{"id":231774,"date":"2021-12-15T13:08:32","date_gmt":"2021-12-15T18:08:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/?p=231774"},"modified":"2021-12-15T13:08:33","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T18:08:33","slug":"questions-to-improve-your-annual-review","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/coreywilkspsyd.com\/questions-to-improve-your-annual-review\/","title":{"rendered":"Want To Improve Your Annual Review? Ask These Questions"},"content":{"rendered":"
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It’s Annual Review season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While everyone focuses on writing out their OKRs and making SMART goals, they’re overlooking a critical component: The psychological aspects of themselves and their team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few simple questions can make or break achieving your company’s 2022 goals…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A well-oiled machine is a thing of beauty\u2014all the parts working in unison to achieve a specific goal. But if any single piece malfunctions, the machine will run poorly or not at all. A company is a machine, and every person within it is vital to its overall functioning. But to keep your company functioning well, you can’t treat your people like cogs. You have to treat them like humans\u2014with their own needs, interests, limitations, and strengths.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are some questions to help you optimize a critical part of running a great company\u2014the human element.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ask them to yourself and your team, so everyone’s on the same page and firing on all cylinders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question #1: Do you have the energy to execute your responsibilities or are you tapped out?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

If you’re feeling drained, identify what specifically is draining your energy and brainstorm strategies to address it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Strategies might include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delegate<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Identify tasks that drain you and see if you can reassign them to someone who would enjoy them more. Maybe you hate doing paperwork, but a teammate loves documentation (they exist).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Batch<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

If you have <\/em>to do a task, minimizing the time you spend doing it can help reduce burnout and preserve your energy. Setting up an hour or two a week to “chew glass” and be done with it is better than nibbling on it a little every single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Disconnect<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Being “on” all day every day isn’t sustainable for anyone. Build in rest times (even 5 minutes every so often throughout the day) and have a specific “clock-out” time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rest and recovery are critical to peak performance in any industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question #2: Do you have the mental bandwidth to do X?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

We all have limitations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The trick is learning when to push those limitations and when to respect them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, if a team member is distracted, how can you help them focus? I need music to stay focused because I have the attention span of a gnat (I’m wearing headphones as I write this). So a work environment that forbids me from listening to it will significantly reduce my productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Or if a team member has a major family issue going on (so they’re stressed and distracted), can you give them more time on a project or would it be better to take it off their plate entirely?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Identify the psychological needs your team members have and find a way to meet them so they can perform at their best. They’ll feel more respected and be happier and more productive for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The same goes for you as a leader\u2014the more self-aware you are of your own needs, the better you’ll be able to show up for your company and your team without burning out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2022\u2022\u2022<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Question #3: How can you improve team dynamics?<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

Hiring smart people won’t solve all your problems. Because one asshole, no matter how smart they are, can destabilize the entire group. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A team should be greater than the sum of its members, and the best way to achieve this is by optimizing for group cohesion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A few ways to improve group cohesion:<\/p>\n\n\n\n