Setting Up Regular Check-Ins for Open Feedback

Last year at Goldman Sachs, I had the chance to run a session for new analysts on making the most of end year performance reviews. Thought of sharing some key points I covered here: > Schedule MONTHLY check-ins with your manager. Performance conversations should happen consistently throughout the year, not just during formal review cycles. > Discuss career trajectory openly. Use these sessions to align your professional goals with (a) team goals and (b) your manager's expectations. You must identify skills needed for your role and partner with your manager to upskill. > Document feedback and create action plans. Track what's discussed in these sessions and convert *areas of improvement* into SPECIFIC development goals for the following month. > Proactively request skill-building opportunities. You can use these regular touchpoints to ask for projects that align with your development areas and career objectives. > Follow up with written summaries. While you may have one or two managers, your manager likely oversees an entire team. Sending a brief recap of key discussion points and agreed-upon action items (within 24 hours) helps ensure alignment and demonstrates your commitment. The analysts who applied these pointers came back later telling me how helpful these were. Instead of going with the flow, they had productive conversations about their growth and next steps! 🙂 Perhaps a controversial tip💡: Whether you're an analyst or managing a team, these regular conversations matter more than any formal review process ever will. #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #PerformanceManagement #ProfessionalGrowth #GoldmanSachs

Annual reviews feel stale and out of touch. Real impact comes from continuous growth conversations—quick, meaningful check-ins that drive engagement, performance, and results. 𝚆̲𝚑̲𝚢̲ ̲𝙸̲𝚝̲ ̲𝚆̲𝚘̲𝚛̲𝚔̲𝚜̲ 𝟭. 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗹-𝗧𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝗥𝗼𝗰𝗸𝘀 No more waiting a year to course-correct. Immediate feedback means employees can improve now, not later. 𝟮. 𝗘𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 𝗦𝗼𝗮𝗿𝘀 Frequent chats show employees they’re valued and supported. Engaged people = better work. 𝟯. 𝗚𝗼𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘆 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗮𝗻𝘁 Ongoing updates keep goals aligned with shifting business priorities. No more outdated plans. 𝙷̲𝚘̲𝚠̲ ̲𝚝̲𝚘̲ ̲𝚂̲𝚝̲𝚊̲𝚛̲𝚝̲ 𝟭. 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗰𝗸, 𝗥𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗖𝗵𝗲𝗰𝗸-𝗜𝗻𝘀 Weekly or biweekly. Keep it short but impactful. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: “What’s one thing that’s going well? What’s one challenge I can help with?” 𝟮. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵 Balance tasks with career development. Help employees level up. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Suggest a new project to build leadership skills. 𝟯. 𝗖𝗲𝗹𝗲𝗯𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 Catch someone doing great work? Call it out right away. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: “I loved how you handled that client issue—great thinking!” Small Moves, Big Payoffs 𝟭. 𝗕𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝗧𝗲𝗮𝗺 𝗗𝘆𝗻𝗮𝗺𝗶𝗰𝘀 More trust, less drama. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Weekly chats reveal overlapping tasks. Fixing it clears confusion. 𝟮. 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗶𝘁𝘆 Fast feedback keeps work on point. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Early tweaks to a project saves hours of rework later. 𝟯. 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Happy employees stick around. Fewer replacements = big savings. 𝘌𝘹𝘢𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦: Regular check-ins drop turnover by 15%, keeping star players in the game. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗺 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 Frequent conversations aren’t just nicer—they’re smarter. Start with a 10-minute check-in this week. Watch how small changes spark big results—for your team and your business.

Annual performance reviews waste 12 months of potential growth. I've seen it countless times — talented teams stuck in a feedback drought for 364 days, then drowning in a flood of evaluation on day 365. Let's be honest: 🚫 What could have been corrected in January festers until December. 🚫 What deserved celebration in March is forgotten by November. 🚫 What needed redirection in June becomes a crisis by year-end. HR leaders, there's a better way. Scrap the annual marathon and implement "quarterly 15-minute check-ins" instead. Yes, just 15 minutes every 90 days between managers and their team members. No massive write-ups, no dread-inducing meetings — just frequent, human conversations focused on growth. Here's why this creates exponential improvement: ➡️ Problems get addressed when they're still small ➡️ Wins get celebrated while they're still fresh ➡️ Trust builds through consistent communication ➡️ Development becomes continuous, not annual ➡️ Managers spend less time writing, more time leading The data confirms what we already feel: 80% of employees say immediate feedback is more effective than annual reviews, yet only 28% of companies have modernized their approach. Try this with one team this quarter. Give them a simple framework:  → 5 minutes: What's working well?  → 5 minutes: What needs adjustment?  → 5 minutes: Focus for next quarter? Watch engagement rise within weeks — no 20-page evaluation needed. P.S. What's holding your company back from breaking the annual review cycle? ♻️ Repost if this speaks to how you're building your culture.

Leaders often ask: “How often should I give #feedback?” The field evidence says: more is better—and there’s no saturation point. In a multi-industry study, employees tracked the actual number of feedback conversations they had over 3 weeks (average 3.8). Their managers rated performance for the same period. The result: each additional conversation was linked to higher performance and higher job satisfaction. The curve never bent downward, even at 10+ conversations. Stronger manager–employee relationship boosted the gains. A follow-up analysis ruled out “high performers just get more feedback.” My advice for leaders: Stop rationing feedback. Regular beats ad-hockery, and frequent beats sporadic. Make brief, specific check-ins part of the daily rhythm of work. Source: https://lnkd.in/egUT284A

Your team's silence isn't golden. It's dangerous. In financial services, leading without feedback is like flying blind in a thunderstorm. You think everything's fine until you're already crashing. 😞 That quiet compliance officer who never speaks up? They're sitting on a dozen red flags. The loan officer who just nods and agrees? They've spotted client patterns that could save you millions. The analyst who seems "totally fine" with everything? They're polishing their resume. 💡 Here’s what I learned after missing early warnings from a junior analyst about reporting errors. It wasn’t malicious. They just didn’t feel safe speaking up. By the time it surfaced, compliance had already flagged us, and it turned into a fire drill that burned weeks of time and credibility. Silence doesn't mean agreement. It means fear. Disengagement. Or worse, they've already mentally quit. The cost isn't just morale. It's compliance failures you never saw coming. Risk exposures that blindside your board. Talent walking out the door without warning. Here’s how the smartest financial leaders are building feedback cultures that actually protect their firms: ✅ Weekly Feedback Sprints → 15-minute check-ins focused on "What could derail us?" → No status reports, just obstacles and early warnings → Create safety to surface problems while they're still small ✅ Anonymous Quarterly Channels → Digital tools for compliance concerns and culture red flags → Act on patterns, not individual complaints → Report back: "Here's what we heard and what we changed" ✅ Leader Office Hours → Weekly 20-minute slots anyone can book → No agenda required, no performance reviews → Just real conversations that build trust ✅ 360 Check-Ins (Semi-Annual) → Feedback from peers, reports, and key clients → Focus on leadership impact, not personality → Turn insights into concrete development plans ✅ Micro-Recognition for Speaking Up → Publicly acknowledge when feedback changes decisions → "Thanks to Maria's insight, we caught this risk early" → Show your team that their voice has real impact Feedback isn't a nice-to-have in financial services. It's your early warning system for everything from SEC violations to culture breakdown to your best people heading for the exit. The firms that master feedback don't just survive regulatory scrutiny. They thrive because their people actually tell them what's happening. 💬 What’s the biggest barrier stopping your team from giving you honest feedback? ♻️ Share if this resonates, your insight could help others retain their best. ➕ Follow Rene Madden for more strategies on leadership, culture, and making chaos optional P.S. - Don't forget to sign up for my free webinar this Friday at noon est. on Delegation without Micromanaging - https://lnkd.in/gBSyqNRJ

Annual reviews don’t drive performance. They slow it down. Here’s why these corporate rituals need to die: 1/ They look in the rear view mirror ↳ Judging past performance doesn't drive future growth ↳ By the time feedback arrives, it's often stale and too late to act 💡 Replace with quarterly growth conversations 2/ They create unnecessary stress ↳ 70% of employees feel disengaged after a review ↳ Anxiety blocks learning and innovation 💡 Switch to continuous coaching conversations 3/ They judge a year in one day ↳ Recent events overshadow 11 months of work ↳ One mistake near the review can eclipse consistent performance all year 💡 Use data-driven check-ins throughout the year 4/ They waste a lot of time ↳ Managers spend weeks on paperwork and calibration meetings ↳ Yet only 14% of employees feel reviews inspire them to improve 💡 Invest those hours in real-time mentoring instead 5/ They stifle individual growth ↳ Cookie-cutter assessments miss unique strengths ↳ Standard metrics flatten out creativity and innovation 💡 Shift to personalised growth plans that reflect real strengths The modern approach: ✅ Small, frequent check-ins ✅ Real-time feedback and course corrections ✅ Development tailored to individual strengths ✅ Technology that tracks progress continuously Tools that make it work: ↳ Use lightweight platforms for weekly check-ins and goal tracking ↳ Instant feedback tools built into your daily comms (like Slack or Teams) ↳ Project trackers that make visible progress across teams ↳ People platforms that support 360-degree feedback and growth planning Stop living in the past. Start building a feedback culture that actually works. 💬 Which of these 5 problems hit closest to home? ♻️ Share to help others escape outdated practices 👉 Follow Maryann (MJ) for daily career insights

3𝗿𝗱 𝗘𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝘄𝗲𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 - Strategies 𝗞𝗲𝘆 𝗜𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁: Feedback is a cornerstone of personal and professional growth, yet it needs to be more understood and applied. By reimagining our approach to feedback, we can transform it from a source of anxiety into a catalyst for collaboration and improvement. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗜𝘁 𝗠𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘀: Effective feedback encourages an environment of continuous learning and mutual respect. It breaks down hierarchical barriers, encourages open communication, and drives innovation. When done right, feedback becomes the lifeblood of high-performing teams and organizations. 𝗛𝗼𝘄 𝗜𝘁 𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝘀: To harness the true power of feedback, consider these key strategies: 1. 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐀𝐒 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤:    Introduce the "Support, Advice, or Solution" model. Begin feedback sessions by asking, "Do you need my support or advice?" This simple question can dramatically alter the course of your conversation. 2. 𝐄𝐧𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐋𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐤𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐬:    Resist the urge to immediately offer solutions. Instead, focus on understanding the other person's perspective fully before responding. 3. 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐄𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐈𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞:    Use language that acknowledges emotions and experiences. This approach creates a safe space for open dialogue and reduces defensiveness. 4. 𝐄𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐡 𝐅𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐑𝐡𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐦𝐬:    Create regular opportunities for exchanging feedback. These could be weekly check-ins or monthly retrospectives, tailored to your team's needs. 5. 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐨𝐭𝐞 𝐚 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠-𝐎𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐂𝐮𝐥𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞:    Encourage viewing challenges as learning opportunities. This mindset shift can turn potential conflicts into chances for collective growth. 6. 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐠𝐧𝐢𝐳𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐑𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐲 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐨𝐧 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐩𝐬:    Be aware of the tendency to jump to problem-solving. If you catch yourself doing this, pause and redirect the conversation to understand needs better. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗶𝗴𝗴𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗶𝗰𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲: By mastering these strategies, we can transform feedback from a one-way directive into a two-way dialogue. This approach not only solves immediate issues but also builds stronger, more resilient relationships and teams. 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗺𝗯𝗲𝗿: The most impactful feedback isn't about having all the answers, but about asking the right questions. It's about creating an environment where everyone feels empowered to contribute, learn, and grow together. This collaborative approach to feedback doesn't just improve performance—it builds a culture of trust, innovation, and shared success. #Feedback #Growth #Strategy #Professional #PersonalGrowth #Development #PersonalBrand #CriticalThinking #Inspire

✨ Feedback Friday ✨ - An "Open Door" is not enough. “My door’s always open.” … we’ve all heard it. Most of us have probably said it. But if no one’s walking through that open door, it’s not a policy - it’s a performance. The uncomfortable truth? Your ‘open door’ doesn’t mean a thing if people don’t feel safe stepping through it. Let’s talk about why 'Open Door' policies flop - even with the best intentions: 💼 Power dynamics are real. You might feel approachable, but you're still "the boss" (or "HR"). That’s a built-in intimidation factor. 🎯 They put the burden on employees. You’re expecting people to take the emotional risk, raise their hand, and potentially piss off the boss? Bold of you. 🧠 They solve for logistics, not psychology. An open door doesn’t fix fear, doubt, or past experiences of being shut down. 🚪 One bad reaction slams that door shut. It takes one “Thanks, but no thanks” or defensive reaction to make folks go silent for good. So what actually works? Two words: 𝐏𝐬𝐲𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥. 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲. That magical ingredient where people know they won’t be punished or humiliated for speaking up - even when it’s uncomfortable. Want to create that kind of culture? Do this instead: 🔍 Go first. Share your own mistakes. Admit when you're unsure. Ask for help. Show you're human before expecting honesty from others. 🗣 Proactively seek feedback. Don’t just wait for someone to knock. Set up regular check-ins. Use prompts like, “What’s one thing we’re getting wrong?” Reach out to the quiet ones. 🤝 Respond like a pro. When someone brings tough news, thank them. Stay curious. Focus on solving, not blaming. Your reaction sets the tone. 📣 Offer multiple ways to speak up. Anonymous surveys. Skip-levels. Team retros. Whatever it takes to remove blockers and reduce the risk. 📈 Close the loop. If someone gives feedback, show them what changed - or at least explain why it didn’t. Visibility builds trust. Here’s the real measure of psychological safety: Not whether your door is “open” - but whether people use it, regularly, for the real stuff. If no one's talking, the door isn’t the problem. The culture is. #PsychologicalSafety #FeedbackFriday #OpenDoorPolicy

I've learned one universal truth: everyone has performance ups and downs. The best leaders? They don't wait for a full-blown crisis. They spot the early signs and have those crucial conversations before things spiral. Here's my framework for helping a team member get back on track: 1. The "What's Up?" Chat (Week 1-2)   • Leader: Set up a casual one-on-one. Listen more than you talk.   • Team Member: Be honest about what's not working. It's okay to admit struggles.    Tip: Use open-ended questions like "What's your biggest challenge right now?" Consider having this chat outside your office - grabbing a coffee can change the dynamic. 2. Game Plan (Week 3-4)   • Leader: Work together to set clear, doable goals. Reset expectations as needed. Be specific about what needs to change.   • Team Member: Speak up about what you need to succeed. Own your part in the plan.   Tip: Break larger goals into weekly tasks. Stretch the team member but don't break them. 3. Support and Resources (Ongoing)   • Leader: Connect them with a mentor. Provide the tools they need.   • Team Member: Use these resources. Ask for help when you need it.   Tip: Consider personality assessments to identify strengths and growth areas. 4. Regular Check-Ins   • Leader: Regular catch-ups. Give honest feedback – good and bad.   • Team Member: Come prepared. Be open to feedback and ready to adjust.   Tip: Use the "situation-behavior-impact" model, and ask, "What would you do differently next time?" It promotes problem-solving, not just reflection. 5. One Month In: Quick temperature check • Discuss what is working and what additional resources or support is needed. 6. Three Months In: Bigger picture review • Discuss overall progress and expectations where performance has improved. 7. Six Month Milestone: Decision time   • If performance is better: Celebrate and plan next steps   • If not: Have an honest talk about whether this role is the right fit Remember: 🔸 Keep talking. Silence doesn't help anyone. 🔸 Leaders guide, but team members drive their own improvement. 🔸 Write stuff down – it keeps everyone on the same page. 🔸 We're all human. Patience and fairness go a long way. Watch out for inflated progress reporting. Stay engaged to see real progress. Look for tangible results, not just promises. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. But giving someone a fair shot to turn things around? That's good leadership. Leaders – ever helped someone bounce back? What worked? How did you ensure genuine progress? Share below!

💣𝗛𝗥 𝗠𝘆𝘁𝗵 #10: “𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗮𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗲𝗻𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵.” Here’s a classic line I hear from bosses. Yesterday we talked about the need for Performance Reviews, which led to today's, how much is enough? 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗿'𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 “We review staff performance once a year during appraisal. That’s enough.” Not entirely correct. Annual reviews are outdated especially for small, fast-moving teams. 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲'𝘀 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 "I really don't know what's going on, I'm flying in pitch darkness" 𝗟𝗲𝘁’𝘀 𝗯𝗲 𝗵𝗼𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘁 How much can you accurately recall from 11 months ago? How useful is delayed feedback to your staff? If there is underperformance since March but only hears about it in December, you’ve lost 9 months of progress. Worst is, it can be construed as condonation to take action, which can also be ingrained as an accepted practice. 𝗪𝗵𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗱𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝗮𝗻𝘆𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲? - Feedback comes too late to correct anything - Employees feel anxious - Surprises lead to demotivation - No regular tracking of goals or growth - It becomes a tick-box exercise, not a conversation 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗯𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗲𝘀 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗱𝗼 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗮𝗱 Move to a continuous feedback culture. This doesn’t mean adding more paperwork or systems. It means creating regular touchpoints to check in, realign and support your people. 𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝘁𝗿𝘆 1. Monthly 1-on-1 check-ins; just 20–30 minutes per team member “What’s going well? What’s not? How can I support you?” 2. Quarterly reviews; Focus on results, behavior & development Shorter and more specific than the year-end review 3. Real-time feedback; Praise good work on the spot Give gentle correction when mistakes happen 4. Set & review short-term goals; Break big KPIs into monthly or quarterly chunks Keep everyone aligned and accountable Real story: An operations exec kept getting a “3/5” in the annual appraisal. Thought it meant OK. Boss thought barely acceptable. No one said anything all year. Result? Staff unmotivated Boss frustrated Eventually the ops exec left, felt unvalued; this could’ve been avoided with monthly check-ins and mid-year conversations. 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗳𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗼𝗳 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝘂𝗹𝗮𝗿 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 🚀Faster performance improvement 🤝Better manager-employee relationships 💬Higher engagement and job satisfaction 🔍Early detection of problems before they grow Remember, Feedback doesn’t have to be formal. It has to be frequent, focused, fair and documented. A quick WhatsApp note saying, “Great job with the proposal today it was clear and well-structured,” can do wonders. Annual reviews are a summary, not the main show. Don’t make your staff wait 12 months to know how they’re doing. Help them grow every week, every month, every quarter. That’s how you build a high-performing team. ******** I am Kevin Goh, Empowering People & Businesses | Building Modern HR for the Evolving Workplace