Performance reviews are a way for us to ground and formalize the ongoing feedback (see real-time feedback below) we share with one another. The bi-annual review process is not meant to replace the candid, continual guidance we give each other in real-time, but rather supplement and enhance our understanding of what we are doing well and what we can consciously work on in order to develop professionally.
Our review process is driven by our management principle of radical candor. In contextualizing what this means in regards to giving structured feedback it is important to understand the below two definitions:
Ruinous Empathy - The tendency for individuals to avoid tough, but necessary conversations, for the sake of being 'nice.' This can take the form of withholding constructive feedback, lying about performance, or offering empty pats on the back. Ruinous Empathy runs counter to our value of transparency and integrity, and hinders team members seeking growth. Read more about Ruinous Empathy here.
Manipulative Insincerity - Praise that is insincere and often driven by ulterior motives, or vague criticism that is neither kind nor helpful. Read an anecdote here.
The gist of the above- you are assessing behavior, not people. Separating actions from individuals allows you to provide radically candid feedback that will help your teammates to grow, which they will thank you for and do for you in return.
The goal of each performance review cycle is for every team member to walk away with a clear understanding of where they are excelling and opportunities for improvement. The team member and their manager should be on the same page around the team member's goals for the upcoming 6 months, and explicit steps the team member can take to address their own growth.
All team members that have been with Coursedog for 3 months or longer will participate in the performance review process as the receivers of feedback. Additionally, interns that have been with Coursedog for less than 3 months may also participate as the receivers of feedback as we want to ensure they receive formal feedback during their time on the team.
The performance review process will be run twice a year on a 6 month cadence following the below cycle:
May: Feedback collected for midyear check in
June: Midyear check in given
November: Feedback collected for annual review
December: Annual reviews given