Let’s stop making it weird.

We’ve all been there. That calendar invite drops “Performance Review” and suddenly your heart rate spikes. No one loves the old-school, one-sided, awkward review. But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to be like that.

Done right, performance reviews can drive clarity, growth, and trust.

Why Most Reviews Don’t Work

Too often, reviews feel like:

• A one-way feedback dump 
• A focus on flaws, not progress 
• A once-a-year event (with a year’s worth of bottled-up issues) 

That’s not a performance conversation it’s a post-mortem. 

How to Make Reviews Work for Everyone

Want your people to stay, grow, and give you their best? Change how you review performance.

Here’s what works:

• Make it a dialogue — Ask questions, listen well, collaborate on goals. 
• Be specific — “Your client onboarding process was seamless” lands better than “You’ve improved.” 
• Highlight wins — Don’t just nitpick. Celebrate effort and outcomes. 
• Talk future, not just past — Training, career development, stretch goals. People want to grow. 

When and How Often Should You Review?

Aim for quarterly or at least twice-yearly reviews. Sprinkle in monthly check-ins to keep things on track.

Create a rhythm of regular, real conversations. When people know where they stand, they perform better and they stay longer.

Final Word

You’ve worked hard to build a business that people are proud to be part of. But when performance conversations become something you or your team dread, it chips away at that culture. You deserve better than an outdated, box-ticking process that leaves everyone feeling flat.

Let’s make performance reviews something your team looks forward to and something you feel confident leading.

If you’d like help designing performance frameworks that actually drives results and retention, reach out to Winter Consulting. We’ll make it simple, human, and genuinely impactful.