Making minor tweaks to how you approach performance reviews can have a major impact.
There are two kinds of performance reviews: the perfunctory ones, and the type that lead to real change. Atlanta designer Theresa Ory makes a point of giving her employees the latter every time. “For a review to be genuinely meaningful, it can’t consist of fluff,” she says. “There must be something to build on that I [as a leader] am brave enough to address directly and kindly.”
The high standards Ory sets for herself are a result, in part, of an early-career stint in human resources—a three-year period when she was an HR assistant at a Fortune 500 company. From that job, Ory drew various communication techniques that she still uses today. One strategy she applies during biannual performance reviews is to sandwich critical feedback between upbeat, complimentary remarks. “Constructive criticism is best received when you lead with a positive, provide the building opportunity in the middle and close with a positive again,” she says. After all, unless you prime an employee to be able to accept and appreciate your feedback, your criticism—no matter how well-intended—may go unheeded.
If discussing client communication, for instance, Ory might start by praising an employee’s promptness before segueing into constructive criticism: “One detail I would like to work on is prioritizing the content of the responses over speed. If we’re sending four emails that could have been handled in one, our clients could feel overwhelmed. We want concise and thoughtful interaction in a timely fashion.” She finishes by reiterating what the employee did well, communicating her confidence in their ability to improve. Another subtle but meaningful way Ory sets the stage for a productive performance review is by customizing the meeting’s logistics—in a nearby park if they are inspired by nature, or at a cafe of their choosing for a coffee connoisseur.
Before wrapping up a review, Ory also asks the team member for constructive criticism on her own performance as a manager. Just as important as asking the question, she notes, is listening openly to the response and taking action whenever possible. “Early on, I received feedback that an employee was looking for more autonomy,” she recalls. “At the time, I thought I was giving her quite a bit of room to carry out the tasks I had requested. But I discovered that I needed to shift from coming to her with a solution to bringing her a problem she could help me fix. Creating the solution herself added value, developed her skills and showcased her natural gifts.” It was a trust exercise of sorts—one that led to positive performance changes in both manager and employee. “I am not a perfect leader,” says Ory. “Being vulnerable and putting myself to task models my own growth mindset and creates space for my team to do the same.”
Homepage image: Children’s spaces don’t have to be childish—as evidenced by Ory’s use of an elevated limewash for a client’s son | Kelly Blackmon Photography for Emily Followill