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BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES
Choosing people over process =
tomorrow’s take on performance
It’s Friday night. The city’s finest restaurant is bathed in dent dessert at the end.
candlelight, while a couple clinks to ten years and sips The reality is, most of us enjoy our annual performance
on overpriced champagne. This evening was long reviews as much as we do a root canal. With the ex-
awaited; the prospect of some adult conversation was ception of those rare (and rather odd) eager beavers in
worth the logistical gymnastics required to get the kids any organization, we usually don’t look for opportunities
babysat. One partner looks into the other’s eyes, lingers to be pried open and dug into on the operating chair.
lovingly over the pregnant pause and then launches the It’s awkward; ambiguous at times, and can be very
opening statement as planned: “Honey, thanks for join- painful. Unsurprisingly, companies are starting to ques-
ing me for your annual performance review. I’ve been tion the value of the annual performance review, ex-
looking forward to examining how you’ve gone over the ploring a more natural alternative for keeping fingers on
past 12 months.” company pulses.
For the next two hours they dissect and label productivi- As we’ve been examining their new normal, we’re get-
ty in graphs and numbers. One partner went from a 4 to ting more convinced than ever – that they’re onto
a 5 in delegation, but…then again…that bout of toast something. Here’s why…
burning in the month of March knocked domesticity
down to a 3. All in all, however, the score was sufficient; From annual to everyday
the meeting productive; and the dessert delicious.
The annual review has been called a rite of “corporate
Sound sexy? We don’t think so either. It lacks a cer- kabuki” when it comes to offering honest, constructive
tain…heart, don’t you think? And yet, when we’re hon- and real time input. Once a year the manager sits down
est about the way most organizations handle their peo- to discuss the should’ve, could’ve, would’ve of your
ple, it’s really no different to this. It just lacks the deca- performance that year, but by the time six months prior
20 October 2017 - Programmatic & Native Advertising