Is this Holding you Back?

4/15/2020

Your performance review could be holding you back—if you are a woman

I was surprised when I read research published by Korn Ferry that found women can be held back by their performance reviews.

What?
Yes! Performance reviews can hold women leaders back!

In recent research conducted by both Korn Ferry and Stanford University, it was found that 57% of women got vague-sounding praise on their reviews while only 43% of men had vague praise.

In the study of more than 200 different performance reviews, only 40% of women had their feedback tied to business outcomes while 60% of men had their feedback tied directly to business outcomes.

Men have a clearer path
It was found that men get a much clearer picture of what they are doing well, what they need to improve upon and what’s needed to get to the next level.

How can women grow to their next level if they don’t have feedback that is connected to business outcomes and clear and concrete ideas for how to get to next-level roles?

The truth is, it makes it difficult for women and it takes them much longer! They are equally as talented as men and in many cases bring insights and diverse points of view that are needed on a much-broader scale.

Organizations with more women at the top perform better
With consistent data showing that organizations with more women at the top are outperforming organizations without women at the top by as much as 20% on their stock price, we need to be doing everything we can to get more women promoted.

What to do?
If you are a manager, make sure you give women on your team reviews with feedback that links their accomplishments directly with business outcomes. Discuss the strategy of your organization. Provide concrete and concise ideas for what women need to do to be considered for higher-level roles and making bigger contributions to your organization.

If you are a woman, ask for feedback and learn what key business outcomes your work impacts. Be sure you find out what the requirements are for getting to your next-level role. Keep asking questions until you have clarity. Make sure you are clear about expectations and opportunities for advancement. These are important questions to pursue on a regular basis, and they are especially important during your review.

What if I've already had my review?
Look at your review again from the standpoint of having concrete and direct feedback. Make sure you know what you are doing well, where you need to improve and to which business outcomes your work contributes.

If you aren’t clear or have questions, talk with your manager about the research listed above and ask your manager to tell you directly what you need to do to get to your next level.

You can also decide the next-level role for which you want to be considered and share that information with your manager and other leaders in your organization who could recommend you for those roles.

Don't wait!
Don’t wait for review time. Make sure you are having regular conversations with your manager so you know exactly how you are contributing, what you need to improve upon and that you are on track to get to your next level.

Your growth and development matters to us all!
Reach out to me: Phone 612-598-6614. Email: Rita@wiseleader.net

I look forward to hearing from you!