Mini-masterclass with Rachael Fitzjohn, people & culture expert from Emerging Engines.
No Surprises, Please.
Regular, honest conversations build trust, and when people know where they stand, they feel valued and motivated to improve. Performance reviews should never be a surprise. They should summarise ongoing conversations, not introduce new feedback.
Rachael Fitzjohn brings her practical people experience spanning corporates and startups to tackle performance reviews. As an executive people leader at Emerging Engines, she navigates complex workplaces on a daily basis and knows how to build cultures and rituals that work:
1️⃣ No surprises: Make feedback regular with monthly/quarterly check-ins (beyond your regular one-on-ones).
2️⃣ Clarity over judgment: ‘Three deadlines were missed, I’d like to work together to improve’ instead of ‘You’ve been disappointing’.
3️⃣ Two-way street: Ask ‘What do you need from me?’ and really listen.
4️⃣ Separate pay from growth: Be clear which conversation you’re having.
5️⃣ End with action: End with 2-3 clear takeaways with a follow-up plan.
Working within a fixed performance system?You might not control the process, but you can control the experience by getting really curious and focusing on outcomes over ratings. A framework is just scaffolding – you create the human experience inside.
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