From Performance Reviews to Performance Growth
Consider this scenario: You’ve been training consistently at your local gym for three months, making steady progress and enjoying the process. Now, you’re given two options. In the first, a trainer observes your workout and provides a rating from 1 to 10 at the end, along with a brief explanation. In the second, the trainer accompanies you throughout the session, offering real-time feedback on your exercise selection, technique, and intensity—providing constructive suggestions without assigning a final score. Which approach would be more valuable to your growth?
Most people would choose the second option—because it offers helpful, developmental feedback in real time, allowing for immediate adjustments and growth. This illustrates the key difference between performance review and performance development. In the first scenario, the trainer is simply reviewing your performance and assigning a rating; in the second, the trainer is actively supporting your improvement throughout the process. Yet in many workplaces, we rely heavily on performance reviews—often conducted once or twice a year—and engage far less in the kind of continuous development that truly drives performance.
Performance Management Training Course for Managers
Managers today must focus more on developmental coaching and less on evaluation. When feedback, coaching, and support are continuous, formal reviews become less necessary—much like a fitness trainer who provides real-time guidance instead of just a score at the end of a workout. You wouldn’t miss the rating if you had expert input all along. The same is true in the workplace.
Effective performance management should centre around growth and development, not annual evaluations. Unfortunately, many training programs still concentrate on improving the review process instead of building core skills like coaching, feedback delivery, and meaningful support—skills at the heart of authentic leadership.
Forward-thinking organisations like GE, Microsoft, and Google are shifting away from traditional performance reviews toward continuous, conversation-based performance management. These companies are eliminating rigid rating systems and investing in regular one-on-one interactions, coaching moments, and developmental feedback. This approach not only makes sense—it works.
Yet many businesses still cling to outdated review rituals, which often create stress and conflict for employees, managers, and HR alike.
At WINNERS-at-WORK, we challenge this outdated model. Our performance management training programs are built around a developmental philosophy. We advocate replacing the review process entirely with our proven Five Conversations Framework—a structured, supportive, and results-focused approach to performance development.
Here below is an illustration of the framework
Five Conversations That Drive Performance
Our performance management training for managers centres around the Five Conversations Framework, designed to foster engagement, growth, and continuous improvement. Each conversation builds a stronger connection between leaders and their teams, while promoting a culture of performance development.
The framework includes:
- Climate Review Conversation: Understand how individuals perceive the workplace environment and identify ways to enhance team culture.
- Strengths and Talents Conversation: Recognise what employees do well and how their strengths can be leveraged more effectively.
- Opportunities for Growth Conversation: Explore areas where improvement is needed and set clear goals for performance enhancement.
- Learning and Development Conversation: Identify development needs and discuss plans for upskilling and career progression.
- Innovation and Continuous Improvement Conversation: Encourage fresh thinking, new ideas, and process improvements to boost overall performance.