The Dreaded Annual Performance Review

The Dreaded Annual Performance Review

It's the most wonderful time of the year! 🎶 Ehem. You know, the time when we get to have genuine and deeply insightful conversations between managers and direct reports about what went well and where we can grow next year. 

Oh. Is that not how the annual performance cycle feels to you? 

Well you're not alone. Plenty has been written and researched in terms of the ineffectiveness (and literal harmfulness) of year-end performance conversations. Even the Society of HR Managers gives them a failing grade.

Women As Allies - Part II

Women As Allies - Part II

There’s a common theme underpinning many of the dynamics we’ve discussed: “A system of society or government in which men hold the power and women are largely excluded from it.” Yes – I just provided a Merriam-Webster definition of patriarchy. It is not women’s responsibility to dismantle patriarchal power structures, but we can understand our options to disrupt patterns that create barriers to equality.

The benefits are priceless. Envision a world in which we consistently find joy in each other’s successes, where we can rely on professional sisterhood for allyship and encouragement, where we pass down knowledge and wisdom between generations, and where we reject outdated stereotypes and biases.

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Women As Allies - Part I

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Women As Allies - Part I

I consistently hear the perception, sometimes mentioned in a shameful whisper, and sometimes with indignant conviction, that women don’t support other women. I hear it in workshops, coaching sessions and over coffee with friends. And reader, let me tell you, there is so much here to discuss! But it’s probably not what you think…

In fact, this topic is so deeply complex and fascinating that it can fill books. So, in this two-part series, we’ll focus on the following basics: What’s actually going on, why it’s happening, and what we can do about it. Before we can talk about the solutions, we need to understand the reality of what’s happening.