It's awkward from both sides: manager and direct report. But it doesn't have to be this way. At Staat, we try for performance reviews once a month but as the company grows this will transition into a weekly or bi-weekly initiative.
We're small and we all know each other fairly well, yet I felt I still needed some tool to break the ice and guide me for 1:1s. So I wanted to share with you a strategy I use that drives authentic relationship building and performance effectiveness.
The magic tool is a simple bulleted note that highlights:
If you read our take on how to give good feedback, then you know that each section should be an equal amount of bullet points.
By going through the exercise, you begin to really learn your teammate and at the end of the day, the performance of the team is largely dependent on how you understand your people and empower them to work together.
I keep a space in my private Notion where I simply duplicate and start over before each 1:1.
This can also be used if you want to take a "performance review lite" strategy. Throw this in an email and send it weekly or bi-weekly to your team.
If you're looking for 360° degree feedback, a simple Typeform can do the trick. Google's Manager Survey is a great place to start for how to ask specific questions for feedback. I suggest using a Likert scale and asking some of these questions:
These two tools will increase your ability to open conversation, answer big questions, and help everyone on your team chart a confident path to growth.
Do you have a tool that works well for you in driving 1:1s? Drop us a note and let us know so that we can share with the community: hello@staat.co