1. Clarity and precision in performance reviews matter more than you think
Performance reviews should be simple and direct. Yet, most managers think they’re being helpful, while most employees walk away confused. The reason? Too much fluff, not enough clarity.
A review is far more than a pep talk or a vague list of strengths and weaknesses. It’s a blueprint for improvement. If feedback is unclear, employees won’t know what to do with it. A strong performance review should answer three questions: What’s working? What’s not? What’s next? If an employee can’t answer those after reading their review, the feedback has failed.
Here’s the mistake: managers either sugarcoat things or hide behind corporate jargon. It’s easy to say someone should “leverage cross-functional synergies.” But does that actually mean anything? No. Instead, say: “Talk to stakeholders earlier so they can give input before decisions are final.” Clear, useful, and actionable.
Performance reviews shouldn’t be riddles employees have to decode. Keep it simple. Keep it useful.
2. Ditch jargon and make feedback understandable
Managers are great at describing performance in normal conversations. They’ll tell you in a one-on-one, “Sarah needs to be more proactive in meetings.” But when they sit down to write the review, suddenly it turns into “Opportunities exist to proactively align contributions with cross-team collaboration efforts.” What happened?
Jargon happens. It sneaks in because we think it makes feedback sound more professional. It doesn’t—it makes it harder to understand. Employees don’t need a linguistic puzzle; they need clarity.
When writing a review, pretend the employee will only remember one sentence from your feedback. What do you want it to be? If that sentence is bloated with unnecessary words, rewrite it. Swap “Opportunities exist for improved time management” with “Deliver work on time.”
“Simple feedback is effective. If an employee understands exactly what to do, they’re more likely to do it.”
3. Stop balancing feedback and start being honest
One of the biggest mistakes in performance reviews is forced balance. Managers think every negative needs a positive to “soften the blow.” The result? A muddled message where employees don’t know if they’re doing great or failing.
If someone is performing at an A+ level, say so. If they’re falling short, don’t hide it behind praise. Employees don’t improve from hearing, “Your contributions are valuable, but there’s room for growth in execution.” What does that even mean? Instead, say: “You generate great ideas, but execution is inconsistent. Let’s work on delivering results more predictably.”
Being honest is being fair. Employees deserve to know where they stand. If someone is excelling, they should know. If someone is struggling, they should know that too—along with exactly what they need to do to turn things around.
4. Make performance reviews about the employee, not you
Most managers stress about performance reviews. What if the employee gets upset? What if I say the wrong thing? What if this ruins our working relationship?
Here’s the problem: every single one of those concerns starts with “I.” But performance reviews aren’t about the manager. They’re about the employee.
Instead of worrying about how you feel, focus on what they need. Shift from “How do I deliver this feedback?” to “How can this feedback help them improve?” That shift makes all the difference.
A practical way to do this? Let employees shape the conversation. Before the review, ask them what they want to get out of it. Their goals, their questions, their challenges. Then, tailor the discussion around that. Performance reviews should be focused on helping people grow.
5. Performance conversations should be two-way
A bad performance review feels like a lecture. The manager reads through feedback, the employee nods, and nothing changes. That’s not a conversation—that’s a waste of time.
Performance reviews should be interactive. If you were training someone on a new skill, you wouldn’t just talk at them for an hour. You’d ask questions, gauge their understanding, and adjust based on their responses. Why should performance conversations be any different?
Instead of talking at employees, talk with them. Ask open-ended questions like:
- “Which part of this feedback resonates with you the most?”
- “What’s a challenge you’ve faced this year that I might not know about?”
- “How can I support you in improving in this area?”
Engaging employees in the discussion not only ensures they understand the feedback, but also builds trust. People want to be heard, not just evaluated.
6. Feedback should be continuous
Here’s a crazy idea: what if performance reviews weren’t a once-a-year thing?
Most managers treat reviews like an annual check-in, dumping 12 months of feedback into a single conversation. That’s a terrible way to drive improvement. No one gets better from a yearly download of “Here’s what you should have done differently.”
Instead, make feedback a regular habit. Every one-on-one meeting should include a quick performance check-in:
- What’s going well?
- What needs improvement?
- What support do they need?
Keep a running log of feedback—not only for you, but also for the employee. A shared document with key takeaways makes sure nothing gets forgotten, and it makes the annual review a simple summary rather than a surprise.
Employees can’t fix what they don’t know. Keep feedback visible. Make it a conversation, not a yearly event.
Key executive takeaways
- Clarity in feedback drives performance: Employees can’t act on vague feedback. Avoid corporate jargon and deliver performance reviews in clear, direct language to ensure employees understand their strengths, weaknesses, and next steps.
- Ditch jargon for impactful reviews: Complex language muddies feedback. Use simple, precise wording that employees can immediately act on, making performance conversations more effective and less frustrating.
- Honest reviews beat balanced ones: Forced positivity weakens performance reviews. Be upfront about strengths and areas for improvement so employees know where they truly stand and what they need to change.
- Shift the focus from manager to employee: Performance reviews shouldn’t be about how comfortable a manager feels delivering feedback. Structure the conversation around the employee’s goals and development to maximize value.
- Make reviews a two-way discussion: A monologue-style review doesn’t drive change. Engage employees with open-ended questions and encourage dialogue to ensure they understand and act on feedback.
- Performance feedback should be continuous: Annual reviews fail when feedback is stored up for a year. Integrate real-time performance discussions into regular one-on-ones to keep employees aligned and growing.
