2.4. The First Performance Review

By the time the first annual performance review for Kristen, Miguel, and Eric came around, they were experiencing a full menu of emotions and concerns with an awakening that their career paths may not take the course they originally hoped. Like most new employees, they met their reviews with some fear and anxiety, but they also felt an unexpected glimmer of hope, an expectant feeling that maybe this was their chance to be evaluated on paper only, with an unbiased look at their accomplishments, raw numbers, productivity gains, and new clients won.

Much was riding on the performance reviews on both sides of the table. The company invested heavily in its performance management system, developing templates and special ...

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