I’ve read thousands of reviews across industries and company sizes. What I see over and over again is this: we’re putting incredible pressure on a single conversation that happens once a year in a world that changes weekly. Goals are outdated, memories are fuzzy, and employees often feel blindsided instead of supported.
So what does work?
A modern, human approach built on quarterly reviews, meaningful one on one meetings, and clear, living performance goals.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Why the traditional performance review is “dead” (and how it actually hurts engagement)
- The real purpose of performance evaluation beyond “filling out a form”
- How to review performance in a way that feels timely, specific, and fair
- A simple 3-layer system: quarterly check-ins, semi-annual summaries, and weekly/bi-weekly 1 on 1s
- What to cover in a quarterly performance review (and why quarterly is the sweet spot)
- How to run effective one on one meetings with employees (agenda, notes, next steps)
- Practical performance review tips so employees don’t feel blindsided
- How to create goals and write SMART goals that actually match today’s work
- Using workplace feedback as a leadership superpower—not a once-a-year event
- What to do if your company still requires an annual employee appraisal (and how to layer in better performance tracking anyway)
My goal in this episode is simple:
To help you move from “dreaded annual task” to an ongoing rhythm of employee feedback and leadership conversations that improve performance and trust.
If you’ve been wondering how to conduct a performance review people actually find helpful—this is your roadmap.
✨ Interested in modernizing your performance review process?
My team at Lime Rock Consulting helps organizations build simple, sustainable systems with quarterly reviews, effective one on one meetings, and clear performance goals that align with business strategy.
If this episode resonated with you:
Share it with a fellow leader or HR partner, leave a 5-star review, and subscribe so more workplaces can replace check-the-box reviews with conversations that truly help people grow.
People Success Playbook: https://limerockconsulting.myflodesk.com/peoplesuccessplaybook
Company Website: www.limerockcareerco.com
Speaking Website: www.mindyeast.com