Annual performance reviews can either strengthen relationships or strain them. What makes the difference? Often, it’s whether the conversation feels like a partnership or an evaluation.
The most trust-building reviews begin with connection. Before diving into goals, ratings, or metrics, take a moment to lead with curiosity and care.
When your opening message is, “I’m here to understand and support you,” employees feel safe, respected, and open to dialogue.
Shift from Evaluation to Conversation
Let’s start with one simple shift: move from evaluation to conversation.
Managers can start with one simple shift: moving from evaluation to conversation.
You can make that shift by asking questions that acknowledge the person behind the performance:
- “What work has felt most energizing for you—and why?”
- “Where do you feel underutilized?”
- “What support would help you do your best work?”
These open-ended questions invite honest reflection—not surface-level answers. They also help you understand someone’s strengths, challenges, and engagement in a deeper, more meaningful way.
Explore Aspirations and Retention Without Calling It Either
Performance reviews are a natural opportunity to explore where someone hopes to grow. Listen for where enthusiasm rises, and ask questions like:
- “What skills or roles do you want to develop this year?”
- “Where would you love to stretch or contribute next?”
- “What kind of work feels most meaningful to you right now?”
Employees feel valued when leaders show interest in their future—not just their past performance. This not only strengthens trust —it can also surface early signs of disengagement before they turn into surprises.
Invite Feedback About Your Leadership
Trust grows when feedback flows in both directions. Managers can set the example by asking:
- “What’s one thing I could do differently to better support you?”
The key is to listen fully—without explaining, correcting, or defending. When leaders act on input, even small shifts can have a big impact on trust and respect.
Navigating Compensation With Transparency
If compensation comes up, meet the question with openness—not discomfort. Explore what’s behind the concern—recognition, growth, or clarity. When leaders are honest about how decisions are made and what progress might look like, trust stays intact even if change cannot happen immediately.
For Employees: Don’t Take a Passive Seat
Employees – don’t sit back and let the review happen to you. You can shape the quality of the review, too. Come prepared to share accomplishments, lessons learned, and where you want to grow next. When employees approach the conversation as a partner—not a recipient—trust and alignment deepen.
Performance reviews don’t have to be stressful, scripted moments. With curiosity, connection, and openness, they become opportunities to strengthen relationships, build commitment, and reinforce the sense of mutual care that fuels high-trust teams.
If you’d like more practical tools for making everyday conversations trust-building conversations, our new book, The Art of Trust Building: Transforming Lives, Teams, and Organizations, is now available for preorder.
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Simply forward your preorder confirmation to Reina@ReinaTrustBuilding.com, and you’ll receive your assessment link as soon as it is live.