"OH! In a couples ice dancing surprise, the judges scored a 9 for skills, but a 3 for presentation." Have you worked with that colleague who got the work done, did it well, and no one liked to work with them? Conversely, have you ever heard this about a colleague, "Yeah, they're not the best at their job, but everyone loves them." Asking whether annual performance reviews should examine behavior OR results is similar to asking if you should evaluate your vehicle based on braking or steering. Most drivers are going to want both features. But, this is one of the kinds of things leaders face. How to engage a meaningful performance review process that is standardized for consistency, but applied to all different types of people. Here are some considerations: Behavior vs. Results - It's not just about the numbers. Understand and evaluate how goals are achieved, considering both the quantitative and qualitative aspects of performance. Performance Reviews Should Never Be a Surprise - Regular feedback is essential. Ensure that your team members know where they stand throughout the year to avoid surprises during annual reviews. Leadership Responsibility - Underperformance often reflects leadership issues. Regularly check in with your team, provide clarity, and support their development to foster a culture of continuous improvement. "Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler." - Albert Einstein Any leadership responsibility, including annual performance reviews, is typically complex. That doesn't mean that most things cannot be simplified. And, complex things should not be over-simplified to the point of losing meaning or purpose. The No More Leadership BS team has seen how performance evaluations are over-simplified to the point of losing importance. Example, if the scale is 0-5, but no one can earn a 5, what does the scale even mean? The Team has also experienced the ebb and flow of assessing HOW a person does their job and WHAT they accomplish. The debate and discussion provides insight to the complexity as well as the clarity that can be deployed to fully consider a fair and effective evaluation process. How can you ensure your role in annual performance reviews is more robust and less regimented?