Performance Management: Turning Feedback into Growth
Performance Management: Turning Feedback into Growth
Performance management is more than an annual review—it’s an ongoing process that shapes how employees deliver outcomes, grow and succeed. At the center of this process is constructive feedback, which helps bridge the gaps between someone’s expected level of performance, where they are today, and where they can be tomorrow. But feedback alone isn’t enough. Without the right training, even well-intentioned feedback can feel like criticism rather than an opportunity for development.
Constructive feedback clarifies expectations, builds confidence, and encourages accountability. But giving and receiving feedback is a skill that requires practice. Effective training helps managers and employees learn how to deliver messages with clarity and impact, frame feedback appropriately, elicit buy-in, and respond to questions and challenges. These skills transform feedback from a one-time event into an ongoing dialogue that drives performance.
Making Reviews Meaningful
Performance reviews should never feel like a surprise. They work best when they’re part of a continuous process supported by clear documentation and goal-setting. When feedback focuses on performance standards and specifics, rather than personalities, and leads to actionable steps, employees feel empowered rather than judged. Great feedback conversations include examples of the larger organizational impacts of non-performance, the employee’s own input and a follow-up plan. Finally, the consequences of continued performance lapses should also be covered. Seyfarth at Work’s Managing Within the Law helps managers ensure that these conversations are productive and forward-looking, not just formalities.
The Impact of 1:1 Coaching
One of the most powerful ways to improve their feedback is through personalized coaching sessions for managers. Imagine sitting down with a professional who understands your role and provides practical guidance tailored to your needs. Seyfarth at Work’s 1:1 Coaching Sessions create a safe space to ask questions, hear real-world examples, and enhance your ability to effectively and meaningfully communicate feedback to others. Coaching sessions build confidence and competence, turning your efforts at employee feedback into a tool for real growth rather than a source of stress.
Performance management thrives when feedback is constructive, consistent, and supported by training. Investing in feedback training and personalized coaching doesn’t just improve performance—it fosters a culture of trust, engagement, and continuous development. Have you considered training to make your company’s performance management more impactful? Have you considered Seyfarth at Work?