Research & Insights – Dismantling the traditional Performance Review

The topic of performance reviews and re-thinking the traditional way of doing them has been widely discussed since early 2015 and an increasing number of organisations have dismantled them completely, busily replacing them with “frameworks” like continuous conversations, critical conversations, great conversations. The common denominator is the focus on conversations as opposed to reviews, assessments, and evaluations.

Performance Conversations

This article discusses how traditional performance management systems have been linked to high levels of attrition, low productivity and problems with collaboration.

Its conclusion points to a new form of review: framing performance conversations using language and setting goals that encourage a growth mindset – a theory developed by Carol Dweck.

Growth Mindset

In 2016, Dweck released a new edition of her book Mindset: The New Psychology of Success intended to address ‘false growth mindset’, a trend she had noticed which was a misunderstanding of her core message. This article clarifies what a growth mindset is and its focus on the learning process.

Traditional Reviews are Flawed

Neuroscience research has backed the claims that traditional performance review practices are damaging as they fundamentally misunderstand human responses.

In many cases, being ‘ranked’ produces a fight or flight response in the human brain, which is a less than optimal mindset for receiving feedback.

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