Honestly, I’d argue that performance reviews do more harm than good…
Honestly, I’d argue that performance reviews do more harm than good. They’re built on the belief that people only grow when they’re measured, rated, or corrected. But that’s a story of control, not trust.
When you sit someone down once or twice a year to “evaluate” them, you’re really saying: I own the definition of your worth here. That might produce compliance, but never commitment. Real accountability doesn’t come from being reviewed, it comes from being in relationship with one another, where people care about their impact and feel free to name it.
Performance reviews keep power with the boss. They divide us into the judges and the judged. They make adults feel like children waiting for approval. And they confuse measurement with meaning. If we believe something isn’t real until we can score it, we’ll miss all the things that actually make work come alive: trust, curiosity, generosity, and courage.
The alternative isn’t to get rid of feedback, it’s to make it mutual. Replace “How are you performing for me?” with “How are we doing together?” Make the conversation about learning and contribution, not rating. Ask questions like:
What promises are we making to each other?
What support do we need to keep them?
What gifts have we noticed in each other this season?
That kind of conversation builds a culture of partnership, not evaluation. People don’t need to be managed into greatness; they need to be invited into it.