Quick Feedback More Important Than Formal Performance Reviews

Source: Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders

Following are excerpts from a blog entry by Rita Keller, reproduced with permission.

While it seems that most CPA firms conduct their annual performance review process in the summer, there are some who still hold-off until December or early January to give formal feedback on performance to their team members.

I used to believe very strongly that an annual performance review is an ABSOLUTE must and that people will sink into the land of poor performance and poor attitudes if they don't hear, hopefully more often than annually, how they are doing and if they are meeting expectations.

While I still believe that LOTS of feedback is important (I like to see formal feedback given at least 3 times per year), I believe immediate feedback, especially if something needs improvement, is much more important than any formal, sit-down, go-thru-the-forms process.

I urge you to follow this link and read a recent article on The Juggle blog (a Wall Street Journal site dedicated to juggling work and family). Here's an excerpt:

Carol Bartz, chief executive of Yahoo, assailed the entire performance review process in a recent interview in the New York Times. Ms. Bartz says she would rather skip annual performance reviews altogether in favor of telling someone right away when they perform poorly. “When the puppy pees on the carpet, you say something right then because you don't say six months later, ‘Remember that day, January 12th, when you peed on the carpet?' That doesn't make sense,” she is quoted as saying. She prefers more instant response: “This is what's on my mind. This is quick feedback.” Then she moves on to the next thing. Many young workers, in particular, prefer quicker and more frequent feedback than the annual review affords them.

To read the entire blog entry, click here.

From Possibilities for CPA Firm Leaders, the blog of Rita Keller, president of Keller Advisors, LLC, [email protected], November 19, 2009, “Is No Performance Review An Improvement Over What You Do Now?” Visit http://cpamanagement.blogspot.com.