THE ALLIANCE
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2. Set Up a System of Regular
Checkpoints for Both Sides to Exchange
Feedback with Each Other
The traditional corporate approach of performance
reviews based on the calendar year makes little
sense in the context of a tour of duty. The mission
objective, not the calendar, defi nes a tour of duty.
Furthermore, an annual review process doesn’t
provide nearly enough feedback. You should set
up a system of regular checkpoints to assess how
the tour of duty is going for both parties (see fi gure
4-1 ). These checkpoints could be held at regular
intervals (e.g., quarterly) or could be tied to spe-
cifi c milestones in the overall project plan associ-
ated with the tour of duty. Either way, the goal is
to provide an explicit forum for ...