The Compass
Reflections, strategies, and real leadership insights to help you navigate change, challenge, and growth.
Performance Reviews Are Broken. So Let’s Fix Them
I’ve been through more performance reviews than I care to admit.
Every year, it was the same routine; a polite one-hour autopsy of the past year, filled with vague feedback, forced ratings, and the obligatory “areas for development” that no one ever followed up on.
It always felt more like a ceremony than a conversation.
So, let’s call it: performance reviews are broken. But instead of just complaining about it, here’s how to rebuild something that actually works.
Why Protecting a Toxic Performer Is the Fastest Way to Erode Your Culture
Every leader has encountered that person.
They hit every target, dominate client meetings, bring in new business, and consistently “deliver results.” On the surface, they’re a dream hire. But look more closely, and you’ll see the signs: junior staffers avoiding eye contact, nervous laughter in meetings, high turnover in their team, and a growing sense of emotional tension that no KPI dashboard can measure.