The People Success Circle
The People Success Circle is your source of strategies for creating thriving workplaces and careers.
Join me bi-weekly for thoughtful conversations on how to drive business growth, enhance employee engagement, and achieve personal and organizational success.
With over 28 years of experience as an HR leader, I’ve seen firsthand that when companies prioritize people, profits follow. Yet, we’re facing a crisis in employee engagement and well-being.
Each Wednesday, this podcast we’ll explore how businesses can turn the tide, fostering environments where employees feel valued, confident, and inspired to contribute their best.
But this isn’t just for business leaders—The People Success Circle also serves individuals seeking more fulfilling, rewarding careers. Whether you’re looking to land your dream job or thrive in your current role, we’ll dive into proven strategies for professional growth and career satisfaction.
From building confidence to aligning your work with your values, get ready to unlock full potential!
Visit www.limerockcareerco.com to learn more, and listen every Wednesday to transform your business and career.
The People Success Circle
Annual Performance Reviews Are Not Effective (And What to Do Instead)
When was the last time you walked into an annual performance review feeling excited, seen, and supported?
If your answer is “never”…you’re not alone.
In this solo episode of People Success Circle, I’m making the case that the traditional once-a-year performance review is no longer serving employees, managers, or the business—and it’s time we stop pretending it is.
After 28+ years in HR and leadership, I’ve read thousands of reviews across industries and company sizes. What I see over and over again is this: we’re putting incredible pressure on a single conversation that happens once a year in a world that changes weekly. Goals are outdated, memories are fuzzy, and employees often feel blindsided instead of supported.
So what does work?
A modern, human approach built on quarterly reviews, meaningful one on one meetings, and clear, living performance goals.
Key Topics Discussed:
- Why the traditional performance review is “dead” (and how it actually hurts engagement)
- The real purpose of performance evaluation beyond “filling out a form”
- How to review performance in a way that feels timely, specific, and fair
- A simple 3-layer system: quarterly check-ins, semi-annual summaries, and weekly/bi-weekly 1 on 1s
- What to cover in a quarterly performance review (and why quarterly is the sweet spot)
- How to run effective one on one meetings with employees (agenda, notes, next steps)
- Practical performance review tips so employees don’t feel blindsided
- How to create goals and write SMART goals that actually match today’s work
- Using workplace feedback as a leadership superpower—not a once-a-year event
- What to do if your company still requires an annual employee appraisal (and how to layer in better performance tracking anyway)
My goal in this episode is simple:
To help you move from “dreaded annual task” to an ongoing rhythm of employee feedback and leadership conversations that improve performance and trust.
If you’ve been wondering how to conduct a performance review people actually find helpful—this is your roadmap.
✨ Interested in modernizing your performance review process?
My team at Lime Rock Consulting helps organizations build simple, sustainable systems with quarterly reviews, effective one on one meetings, and clear performance goals that align with business strategy.
If this episode resonated with you:
Share it with a fellow leader or HR partner, leave a 5-star review, and subscribe so more workplaces can replace check-the-box reviews with conversations that truly help people grow.
People Success Playbook: https://limerockconsulting.myflodesk.com/peoplesuccessplaybook
Company Website: www.limerockcareerco.com
Speaking Website: www.mindyeast.com