Creating useful performance reviews

I didn’t like giving reviews, and I don’t like receiving them. There must be a better way. Here are some suggestions generated by “Gen AI Could Fix Performance Reviews—or Make Them Even Worse,” an article in the Harvard Business Review by Chrysanthos Dellarocas (May 26, 2026).

Challenge

We all fool ourselves. A recent study shows that 90% of managers think they’re good coaches, while 75% believe they’re excellent at team development. 

But the numbers don’t add up. Thirty percent of employees think their managers give inaccurate evaluations, while 33% of HR professionals believe managers overestimate their talent in this area. It reminds me of George Bernard Shaw’s observation that the problem with communication is the illusion it’s occurring.

Solution

Too many reviews rely on conclusions and suppositions, not facts and evidence. This stops by using the right frame, whether with a self-evaluation or a manager evaluation. Here are three illustrations:

Don’t: Describe your employee’s leadership style.

Do: What are the moments your employee’s work most clearly reveals their style?

See the difference in what’s asked for? The first is a conclusion that begets a conclusion. By contrast, the second penetrates beyond conclusions to facts. Let’s keep playing!