The topic of delivering performance feedback typically focuses on how to provide constructive or critical feedback aimed at improving performance. I have written several articles aimed at offering sound practices for improving employee performance using effective performance feedback and realize that I have not appropriately addressed the importance of positive feedback. I believe that both constructive and positive feedback are critically important for high performance but for different reasons.

Annual performance reviews are typically viewed as a dreaded business activity and for good reason. When employee performance is evaluated and discussed just once a year, a lot of things can go wrong. However the performance review discussion can be a powerful tool in building the employee-manager relationship when it is part of a continuous performance management strategy.

Leaders Should Engage to Retain and Drive Employee Performance

According to a recent survey conducted by Right Management, an astonishing 83% of the North American employees polled indicated that they plan to actively seek a new position in 2014. In addition, Harvard Business Review published a research report in 2013 which indicated that 71% of the 550 executives surveyed, placed employee engagement as a key factor in their ability to achieve organizational success. However, only 24% of these same executives indicated that they believe their workforce is highly engaged. These two sets of findings provide a great deal of insight into the job satisfaction levels of employees, as well as point to a need for organizational leaders to make employee engagement a priority.

Employee engagement is not just important for retention; employee engagement has consistently been linked to employee and business performance. While senior leaders play a major role in creating a culture that facilitates employee engagement, the employee-manager relationship is even more critical - specifically, the way in which managers continuously manage the performance and development of employees. Unfortunately, recent research by Dale Carnegie found that 80% of employees who were disengaged were also dissatisfied with their current manager.

Employee Performance Management is a Key Leadership Competency

Employee performance management systems have received a great deal of attention in the business media over the past few weeks, as news that Microsoft, Motorola and Yahoo have made changes to their systems. The amount of commentary about these changes has been quite astonishing. Everyone seems to have an opinion about the best way to implement performance management. In fact, I chimed in myself in a recent editorial post, Don't Blame Performance Reviews, Blame Poor Leadership.

The mid year performance review is an important part of the overall employee performance management process. As my colleague Amanda Seidler wrote in a previous article, Mid-Year Reviews - The New Annual Performance Appraisal?, mid-year reviews are increasing in popularity for good reason. Conducting helpful and productive mid-year review discussions is a fundamental way in which managers can support a culture of on-going feedback and recognition, not to mention achieve better business results.

Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc. owns, manages and franchises some of the most well-known brands in the hotel industry. With over 1,000 properties and approximately 145,000 associates, Starwood is one of the world's largest hotel companies and one of the most respected in the industry.

BUSINESS CHALLENGE

Rapid growth and sales force expansion in recent years had provided sales professionals at all levels with opportunities for promotion and increased responsibility. During this expansion, the organization struggled to identify internal candidates to assume management positions and had to quickly prepare newly promoted managers to move the organization forward.