Why Performance Reviews

Note to the reader: This is a repost from LinkedIn

Performance reviews: the season that makes every manager’s heart race—not always for the right reasons

It’s performance review season—or as we call it at Google, GRAD (Googler Reviews and Development). As I sit here surrounded by peer feedback, design docs, launch reports, and role profiles, I’m struck by the beautiful paradox of this process. It’s simultaneously the most draining and the most meaningful part of being a manager.

The challenge is real:

• Distilling a year’s worth of impact into carefully crafted (but limited!) paragraphs
• Synthesizing feedback from countless stakeholders
• Translating complex technical achievements into clear, compelling narratives
• Choosing every word with care, knowing these reviews shape careers

And yet…

This is where leadership rubber meets the road. These moments of reflection and recognition are what build careers, shape culture, and strengthen teams.

Yes, we’ll spend countless hours in calibration rooms. Yes, we’ll agonize over every word choice. And yes, we’ll probably drink too much coffee doing it. ☕

But when I see team members flourish from the recognition of their achievements and grow through candid feedback - that’s when I know every careful word in these reviews matters.

So here’s to all the managers out there in the thick of review season. Your words shape careers, and your efforts build the future. Keep fighting the good fight—your team is worth it.💪