I hear some version of this at least once a month:
“I hate annual performance reviews. My team hates them. But my HR department says we need to do them, and we don’t know what else to do.”
That sentence alone tells you almost everything you need to know.
The annual review was designed for a different era. One where work moved slower, roles were more stable, and feedback traveled down a clear chain of command. That world doesn’t exist anymore.
Today’s teams are dynamic. Priorities shift quickly. People expect communication in real time, not once a year. And yet, many organizations are still trying to cram twelve months of performance into a single, uncomfortable conversation.
A familiar scene
Picture this.
You sit down for a formal annual review. You’ve completed a form and prepared notes. So has your employee. Maybe. The conversation starts politely, then slowly stiffens. Feedback that could have been helpful months ago is now awkward, or worse, defensive. Surprises emerge. Emotions flare. And by the end, both of you are relieved that it’s over.
Here’s the problem: feedback delayed is feedback diluted.
Annual reviews rarely drive performance. More often, they document it, after the fact.
Why the annual review model falls short
Annual reviews fail for three core reasons.
They’re too infrequent. By the time feedback arrives, the moment to course-correct has long passed.
They mix too many things into one conversation. Compensation, development, accountability, and emotion, all in one setting. That combination shuts people down instead of opening them up.
They place leaders in the role of judge instead of coach. When feedback feels like a verdict, learning stops.
None of this builds trust. And trust is the foundation of culture.
What works better: a cadence of check-ins
The most effective leaders I work with have shifted away from annual reviews and toward regular, intentional check-ins.
These aren’t long or formal. They’re consistent.
A strong check-in cadence might look like this:
- Brief weekly or biweekly one-on-ones
- Quarterly development conversations
- Real-time feedback tied to specific moments
The goal isn’t micromanagement. It’s connection.
When leaders talk with their team members regularly, a few important things happen:
- Feedback feels normal, not threatening
- Issues are addressed early, before they compound
- Expectations stay clear
- People feel seen
And when people feel seen, they engage differently.
What to talk about in check-ins
Great check-ins aren’t status updates. Those can happen elsewhere.
The best conversations focus on four simple questions:
- What’s working well right now?
- Where are you feeling stuck or frustrated?
- What support do you need from me?
- What are you learning?
These questions send a powerful signal: your growth matters here.
Why this matters for culture
The questions you ask in a check-in aren’t just conversation starters. They’re signals. They tell people what you value, what you’re paying attention to, and whether this is a place worth investing in.
Culture isn’t your values statement. It’s how people experience your company day-to-day.
When feedback only shows up once a year, culture feels distant and transactional. When conversations are ongoing, culture feels alive.
And that matters more than most leaders realize, because top performers have options. They’re not just choosing jobs. They’re choosing environments. The best people want clarity, trust, accountability without fear, and leaders who actually listen.
A rhythm of regular check-ins tells high performers: this is a place where I can grow.
A leadership mindset shift
This approach requires leaders to stop thinking of themselves as evaluators and start thinking of themselves as partners in performance.
It also requires letting go of the idea that one big conversation can replace many small ones.
It can’t.
Culture is built in moments, not meetings.
A final thought
If your goal is to attract and retain the best people, the question isn’t whether annual reviews are “bad.” It’s whether they’re enough.
In today’s world, they’re not.
The leaders people remember are the ones who create space for ongoing conversation, not because it was trendy, but because it was human.
If you’re rethinking how feedback shows up in your organization, I’d love to help you build a rhythm that actually works. We can start with one conversation and leave with a framework you can use right away. Sometimes the smallest changes create the strongest cultures.
Onward and upward,
Executive Coaching and Consulting for business CEOs, Owners and Presidents
If you are looking to grow your business or amplify your personal leadership skills, I would love to have a conversation with you. You can email me at karen@karencaplan.com for a no obligation conversation.
