Author: Julie Scardamaglia
Published: 29 November 2024
The end-of-year reviews loom, and in the midst of finishing projects, doing the accounts, and keeping up with the day-to-day, not to mention end-of-year celebrations, there just isn’t time.
But there must be time, because what some treat as the tick box end of a process can be the most important tool for not just keeping the team happy, but keeping them at all. We all know that once someone considers moving on, they generally do. And the EOY performance meeting can be the catalyst.
Which is not to say a good meeting will make up for failing to pay attention the rest of the year, but it can be the last straw, so to speak. If you haven’t been doing the following things all year, you might be in trouble:
If you haven’t been doing these things, don’t expect a bonus and the end-of-year party to make up for it, because it won’t. But a thoughtful and motivating review might. So here are a few things to think about.
It’s not time to speak about current operational matters. That’s for the weekly meeting. In the performance review meeting you will, of course, call out the team member’s achievements and celebrate them. But your team is looking for way more than a pat on the back. They’re looking for meaning in their working life, for the difference they make beyond the billable hour.
The review process asks team members to reflect on their own year and aspirations. When we talk to teams, if we dig deep enough, we always find misalignment on expectations, values, motivation, or experience. This isn't trying to upset the applecart, just asking the right questions to uncover what team members are really thinking and feeling. Because if you don't know about it, you can't fix it. The fix is often simple, while the consequences of unmet expectations can be significant on the team, the firm, and the clients.
So, think holistically from your team member’s point of view. What are their future desires and opportunities? Talk about how you can help make those things happen, and what the team member can do to make them happen better and faster.
Give voice to their future. This doesn’t have to be a promotion, that’s not what everyone is ready or looking for. But almost everyone is looking to learn and to do new and different things. To enjoy their work, grow, and meet personal challenges. To have something to look forward to that excites them. Above all, people want to be valued.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a star performer, don’t make the mistake of telling them just to keep doing what they’re doing. Even more than others, high achievers are motivated by challenge and growth and demotivated by routine.
In short, think about each of your people, what motivates them individually, and how you can help with that. The last thing you want to do is send them off to a period when they have plenty of time to think about what’s next without some firm ideas. It’s important to have contributed to that thinking in a positive way.
The same goes for your clients, of course, but that’s the topic for next week.
Author: Julie Scardamaglia
Published: 29 November 2024
The end-of-year reviews loom, and in the midst of finishing projects, doing the accounts, and keeping up with the day-to-day, not to mention end-of-year celebrations, there just isn’t time.
But there must be time, because what some treat as the tick box end of a process can be the most important tool for not just keeping the team happy, but keeping them at all. We all know that once someone considers moving on, they generally do. And the EOY performance meeting can be the catalyst.
Which is not to say a good meeting will make up for failing to pay attention the rest of the year, but it can be the last straw, so to speak. If you haven’t been doing the following things all year, you might be in trouble:
If you haven’t been doing these things, don’t expect a bonus and the end-of-year party to make up for it, because it won’t. But a thoughtful and motivating review might. So here are a few things to think about.
It’s not time to speak about current operational matters. That’s for the weekly meeting. In the performance review meeting you will, of course, call out the team member’s achievements and celebrate them. But your team is looking for way more than a pat on the back. They’re looking for meaning in their working life, for the difference they make beyond the billable hour.
The review process asks team members to reflect on their own year and aspirations. When we talk to teams, if we dig deep enough, we always find misalignment on expectations, values, motivation, or experience. This isn't trying to upset the applecart, just asking the right questions to uncover what team members are really thinking and feeling. Because if you don't know about it, you can't fix it. The fix is often simple, while the consequences of unmet expectations can be significant on the team, the firm, and the clients.
So, think holistically from your team member’s point of view. What are their future desires and opportunities? Talk about how you can help make those things happen, and what the team member can do to make them happen better and faster.
Give voice to their future. This doesn’t have to be a promotion, that’s not what everyone is ready or looking for. But almost everyone is looking to learn and to do new and different things. To enjoy their work, grow, and meet personal challenges. To have something to look forward to that excites them. Above all, people want to be valued.
And if you’re lucky enough to have a star performer, don’t make the mistake of telling them just to keep doing what they’re doing. Even more than others, high achievers are motivated by challenge and growth and demotivated by routine.
In short, think about each of your people, what motivates them individually, and how you can help with that. The last thing you want to do is send them off to a period when they have plenty of time to think about what’s next without some firm ideas. It’s important to have contributed to that thinking in a positive way.
The same goes for your clients, of course, but that’s the topic for next week.
