Communication During Performance Reviews

When leaders judge too quickly, they close doors. Trust erodes. Communication becomes guarded. What could have been: ▪️An open exchange of ideas turns into silence. ▪️Innovation is replaced by hesitation. ▪️People hide mistakes instead of learning from them. ▪️Safety is replaced by self-protection. Leading with empathy means: ▪️Listening without interrupting. ▪️Holding space for people to share honestly. ▪️Connecting as humans before reacting as managers. ▪️Withholding judgment until the full story is understood. As Brené Brown reminds us: “Empathy has no script… It’s simply listening, holding space, withholding judgment, emotionally connecting…” Empathetic leadership isn’t about: ▪️Having all the answers. ▪️Solving every problem instantly. ▪️Being “soft” or lowering standards. It is about: ▪️Creating environments where people feel seen, heard, and safe. ▪️Understanding the why behind the what. ▪️Leading from curiosity, not assumption. Behind every behaviour is a story you can’t always see: ▪️Burnout. ▪️Fear of failure. ▪️Challenges outside of work. ▪️A lack of psychological safety. When leaders choose empathy: ▪️Trust deepens. ▪️Creativity grows. ▪️People speak up, take risks, and own their contributions. ▪️Teams become more resilient and engaged. So next time judgment rises quickly: ▪️Pause. ▪️Ask: “What might be going on here that I can’t see?” ▪️Listen longer. ▪️Hold space. ▪️Connect deeper. Judgment closes doors. Empathy opens them. PS: Thoughts on this?

As well as leading range reviews for my own categories in my 10 years as a Buyer, I've led or been involved in over 50 range reviews from the supply side. Here are my top 5 tips for how to plan for the big day…. 1.  START EARLY - Deep dive the Retailer’s category performance AT LEAST 6 MONTHS OUT to understand what’s working / what’s not & what that means for your brand/s. - Build the outline story now : What insights & marketing assets do you have… & what are the gaps you need to fill? - Quality Range Reviews take a lot of work - so make a realistic resource plan now to deliver it & avoid the usual last minute rush. 2.  JOINT BUSINESS PLANNING - Meet with the Buyer early to understand their plans & strategy in detail… & start to share yours. - Are there any big initiatives or ideas that need an early discussion to test the water?  Or that can be pre-sold early so both sides can move on to focus on quality execution rather than whether its even happening? - What Opportunities & Risks does the Buyer see for your brand/s?  Get them out on the table as early as you can & make a plan to do something about them. 3.  BE STRATEGIC - Look at your range from the Buyer's perspective – if your SKU is not driving TOTAL CATEGORY sales & profitability why should they support? - If you have products in the tail, is it better to sacrifice one or two & have a chance to recycle your distribution to another SKU?  - Don’t fight a losing battle trying to save something that cannot be saved, as you could lose credibility doing so (and lose the SKUs anyway). 4.  WARGAME - What are the potential Buyer concerns or challenges to your proposals? - What might your competitors be doing with the same eg Nielsen or Kantar data that you have? - Look at potential risks & plan a response to each to stay on the front foot. 5.  STAY CLOSE - Critical paths for Retailer range reviews are long, very long.  Once all Suppliers have presented their proposals they may then have 6-8 weeks of detailed range work before making final decisions. - Some may actively avoid Supplier discussions in this time, but do what you can to stay close. - If you can understand some of the trade offs, or get an early warning that something is at risk, you may also have time to do something about it. SUMMARY - Range reviews take a lot of time, a lot of thinking & a lot of co-ordination. - And they should – they are one of your BIGGEST, IF NOT THE BIGGEST CHANCE to drive your brand’s sales all year. - Start Early & Resource up - the ROI can be HUGE if you get it right. At Optima Retail we are Category Management experts who specialise in range review support. So if you need any advice, or just want a quick chat to explore options for how to address a particular challenge please do get in touch. ♻️ And if you enjoyed this post, please consider liking it & sharing it to your network too. Thanks for reading.

Honesty and directness are two of the most valuable traits in any workplace, yet I feel we are losing them...or losing the skill behind them. While many people are avoiding directness for fear of causing discomfort, others dive into “telling it like it is” without the tact and empathy that make honest feedback constructive. Somewhere along the line, these important qualities got tangled up with conflict or insensitivity, making many people shy away from direct feedback or honest opinions. It's important to recognize that: 💡 People often seek reassurance or pity, but what they often need most is honesty and directness. ⚠️ And if we don't recognize this and we lose honesty and directness, we lose the foundation for trust and growth. ⚡ Empathy and kindness are crucial at work, but they shouldn’t come at the expense of clarity and truth. We need to show people we value them by delivering the truth with empathy and respect. When we do this, we also impact efficiency. Instead of tiptoeing around issues, we can address them, find solutions, and move forward. Problems that might have lingered for months can be addressed in a single, honest conversation. There is no need to choose between being direct and being empathetic! It’s about combining the two thoughtfully. ✔️ Take a moment to notice your own emotion and consider how your words and tone will be received ✔️ Be conscious of tact, timing and empathy ✔️ Be specific and constructive..."I've noticed (specific issue) and I'd like to chat about what we can do about it" ✔️ Focus on the issue not the person ✔️ Encourage people to give YOU constructive feedback...and highlight that it goes both ways ✔️ Stick to facts, not opinions. And be clear on the impact before seeking solutions. Change starts with LEADERS! Research from Edelman’s Trust Barometer shows that transparency and honesty are top drivers of trust in leadership, with 84% of respondents saying that open and honest communication from leaders builds trust. We are all leaders in some respect so we can all ask ourselves...am I being direct and honest enough with the people around me? The people I care about? ❓ What are your thoughts on the topic ❓ How can leaders strike the right balance between honesty and empathy to build a culture of trust ❓ What’s one approach that’s worked well for you ❓ Leave your comments below 🙏 #trust #respect #openness #honesty #leadership #teamwork

“Can I give you some feedback?” My stomach drops. “What did I do wrong?” “Am I in trouble?” “Do they regret hiring me?” “Is this the beginning of the end?” They haven’t even finished the sentence. Welcome to Rejection Sensitivity Dysphoria (RSD). For many ADHD and autistic professionals, feedback doesn’t land as neutral data. It lands as threat. Not because we’re fragile. Not because we can’t grow. Not because we don’t want accountability. But because our nervous system reacts before logic gets a vote. What leaders often intend: 📌 Improvement 📌 Refinement 📌 Development What some neurodivergent brains hear: 🚨 Rejection 🚨 Failure 🚨 Loss of belonging And when that gap isn’t understood? People mask. Over-apologise. Over-work. Over-achieve. Burn out trying to prove they’re still “enough.” Here’s what helps: ✔ Start with clarity: “This isn’t about your performance overall.” ✔ Separate behaviour from identity ✔ Be specific, not global ✔ Avoid vague tone shifts (“we need to talk…”) ✔ Offer written follow-up to reduce rumination ✔ Invite processing time And for neurodivergent professionals: You’re not “too sensitive.” Your brain just processes social threat differently. The goal isn’t to avoid feedback. It’s to deliver it in a way that doesn’t activate survival mode. Leaders, what has improved how feedback lands in your team? Neurodivergent professionals, what makes feedback feel safe for you? #ADHDAtWork #AutismAtWork #InclusiveLeadership #Neurodiversity #RSD #BelongingNotFittingIn #LeadershipDevelopment

Leaders who avoid hard feedback aren’t protecting their people, they are setting them up to fail. Feedback is one of the most powerful tools we have in leadership but it’s also one of the most misused. Because leaders confuse compassion with avoidance, softening the truth until it loses all usefulness, or withholding it altogether under the guise of kindness. Compassionate feedback is about caring enough to be honest, in a way that allows other people to hear it. At APS Intelligence, we use a framework for compassionate feedback, designed to ensure that even difficult messages are delivered with clarity and respect: 1. Frame the feedback - Start by recognising effort and value to create psychological safety and remind people their work is seen and appreciated. 2. Ask permission - Feedback lands better when people feel like they have agency. Asking “Can I talk to you about something I’ve noticed?” is, as Dr. Shelby Hill says, a gentle knock on the door of someone’s psyche instead of barging in. 3. Be precise and objective - Describe what you’ve observed, not your interpretation of it. Feedback should focus on behaviour, not character. 4. Explain the impact - Share how the behaviour affects others or the work. Clarity about consequences builds accountability without blame. 5. Stay curious and open - Avoid assumptions. Ask questions that invite dialogue and understanding, not defence. 6. Collaborate on next steps - Offer support, not ultimatums. Feedback should be a shared problem to solve instead of a burden to bear. 7. End with perspective - Reaffirm their strengths and remind them that one issue does not define their value. Compassionate feedback allows honesty and humanity to coexist. It ensures that when people walk away, they feel respected, even if the message was hard to hear. This is a framework we use often at APS Intelligence. You can book a tailored workshop for your people managers or leadership cohorts to explore this further.

Most reps start the morning scrambling/figuring out who to call. Most leaders start meetings asking "How'd that go?" You're playing defense when you should be on offense. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗣𝗥𝗢𝗕𝗟𝗘𝗠 𝗪𝗜𝗧𝗛 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗦 Call reviews? After the call's done. Deal reviews? After it's lost. Forecast reviews? After the month ends. All reactive. All too late. We act like we can change the past by talking about it more. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 80/20 𝗙𝗟𝗜𝗣 Elite teams flip the ratio: 80% prep. 20% review. Because you can't fix yesterday's call. But you can nail tomorrow's. 𝗗𝗔𝗜𝗟𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗡𝗚𝗘𝗦 𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗥𝗬𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗡𝗚 End of each day (15 minutes): - Build tomorrow's call list with names, not just numbers - Write your opener for the first 3 calls - Review accounts you're calling (triggers, recent activity) - Set 3 priorities that actually matter - Block time for the hardest task first Not Monday morning when you're already behind. 𝗪𝗘𝗘𝗞𝗟𝗬 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣 (𝗙𝗥𝗜𝗗𝗔𝗬 𝗔𝗙𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗡𝗢𝗢𝗡) Map out next week before you leave: - Every meeting on the calendar - 3 deals that need attention - Prospecting blocks scheduled NOW - Follow-up emails written in advance - Clear the decks of distractions Don't prep for next week on Monday. That's like packing for vacation at the airport. 𝗟𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗘𝗥𝗦: 𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗣 𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪𝗜𝗡𝗚, 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣𝗣𝗜𝗡𝗚 Which has more impact? Option A: "How'd that call go?" (after it's done) Option B: 15 minutes before the call practicing objections The answer's obvious. Yet we choose A every time. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 10-𝗠𝗜𝗡𝗨𝗧𝗘 𝗖𝗔𝗟𝗟 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣 Before any important call: - Role-play the first 3 minutes - Practice handling their likely objection - Stress test your disco questions - Plan your if-then scenarios - Align on the desired outcome This 10 minutes is worth more than any post-call Slack message. 𝗪𝗛𝗬 𝗪𝗘 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗣𝗥𝗘𝗣 Prep feels like extra work. Review feels like real work. Prep happens when things are calm. Review happens when things are on fire. Prep is invisible. Review is visible. But preparation prevents the need for review. 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗘𝗙𝗙𝗘𝗖𝗧 Rep who preps daily: - Knows exactly what to do at 9am - Never scrambles for who to call - Enters every conversation ready - Wastes zero time deciding - Goes home with tomorrow handled Rep who doesn't: - Starts every day behind - Scrambles between tasks - Wings important calls - Works late "catching up" - Repeats the chaos tomorrow 𝗛𝗘𝗥𝗘'𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗢𝗩𝗘 This week, flip your ratio: 1. End each day with 15 minutes of tomorrow prep 2. End Friday with 30 minutes of next week prep 3. Start each important call with 10 minutes of prep 4. Replace one review meeting with a prep session 5. Track the difference in your execution You'll work less. You'll stress less. You'll achieve more. Because the best time to win tomorrow's battle is today. What's the quote 'an oz of prevention is worth a pound of cure'? Get ahead of it ya'll

If you’re hoping to get a raise or promotion in the next few months, the conversation needs to start long before your performance review. One of the biggest mistakes professionals make is waiting until review season to finally advocate for themselves. By then, most decisions have already been influenced by months of observed performance, visibility, and perceived impact. The people who move forward in their careers are usually the ones who start the conversation early. Set up a one-on-one with your manager in the next few weeks and talk about your short-term career goals. Be direct about what you’re working toward, whether that’s a raise, a promotion, or greater responsibility. Share why it matters to you. Talk about the value you’ve been bringing to the team. Then ask one of the most important questions you can ask in your career: “What would I need to demonstrate consistently over the next few months for this to happen?” That question changes everything. It gives you clarity instead of assumptions. It gives your manager time to advocate for you internally. And it helps you focus your energy on the work that actually moves your career forward. Too many talented professionals stay stuck because they assume hard work alone will speak for itself. Unfortunately, visibility, communication, and proactive career planning matter just as much. Your career will change when you stop hoping people notice your potential and start leading conversations about your growth. Follow along for more practical career tips that help you build a career you’re genuinely excited about. #CareerGrowth #CareerDevelopment #Leadership #SalaryNegotiation #Promotion

Leaders: Stop winging feedback. Use frameworks that drive growth. Giving feedback isn’t easy - but winged feedback often leads nowhere. Without structure, your words might confuse, demotivate, or even disengage your team. Here are 4 feedback frameworks that create clarity, build trust, and drive growth (and 1 to avoid): 1) 3Cs: Celebrations, Challenges, Commitments 🏅  → Celebrate what’s working well. → Address challenges with honesty. → End with commitments for improvement. 2) Situation-Behavior-Impact (SBI) 💡  → Describe *specific* situations. → Focus on observed behavior. → Explain its impact on team or goals. 3) Radical Candor 🗣️  → Care personally while challenging directly. → Show empathy but stay honest. 4) GROW Model: Goal, Reality, Options, Will ⬆️  → Set goals for feedback. → Discuss current reality. → Explore options for growth. → Commit together on action steps. ❌ 5) DO NOT USE: Feedback Sandwich ❌  → Start with something positive. → Address areas needing growth. → Close with another positive. ‼️ This outdated model tends to backfire as people feel manipulated. Structured feedback isn’t just about improving performance. It builds trust, fosters open communication, and creates an environment for continuous learning. ❓Which framework do you use to give feedback? ♻ Share this post to help your network become top 1% communicators. 📌 Follow me Oliver Aust for more leadership insights.

In auditing, we often focus on technical skills—risk assessments, compliance checks, and control evaluations.  But there's one key skill we sometimes overlook: empathy. When we practice empathy: - Clients are more open because they feel understood.  - Genuine conversations that lead to stronger collaboration happen.  - We understand the client's struggles - We deliver feedback in a way that promotes growth. Here are my tips on being an empathetic auditor: 1. Start with active listening How? Truly listen before jumping to conclusions. 2. Tailor your communication How? Adjust your approach based on who you’re talking to. 3. Acknowledge process challenges How? Recognize the real difficulties clients face in managing their operations. 4. Show understanding in reporting How? Frame findings in a way that respects the client's context. 5. Customize recommendations How? Provide practical solutions that fit the client's situation. 6. Practice patience How? Understand that human errors are part of the process. How do you apply empathy in your audit work? (if you want to watch the full video, link in the comments) #internalaudit #ITaudit #digitaltransformation

After a decade of sitting in manager meetings, delivering reviews, and coaching others through them, I’ve learned what makes—or breaks—an annual review: Here are 7 practical things you can do right now: 1/ Make it easy for your manager to advocate for you. Don’t just list tasks. Show outcomes. Show business impact. Make the case clear and compelling. 2/ When asking for peer reviews, give them a purpose. Are you aiming for a promo? A stretch project? Let them know. It’ll help them speak to the right strengths that support your goals. 3/ Show how you’re already performing at the next level. As Webflow CEO Linda Tong shared with me in my book, leaders want to see you performing at the next level already. Highlight those moments where you took on leadership, strategic decisions, or tough projects. 4/ Cut the fluff. Don’t list every task you did. Focus on the 20% of projects that drove 80% of results. 5/ Ask your manager to pre-review it. I did this for my teams — help them advocate for themselves in the most impactful way possible. 6/ Anticipate challenges. If there’s a project that didn’t go well, address it. Share what you learned and how you’ve applied those lessons. It builds trust. 7/ Compare across quarters. Show how you’ve grown — not just what you did this cycle. We’re prone to the recency effect. Progress tells a powerful story. 𝗣.𝗦. It’s your career. Own your review.